Cornwall "among the most unaffordable places in the country to buy a home"
THE average property price in Cornwall is now more than 14 times the average wage according to a new report.
The National Housing Federation (NHF) published Home Truths 2008 this week looking at why the need for social housing in the south west is on the increase.
Statistics in the report show that the average salary in Cornwall is just £16,484 yet the income needed to be able to get a mortgage to buy a home in Cornwall currently stands at £63,128. The average house price in Cornwall is £232,578.
The figures also show that the number of households on waiting lists for social housing has also shot up in Cornwall by almost 88%.
The report also indicates that there are now more than 13,000 second homes in the county, representing almost 5.5% of all properties.
In some of the districts this figure is even higher with North Cornwall having 3,860 second homes, which account for 9.41% of all homes.
There are also differences across Cornwall for the affordability of homes. In Penwith average house prices are 16.6 times the average salary – this compares with the national average of properties being 11.2 times the average earnings.
The NHF has used the report to call for an increase in the number of new homes being built for social housing in the south west, saying that at present just a third of the homes needed are being built.
Simon Nunn, Head of South Region for the NHF, said: "With supply running so far behind what we need and repossessions rising fastest in this region, it is no surprise that social housing waiting lists have increased by 66% in the last five years – one of the biggest increases in the country. One in every 14 families in the South West is now on a waiting list for a social home.
"With unemployment rising and more families and older people moving towards the poverty line, an increase in social housing demand looks inevitable. Housing associations can't deliver the homes the region needs without a good borrowing stream from lenders and more support from the Government."
He added: "It is crucial to support social housing supply and ease the severe strain on the sector. The Government should help housing associations buy unsaleable private developer homes of an appropriate standard, provide extra grants and make public land available to housing associations at discounted rates.
"There are areas in the South West which are among the most unaffordable places in the country to buy a home and we also have the highest proportion of second homes. Social house building must rise to help tackle these problems."
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by Dooby Duck, Cornwall
Friday, November 07 2008, 11:22AM
“Second home owners cashing in on the gold rush down here P Lemon? I don't think so - who sold them the houses in the first place? Local homeowners have cashed in the most and don't give a toss about their county's people.”
by P. Lemon, Penryn
Tuesday, November 04 2008, 2:51PM
“Fair comment Daniel.
I wrote to these newspapers over 3 years ago highlighting the mortgage multiplier problem, but politicians, planners, developers and second-home owners were too busy cashing in on the Cornish 'gold rush' to care or listen to the truth of sky-rocketing house prices; the phrase "too little too late" for this lame, pathetic, inept government, come to mind; and sadly probably for Cornwall too, as the damaged inflicted in the last ten years is mostly irreparable...”
by Justin, Helston
Friday, October 31 2008, 5:00PM
“Well said Daniel.”
by Daniel, West Cornwall
Friday, October 31 2008, 3:15PM
“Many people think who commented here seem to think that it should be the privelage of the rich to live where they were born, went to school and grew up. Would the world not be a better, more peaceful, safer, friendlier place if our communities were preserved instead of broken up into regions of the better and worse off?
With decent, respectable communities many of the problems the world faces can be solved, not by breaking up the building blocks of civilised society. The implications of not suporting our communities and helping them stay together reach further than the issues that are being discussed.
Problems such as elderly people going weeks on end without speaking to another person, post offices closing, crime rates increasing and lack of support for decent public transport we need to think about our communities and how they can be shored up. Fewer holiday homes and incresed social housing supply would be a good start!”
by Catalyst, Cornwall
Friday, October 31 2008, 2:37PM
“"Thats the sacrifice, low wages and lack of jobs, but the oppotunity to live in such a stunning place."
That's about the dumbest comment ever in the history of dumb comments.
The whole point is that due to the low wages, lack of jobs and cost of housing, people can't afford to live here!
It's not great to live anywhere if the only home you can afford is a cardboard box!”
by Catalyst, Cornwall
Friday, October 31 2008, 2:36PM
“'If you can't afford to live here then ****** off!'
Your neighbour isn't right. In fact it's his attitude that has caused the problem. Increasingly, the only people that can afford to buy homes here are second home owners and rich retired people. Why should I (and my children) be forced to leave the county because it's too expensive to buy or rent property? It's people like him that have sold out the rest of us. Cornwall will end up a haven for coffin dodgers and holidaymakers. It needs youth to keep it alive, that means we need affordable housing. But this should be done sympathetically and on a scale that's not going to ruin the countryside.”
by Love it, Cornwall
Friday, October 31 2008, 12:48PM
“" If you want to live in a mostly unspoilt and beautiful area of the country you must expect to pay more than you would to live in an industrialised dump. "
I love this comment :-) It's very true. Cornwall is, IMHO, the most stunning place in England to live. Therefore, people should expect it to be harder/more expensive to live here. Thats the sacrifice, low wages and lack of jobs, but the oppotunity to live in such a stunning place. If we build massive housing estates everywhere then Cornwall will turn into every other dump.”
by ICTGuy, East Anglia
Friday, October 31 2008, 11:48AM
“A part of your problem is the ongoing failure to address the low wage Cornish (and indeed south west) economy.
It's also unrealistic for people to think they have a right to live where they are born. The sad reality is that you live where you can afford (and where work is available.) I might have been born in central London...do I have a right to live in Mayfair?
Second homes are only a small percentage of the housing stock. However their owners are a nice little decoy for politicians who are unwilling or unable to tackle the root problems in the Cornish economy.”
by The Lion, Newquay Zoo
Friday, October 31 2008, 9:52AM
“Personally I blame a lot of Cornish people who sold the land / property in the first place, for inflated prices, not caring who buys it. They don't have to sell it to the highest bidder, they can pick the best offer from a local family etc., if they want to, but they don't, then as soon as their kids can't afford to buy a house they kick off. You can't have it both ways!!”
by Rich, Par
Friday, October 31 2008, 7:54AM
“I have a solution. Force all the smug 'owners' of former council-houses to sell them back to the government at the purchase price plus inflation. That would right the wrong that was originally done. I know of plenty of 'council' houses in my area that have been sold for stupendous amounts as second homes and some that are regularly rented out as 'holiday cottages' to the unsuspecting. Building massive ghettos of cheap housing over our beautiful fields and woodlands is not the answer. In the words of my elderly Cornish neighbour, 'If you can't afford to live here then bugger off!' A bit harsh but fair. If you want to live in a mostly unspoilt and beautiful area of the country you must expect to pay more than you would to live in an industrialised dump.”