Earlier this month Cornish Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament (MP), Mathew Taylor, published a consultation document on Cornwall's housing crisis. The report stated that 19000 people in Cornwall are on housing waiting lists and that developers, planning authorities and second home owners were making it impossible for Cornish people to afford their own homes.

In Wales a survey published last November showed that 80000 people are on council housing waiting lists. Shelter Cymru estimates that this figure could be easily pushed up to 144000 people when taking into consideration those not on local authority lists.

Today it is generally agreed that more affordable homes need to be built in the Celtic countries so that people have a chance to stay within their own communities, but it is also generally accepted that housing development should be sustainable. Therefore when a panel of experts, appointed by the Government, published their recommendations in a report last week on the draft Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) and recommended that 70000 new homes should be built in Cornwall, it was difficult to know whether to laugh or cry.

70000 new homes would mean an increase of 53% on the figures shown in the draft RSS and have caused a widespread outcry throughout Cornwall.

A spokesperson for the Cornish Social and Economic Research Group (CoSERG) said:

"The new figures are totally unacceptable, they cannot be described as sustainable nor can they be reconciled with the needs and aspirations of people in Cornwall."

Mebyon Kernow – the Party for Cornwall Leader Dick Cole said that:

"It is simply unacceptable that such increases in housing can so casually be imposed on Cornwall, without recourse to the democratic process or any consideration of what is right for the people of Cornwall."

"We may feel that the democratic process is failing Cornwall, but it is vital that that Cornwall unites to demand a complete rethink of these non sustainable and unwanted proposals."

If building development was allowed to continue on this scale there would be a disastrous impact on communities, environment and infrastructure.

The report states:

" It seems to us that the desirability of wanting to live (retire, own a second home or move for economic or lifestyle reasons) must be a substantial part of the need for housing in Cornwall. It also follows that turning off the supply tap of new houses would not make that need go away."

It is obvious that the panel of so called experts who wrote this report see Cornwall as something of a holiday resort for rich people. Instead of attempting to address the housing needs in a sustainable way, working with the people and groups in Cornwall who know best, they have decided to meet the demands of a growing number if in-migrants.

With an estimated 20000 unoccupied homes in Cornwall, that for the large part stand empty for most of the year, there is enough housing stock to give everyone on Cornwall's housing waiting list their own house. Affordable homes are needed, but according to local need and not central housing demand.

Meanwhile in London yesterday a group of campaigners from the Welsh language and housing campaign group Cymuned (Community), protested outside the Headquarters of a Mayfair property dealer, who Cymuned say are focusing on homes in Wales to sell to rich English buyers as second homes. Cymuned are accusing Lane Fox of selling properties outside of Wales only and pushing up house prices, which have risen by 30% in some rural areas in the last year, with 60% of homes in those areas being sold to outsiders.

Cymuned want estate agents to sign up to a ethical code of practise, requiring all homes for sale in Wales to be advertised only in the local newspapers and shop windows for three months before they are put on the open market.

With house prices continuing to rise dramatically in both Cornwall and Wales, a workable solution is needed. Building thousands of more homes in communities that will then be sold to outsiders as second homes is not only damaging to the economy, but also to the community and our cultures.

The Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) is the regional level planning framework for the South West of England Regional Development Agency 's (SWRDA), the self appointed body that claims to develop a sustainable economy in the south west of England. Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly also fall under SWRDA's remit in a deliberate attempt to assimilate Cornwall into an artificial south west of England region.

(voir le site) www.cymuned.org

(This article prepared for Celtic News by Rhisiart Tal-e-bot)

J B Moffatt Director of Information Celtic League

13/01/08

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