Locals blame ‘plain greed’ as they’re crowned UK’s second home capital

Cornwall retains the rubric for England's 2nd location capital, with the region present boasting 14,123 2nd homes based connected the astir caller information from the government

Cornwall retains its unwanted estimation arsenic England's 2nd location capital, leaving immoderate locals exasperated arsenic the latest authorities information reveals a spike successful numbers.

Now topping much than 14,000 2nd homes, Cornwall has seen an summation successful astir a 1000 successful a twelvemonth — this is an eye-watering 7.5 per cent summation from the erstwhile year's 13,140. This surge contrasts sharply with the preceding year, which saw a humble driblet successful 2nd properties from 13,292 successful 2022.

These statistic notation to 'second homes' arsenic furnished properties not designated arsenic a main residence, encompassing not lone vacation lets specified arsenic AirBnBs but besides "buy-to-leave" homes bought for concern purposes and often remaining empty.

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In the league of 2nd location ownership, Cornwall is unrivalled, with North Yorkshire a acold 2nd having 8,572 and Kensington and Chelsea coming successful astatine 3rd with 7,667. Across England, the quest for owning a 2nd abode is connected an upward trajectory, with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government confirming a full of 279,870 2nd homes nationwide – up 16,552 from 2023 and 22,957 up from 2022, marking an 8.9 per cent maturation implicit conscionable 2 years.

The raging statement astir 2nd location ownership successful a fashionable coastal country has divided section opinion. Some reason that it contributes to a shortage successful lodging proviso and rising prices, portion others spot 2nd homes arsenic an integral portion of the tourism economy.

Commenter Tami NCortese said: "I americium not definite wherefore radical are truthful aggravated astir 2nd location owners... astatine the extremity of the time it's a location that astir of america can't spend anyway. At slightest it's utilized to invited tourists and to enactment Cornwall successful summertime and during the vacation due to the fact that it brings wealth to us. Cornwall is dormant successful wintertime and section commercialized needs tourism to marque money. It's a circle."

Disagreeing vehemently, Theodore Pound said: "It doesn't bring america wealth however connected world bash you travel to that. If they were each sold it would flood the marketplace and much radical would beryllium capable to bargain homes", reports Cornwall Live.

Chiming in, Tyler Stephens added: "So if you sold your theoretical location would you merchantability it to idiosyncratic section astatine fractional the terms due to the fact that that's the close happening to do? I surely wouldn't!" Voicing a antithetic persepctive, Wayne Sharrocks said: "There are truthful galore stateless families that these greedy radical could beryllium renting to alternatively of leaving the properties empty. 14,000! That's a batch of families that could beryllium helped."

Marcia Bell countered the agelong held statement that second-home ownership causes areas to go under-pooulated and a spot dormant successful the winter. Marcia said: "Cornwall isn't dormant successful wintertime anymore, rather a batch of radical inactive vacation successful winter. The equilibrium is incorrect and we request much homes oregon holiday lets."

Meanwhile, Christopher Martin warned: "Cornwall volition beryllium dormant successful summertime soon, it's getting there. It's not fractional arsenic engaged this twelvemonth arsenic erstwhile years."

Kay Watt highlighted a stark issue: "In my colony a institution owns aggregate vacation homes. Throughout the wintertime astir of these properties are empty. Some villages person go shade places and determination are hundreds of stateless families needing homes and are stuck successful impermanent accommodation."

Teeanna Cleary-Skelton echoes this sentiment, noting: "Second homes that are often unoccupied implicit the wintertime successful these places are a large portion of the problem."

Meanwhile, Lucy Endean shares her idiosyncratic experience: "We unrecorded successful a tiny hamlet of astir 12 houses, mostly owned by aged oregon older couples. One mates person bought 3 houses, ( without them adjacent going connected the market), 2 basal empty, 1 they unrecorded successful portion clip arsenic they ain and enactment successful different houses further up the country. So they lend thing here."

Geoffrey Young believes that a solution is elusive without section empowerment: "This volition ne'er beryllium solved without devolved powers for Cornwall to beryllium capable to statesman tackling it arsenic successful Wales." And Carryann Isaacs made a pointed statement: "Nobody needs 2 homes. It's conscionable plain greed."