A Cornish town has attracted growing condemnation in recent years for allowing tourists and second home buyers to inflate prices for locals. St Ives represents a picture-perfect seaside haven for many, renowned for its captivating history and thriving arts culture, making it scarcely shocking that hordes of holidaymakers descend there each year, reports Cornwall Live.
However, countless locals have become fed up with spiralling property and service prices. Chatting to The Guardian, St Ives local Michael Bird said: “This beautiful town is buckling under the pressures of high-value overtourism and the relentless squeeze on what’s available for locals – the foundations, in other words, of sustainable community life.
“If you’re struggling to find a long-term residential let, let alone pay the rent, you’re not going to be able to cheer yourself up with a £29 seafood linguine from what was once an affordable local cafe.”
St Ives conducted a public ballot on second home ownership back in 2016 and locals overwhelmingly opted to take action, with more than 80 per cent of voters backing a “principal residence” requirement for newly-constructed property purchases.
However, it seems this policy hasn’t delivered the desired outcomes, and inhabitants remain exasperated about the persistent influx of second home purchasers.
Locals had expected the restriction would finally allow them to access the property market, yet many still encounter obstacles. Local resident Ben Hodgkinson spoke to the BBC, saying: “Making housing affordable would be the number one challenge here. Local jobs are in short supply and wages are terrible.
“We wouldn’t be anywhere without tourism, but it pushes the prices up. It is a lovely place to be but lots of people can’t afford to stay here to live.”
Meanwhile, holiday letting website carbisbayhotels.co.uk is marketing the town as an ideal location for a second home, describing it as a “sound investment”. They commented: “The market for staycations remains strong with 65 per cent considering a stay in a holiday home this year and 56 per cent considering two or more UK breaks.”
Despite Cornwall’s attempts to curb the surge of second-home ownership affecting the affordable housing market, no substantial changes have been made.
Last year, Andrew Mitchell, a councillor for the Halsetown Ward, accused a developer in St Ives of being “greedy” and exploiting a legal loophole to convert hotel apartments into second homes.
During a council meeting, he said: “A developer is hoping to steal from the community of St Ives at least 10-plus affordable homes which are due to this hotel being changed to apartments. It is not an aparthotel – it will never be an aparthotel.”
