Political and public support for a major housebuilding programme is urgently needed in Cornwall to alleviate the local housing crisis, says Coastline Housing.
The National Housing Federation has published South West Home Truths: The real cost of housing 2007-2012, an annual update of official key housing facts and figures in the South West. The report shows that the lack of affordable homes in the region is resulting in a rapidly escalating housing crisis.
. Over the last five years, housing waiting lists in Cornwall have increased by 128.7%
. The average house price in Cornwall is currently 13.6 times the average income.
. The crisis is made worse by the continued growth of holiday homes - the South West has the highest proportion of second homes in the UK. Second homes make up 5.5% of housing in Cornwall - that's the highest percentage throughout the South West
South West Home Truths: The real cost of housing 2007 - 2012 includes Oxford Economic house price forecasts for the next five years. The figures show that affordability is going to worsen drastically as house prices across the South West are set to increase by a further 44% to an average of £316,000 by 2012.
Bjorn Howard, CEO of Coastline Housing, which is one of Cornwall's largest providers of affordable housing, said: "In 2006, we talked about an affordable housing crisis in the County. With the publication of this research, we can see that the crisis has deepened. Despite all the advantages of living in the South West, fewer and fewer people can afford to do so and that will have a hugely negative impact on the health, education and general happiness of local people.
"Coastline Housing supports the National Housing Federation's call for action. With a unitary council planned for Cornwall, there is a wonderful opportunity to take decisive action to deliver more land for building through the planning system and take a strategic approach to the County's housing needs. We must not lose this chance to make a difference and I urge local politicians to push for affordable housing to be given a still greater priority."
Derek Cash, Head of South Region for the National Housing Federation, said: "We are heartened by the Government's Housing Green Paper and promise of additional funding for affordable housing," said Mr Cash. "But political support for housebuilding campaigns is required at national, regional and local levels in order to deliver the homes Cornwall so desperately needs.
"Our report shows the South West is only building around 70% of the homes we need every year and only half of the social homes required. There is now a major backlog of demand from families across the region."
"Local communities should also support planning applications for new affordable housing schemes in their locality. This is the only way we are going to create sufficient housing to tackle the huge shortage," added Mr Cash.
