More Cornish parishes use neighbourhood plans in bid to limit second homes

Two more Cornish parishes have adopted neighbourhood plans that seek to limit the spread of second homes, following referenda.

Homes occupied only for holidays have been controversial in a county marked by a combination of low wages but high house prices driven by people moving into the area.

The Rame Peninsula area included a policy that new homes on the open market should be allowed only where there is a condition restricting occupancy as a principal residence.

Nearby St Miniver has adopted a policy that seeks “an appropriate balance” between permanent and second homes such that all new dwellings must be for permanent occupation, and half of these must be affordable.

Rame Peninsula’s plan was adopted by 1,834 votes to 241 and St Minver’s by 665 to 154.

In November 2016 a High Court judge concluded that Cornwall Council’s decision to hold a referendum on the St Ives neighbourhood plan, the first to include provisions aimed at limiting the number of second homes in the area, was lawful.

The claimant was a company specialising in, amongst other things, residential development design and planning in Cornwall. It had argued that the plan included policies on future housing provision, including in particular the residency requirements, which were both incompatible with article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights and contrary to the requirements for strategic environmental assessment deriving from European Union law.

Mr Justice Hickinbottom ruled that none of the grounds of challenge had been made good.

Mark Smulian