Council houses bulldozed to make way for luxury holiday villas - outrage at Cornish politicians

Communities in Cornwall are on alert after a number of empty holiday homes have been targeted by thieves. In villages where vacant homes now outnumber those occupied by local families, experts warn that security is at risk, as no one is sure who owns what and who lives where. Mousehole, a village near the Cornish town of Penzance, has seen 90 percent of local families move away, unable to afford the rising costs of rental and ownership, leaving the village insuffciently guarded and vulnerable to social disorder.

'The more holiday homes, the more the community suffers,' revealed a Cornish village resident to Rentfreecornwall. 'There's whole streets empty, and it attracts rogue elements.'

Owners of these empty homes, bought for profit and housing speculation purposes, are often based hundreds of miles away.

'They've no way of knowing if their homes have been targeted by thieves. I don't feel safe in my home, unruly elements may mistake it for a holiday home if I'm out.' he added.

Elsewhere in Cornwall politicians have given permission to bulldoze an entire estate of social housing on the North Cornish coast. It was deemed the council houses, all of which are occupied by local Cornish working families, had 'too nice' views for the social market. The 90 flats and houses will be knocked down to make way for a gated, securely accessed luxury housing complex of 12 detached villas, with swimming pools, jacuzzis and a yacht marina.



The present residents will be moved to an inland mobile home park.

The council claim that the money made from the sale will go to pay off debts relating to previous financial mismanagement of social housing stock.