Cornwall Council’s plan to sell nineteen empty council houses sparks outrage amid housing shortage. Critics call the decision perverse and short-sighted.
Cornwall Council decided to sell some council houses. The council says these houses are not needed anymore. Opposition members are very unhappy about this sale, calling it a bad decision during a housing shortage.
The Tory councillor in charge of housing has a different view. He says the prior council ignored the homes, leading to neglect that made repairs too expensive now. The council agreed to sell nineteen empty homes.
Repairing each house would cost over £50,000. Catriona Smith, who works in the council’s property services, said keeping these houses makes no sense. Selling them brings in money and reduces costs.
New owners could use these properties again, turning them into homes or businesses. This would give new life to these houses.
Here is a list of the houses for sale: 3 The Praze, Penryn; 3 Brook Place, Penryn; 7 Brook Place, Penryn; 13 Brook Place, Penryn; 9 Angwin Avenue, St Agnes; 10 Angwin Avenue, St Agnes; 6 Harcourt Close, Truro; 9 Trevose Road, Truro; 10 Trevose Road, Truro; 11 Trevose Road, Truro; 12 Trevose Road, Truro; 49 Margaret Crescent, Bodmin; 51 Margaret Crescent, Bodmin; 5 Hellescott Road, North Petherwin; 6 Hellescott Road, North Petherwin; 2 Muchlarnick, Pelynt; 1 Langreek Bungalows, Looe; 10 Polvellan Terrace, Looe; 2 Council Cottages, Looe.
Andrew Mitchell, a shadow member for homes, is shocked by the council’s decision. He thinks selling affordable homes is wrong. Julian German, the shadow leader of the council, wants to bring back the empty homes team.
German wants to build more social housing, increasing it by 25 percent. He will use second home taxes for this project. He notes some properties could be redeveloped, creating space for more social housing units.
Thalia Marrington, a deputy leader, thinks selling homes is the wrong approach. She says people need homes urgently, and the council spends a lot on temporary housing. She thinks fixing homes is a better idea.
Marrington feels the council should rent these homes. Rent money could create a future income stream and help solve the housing crisis. Stephen Barnes, a Labour councillor, thinks the council is incompetent and that selling homes proves they are lost.
Olly Monk, the Tory councillor for housing, says choices about older homes were hard. The last council let these homes fall apart, leading to increased energy standards and costs. Repairs became too expensive for the council.
Monk states the sales will fund new, energy-efficient homes that will cost residents less. Private buyers can still rent or buy the homes later.
