Cornwall Council renovates disused buildings in housing push

Disused properties are being renovated by a council due to an urgent need for housing.

Twelve buildings have been purchased by Cornwall Council with a further 21 in the conveyancing process.

The council said in total it hoped to buy 60 homes by spring 2022 to help single homeless residents access accommodation at an "affordable rate".

In June, the authority said it faced "exceptional pressures" on housing due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The issues are believed to be partly caused by urban flight - with workers moving out of cities to towns and villages, the Resolution Foundation think tank said in April.

A council spokesperson said: "As work continues at pace to tackle the housing pressures faced by Cornwall, the projects will provide urgently needed accommodation, in turn giving time to roll out the longer-term plan to rapidly increase the number of homes available for local people.

"Overall, the council hopes to have bought around 60 homes throughout the Duchy by mid-2022 to help single homeless residents access medium-term accommodation at an affordable rate."

They said the authority was buying large disused buildings and converting them into multiple self-contained homes in towns including Penzance, Newquay and Penryn.

The purchase of one-bedroom flats, houses and bungalows was also "well under way", they added.

Olly Monk, the council's portfolio holder for housing and planning, said: "It is our aim to end the use of short-term, expensive, hotel and B&B accommodation, which offers no security in terms of length of stay.

"These projects will provide a secure, comfortable and independent home for people."

The council said it was also building more council and social housing and affordable homes for people to rent or buy.

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