Cornish affordable housing scheme welcomes first occupants

An affordable housing development in Cornwall built entirely for local people is welcoming its first tenants.

The 55-home estate at Trecerus Farm in Padstow - one of the first of its kind in the country - is made up of shared ownership and social rent housing.

The scheme is part of a Cornwall Council strategy after the government lifted borrowing restrictions for building houses.

About 26,000 households remain on Cornwall's housing register.

Until recently, that figure included 25 year old Sam, from St Merryn, who had been sharing a bedroom in her parent's house with her two-year-old daughter Amelia.

They are now settling in to their new home on the estate, just in time for Christmas.

"It's so hard to find anywhere." she said.

"I've always wanted to be in the area where my family and friends are.

"This is perfect for us. I'm renting and it's affordable, and Amelia finally has her own bedroom."

Delivered by a partnership between Cornwall Council and developer Poltair Homes, with support from the town council, half the development is already being lived in.

Olly Monk, Cornwall Council's cabinet member for housing, said it was a step towards addressing the county's housing crisis, reports the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

"They'll all be sold to local people and will have to remain in local ownership, so vitally important when we've got over 26,000 people on the housing register." Mr Monk said.

He added the renting out of properties on Airbnb had made it difficult for people in Padstow with a local connection to find a home, "let alone buy anything".

"This is a really good step forward to start addressing that need," he said.

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