MP in fight for second home controls
Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Rogerson highlighted the difficulties caused by the proliferation of second homes in North Cornwall. “We have coastal communities that are ghost towns in the winter, and shops, businesses, pubs and schools that are under threat because rural communities have become dominated by second homes and holiday homes,” he told MPs.
The local Liberal Democrat MP added that financial penalties would not be enough to deter second home ownership. “In Rock,” he said “where semi-detached houses change hands for millions of pounds, a small increase in council tax or something of that nature will not deter those sorts of purchases. What is required is the ability of a local authority to distinguish types of residential accommodation through use class orders.”
The Government Minister responding to the debate said he felt use class orders were “not well suited” to addressing the second homes problem.
Commenting after the exchange, Mr Rogerson said:
“I am pleased to have had the opportunity to make the case for real action on second homes, yet the Minister’s response is staggeringly complacent. He cannot tell us that the planning system is an inappropriate mechanism for planning the balance of housing in local communities.
“Neither Conservative members speaking in the debate nor those on the Government side are prepared to acknowledge what is a very real problem in North Cornwall.
“I will be using scrutiny stages in Parliament to bring amendments to this legislation so we can put communities in charge of the kinds of homes they want in their area. Those powers could extend to residents near to hotels too, so people have more control over how resorts like Newquay develop.
“The Government’s approach is simply to tell communities where to put housing, and how much they can have. That fundamentally ignores Cornwall’s particular needs and we will fight in Parliament to make sure our interests are heard.”
Notes to Editors:
·The full speech can be found online at: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm071210/debtext/71210-0014.htm
