This Cornish holiday destination has come under criticism in recent years for allowing tourists and second home owners to drive up prices in the town.
St Ives is an idyllic seaside town known for its rich history and artistic culture, so it’s no wonder that hordes of tourists flock there every year. However, many locals have had enough of the rising prices of housing and amenities.
Speaking to The Guardian, St Ives resident Michael Bird said: “This beautiful town is collapsing under the pressure of high-quality overtourism and the relentless reduction in what locals can offer – the very foundation of sustainable community life.
“If you’re struggling to find long-term accommodation, let alone pay the rent, you’re not going to cheer yourself up with a £29 seafood linguini at a once-affordable local cafe.”
In St Ives, a referendum on second home ownership was held in 2016 and the vote was overwhelmingly in favour of the measure, with over 80% of voters supporting the requirement that the primary residence be a requirement for new homes to be sold.
Since then, however, this does not seem to have had the desired effect, and locals are still outraged by the influx of second home owners.
Residents had hoped that a ban would finally allow them to enter the real estate market, but many are still struggling.
Ben Hodgkinson, a 32-year-old local resident, told the BBC in June this year: “The biggest challenge here is creating affordable housing. There are few local jobs and wages are terrible.”
“Without tourism we would be nowhere, but it drives up prices. It’s a beautiful place, but many people can’t afford to live here.”
Meanwhile, holiday rental website carbisbayhotels.co.uk boasts that now is a better time than ever to buy a second home in St Ives as it is a “solid investment”.
They said: “The market for domestic holidays remains strong, with 65% considering a holiday home stay this year and 56% considering two or more holidays in the UK.”
It seems that Cornwall’s efforts to curb the rise in second home ownership, which is affecting the affordable housing market, have had no effect.
In March this year, Andrew Mitchell, a councillor for the Halsetown ward in the St Ives constituency, accused a St Ives developer of being “greedy” and exploiting a legal loophole to convert hotel apartments into second homes.
He told a council meeting: “A developer hopes to steal at least ten affordable homes from the community of St Ives by converting this hotel into apartments. It is not an aparthotel – and never will be.”
