A SENIOR councillor has called on the Government to reverse its policy over when developers have to build ‘affordable’ housing in the Duchy as more and more young people cannot afford a first step towards buying a home.

Cllr Andrew Long, who sits on Cornwall Council representing Callington and is also chair of the East Planning Committee and sits on the Strategic Planning Committee, was speaking following a positive attempt by Cornwall Council to promote social housing in the Duchy.

Cllr Long said: ‘Cornwall in general, and South East Cornwall in particular, suffer more than any other part of the UK when it comes to the difference between wages and open market house prices.

‘Therefore it is vitally important to maximise the amount of social housing on any major development. Indeed we have Cornwall Council doing its bit in trying to promote social housing this week. 

‘However, at the same time the Conservative- led government in London is intent on ensuring that the young people in our region will not have any opportunity to have a home of their own without putting themselves in so much debt even just to get a two bedroom terrace house. This cannot continue.

‘The new planning policy, which means that applications of ten or under do not need to have any social housing included, is yet another greedy attempt by Westminster to support the bank balances of big house building companies rather than ensure that people have a home to live in. 

‘We have the terrible situation in Cornwall where the average house is more than ten times the annual average wage. 

‘Even properties that are approved and labelled “affordable” are hardly that as they only have to be 80 per cent of open market value — still well over the reach of many young people. 

‘Added to this we see what some consider to be a crude attempt to push up the already high housing numbers in the emerging Cornwall Local Plan by effectively land banking applications approved so they do not count in calculations on a five year land supply — one of the key measurements inspectors use when assessing the validity of applications.’

Cllr Long’s comments come as Cornwall Housing, part of the council’s arm length companies, launches a positive message on social housing — but it has warned already that this programme is under threat from government policies.