People living in caravans and horseboxes on farms in Cornwall because they cannot afford or find a house to rent are facing homelessness after a crackdown by the council. Cornwall council recently announced that it was one of the top five authorities in England for enforcing infringements of planning regulations, with half of those notices served on caravans in agricultural fields.
Council enforcement targets caravans
Dawn, a 59-year-old former care worker who now cleans holiday lets, told the Guardian she was “heartbroken” at being forced to move the horsebox she has lived in for three years on a farm. “It was such a shock. The council took aerial photos and captured my caravan. The farmer has asked us to leave,” she said.
Cornwall’s economy is driven by 4 million tourists annually, drawn by its picturesque coves and seaside villages. However, tourism has made it more lucrative for landlords to own one of an estimated 24,000 Airbnbs and holiday lets rather than rent houses long-term to local people. With about 13,000 visitors also owning second homes in Cornwall, competition for longer rentals is fierce and prices high. There are now more than 23,000 people on the council’s social housing register.
Vulnerable communities at risk
Dawn lost her house 13 years ago when her partner left her and she could not keep up mortgage payments. She spent a decade moving around in a caravan, living in campsites and car parks, often feeling unsafe. “The constant packing up and moving was exhausting and stressful,” she said. She cannot afford a room in a shared house on her wages. Despite hardship, she found “a peaceful home” on the farm alongside several others. “We are a little community. We are all vulnerable older people and we support each other. Everyone is here because they have nowhere else,” she added.
At Potters Farm in Halvasso, near Falmouth, owner Sue Nicholls, 75, said she has been under investigation for a year for renting pitches to 35 people facing homelessness. The council accused her of operating without a necessary licence. One man living under a bridge in nearby Penryn for three months now faces eviction. “If the council decides they can’t stay, where will they go? Everyone here is vulnerable with serious mental and physical health problems,” Nicholls said.
Council response and planning laws
Nicholls claimed the council knew for years she was taking in homeless people and never told her she needed a licence. Many residents were referred by homeless charity St Petrocs in Truro after being flagged by the council. “I’ve now used all my savings to apply for individual planning permission for every caravan and I’ve demonstrated that I am meeting every one of their safety and environmental standards,” she said.
A Cornwall council spokesperson said: “Planning laws and policies are in place to ensure that the right development takes place in the right places. Where breaches occur that could cause planning harm, such as harm to the landscape or neighbour amenity, the council will take steps to remedy the situation.” Regarding Potters Farm, the council said it is “aware of the sensitive issues for residents on this site and is in discussion with the landowner to agree a way forward.”
