Full Breakdown
Proposed Bill to Restrict Holiday Lets in Cornwall
6/13/2026, 1:29:26 PM
Core Proposal
Lib-Dem MP Andrew George has tabled a Private Members Bill that would allow local authorities, such as Cornwall Council, to block the conversion of homes originally built for permanent residents into holiday lets or second homes. The measure requires ministerial approval and is scheduled for its first reading in the House of Commons on 17 June.
Context and Impact
Cornwall has seen a sharp increase in properties used as holiday lets or second homes, driving up prices and reducing the pool of affordable housing for locals. The shift has also strained community services, as fewer permanent residents support libraries, banks and shops.
Stakeholders
Key actors include MP Andrew George, Cornwall Council, long-time resident Phyllis Rashleigh, tourism representative Katie Warrens of the Cornwall Self-catering Collective, and former St Ives mayor Johnny Wells.
Key Data
St Ives is estimated to have about 1,000 second-home or holiday-let properties; the cheapest harbour-area house sells for roughly £500,000, a price beyond the reach of minimum-wage earners. Rashleigh has lived in the town for nearly 80 years.
Official Position
George said the bill aims to give councils the ability to manage housing stock so that community needs are considered alongside market pressures.
Opposition Viewpoints
Tourism operators warn that restricting holiday lets could trigger an employment downturn, arguing that tourism underpins many local jobs. Wells cautioned that the town may already be ten years behind in addressing the influx of second homes.
Local Experience
Rashleigh described the harbour area as a winter ‘ghost town’, noting that many houses once occupied by friends are now holiday lets and that the loss of permanent residents has led to the closure of libraries, banks and shops.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources give an estimate of 1,000 second homes but no official census confirms the figure, and no ministerial response to the bill has been reported.
Verbatim Quotes
- “It's about making sure that you can manage your stock so that the needs of the local community, the local population can be taken into account,” — Andrew George, MP for St Ives
- “These houses were once occupied by friends. They're now holiday lets or second homes.” — Phyllis Rashleigh, St Ives resident
- “Cornwall is a very delicate ecosystem and tourism is one of those huge cogs that feeds all the other industries down there.” — Katie Warrens, Cornwall Self-catering Collective
- “He said: "We've already got a thousand houses in St Ives that are second homes or holiday homes…” — Johnny Wells, former mayor of St Ives
Next Steps
The bill will be debated on 17 June. If ministers approve, Cornwall Council could block future conversions, potentially reshaping the local housing market and tourism sector.
