Cornwall Council transforms disused properties into temporary accommodation

Disused properties are being brought back into use by Cornwall Council to provide safe places to stay for people without a permanent home.

The project is expected to provide urgently needed accommodation to tackle housing pressure in Cornwall, while giving time to roll out a long-term plan to increase the number of homes available for local people.

The Council has purchased a large disused cottage in Penzance, which has been converted into a self-contained home for four people and will soon be occupied by residents.

A vacant Council-owned property in Newquay is also being brought back into use, providing accommodation for a further five people, and the Council has brought a property in Penryn and is planning refurbishment works over the autumn to provide accommodation for 12 people in six shared flats.

The Council is looking for more large properties for refurbishment or conversion, and the process of purchasing one-bedroom flats, houses and bungalows is also underway to meet a different aspect of local need.

To date, 12 properties have been bought, with another 21 in the conveyancing process, with the Council hoping to have bought around 60 homes by mid-2022 to help single homeless residents to access medium-term accommodation at an affordable rate.

Olly Monk, the Council’s portfolio holder for housing and planning, said: ‘It is our aim to end the use of short-term, expensive, hotel and B&B accommodation, which offers no security in terms of length of stay. These projects will provide a secure, comfortable and independent home for people.

‘We have other properties in the pipeline for a similar purpose. This Council has made a commitment to do as much as it can to ensure local people have access to good quality homes at prices they can afford and from a landlord they can trust.’

In related news, Oxford City Council has agreed £2m in funding to provide settled homes for people with experience of or at risk of rough sleeping.

Photo supplied by Cornwall Council