Affordable Housing (Devon and Cornwall) — [Stewart Hosie in the Chair]

My hon. Friend points out the importance of ensuring county council statistics accurately reflect local earnings to provide a realistic assessment of affordability for those working in the area. Anthony Mangnall suggested extending the period for local councils to retain receipts from right-to-buy sales to 140 days if the Government does not adopt Ben Bradshaw's suggestion of a 10-year retention period. Mr. Anthony Mangnall intervened, recognising the Secretary of State's initiative with the BIDEN acronym which aims to build beautifully, ensure infrastructure, hold developers accountable, consider the environment and give full weight to neighbourhood plans. The hon. Gentleman makes an excellent point, with which I wholeheartedly agree. When a planning Bill is introduced, will he support the measures set out in the Planning (Enforcement) Bill, specifically designed to ensure that plans presented to a community or a local council are not altered when the site is developed. Devon has the highest rate of second homes and Airbnb properties at 8.2%. He suggested enabling people to use their pensions as deposits to get onto the housing ladder, which would be ring-fenced in the value of their house. Agrees with the hon. Gentleman's speech and suggests implementing covenants on properties stating 'primary residence only' for new builds, housing association acquisitions, and market sales to address affordable housing issues.

Ben Bradshaw highlighted the housing challenges in Exeter, including high house prices and a shortage of affordable homes. He proposed extending the period local councils can retain receipts from right-to-buy sales to 10 years and suggested suspending the right-to-buy scheme temporarily to protect council housing stock. He also advocated for revising the definition of 'affordable' to better reflect affordability, imposing caps on second homes and short-term lets, and implementing rent freezes with government incentives.

Mr. Derek Thomas echoed the concerns about affordable housing in Devon and Cornwall, highlighting the issue exacerbated by population growth and empty homes. He criticised the conversion of long-term rental properties into holiday lets and raised issues with Government policies such as changes to tax benefits for landlords and energy performance certificate requirements. Mr. Thomas also proposed devolved powers to local authorities through the levelling up Bill. The average price in Cornwall of a three-bedroom rental property is £1,400 a month, which is out of reach for most working families on an average Cornish income.

Gary Streeter highlighted the complexities of the housing market in Devon and Cornwall, noting a severe shortage of affordable homes for rent or purchase. He cited statistics from the House of Lords report indicating that 45% of private renters in England lacked sufficient savings to cover their rent for more than a month if they lost their job. The rise in Airbnb and the sale of second properties have significantly reduced the availability of rental housing, pushing prices up and causing a crisis for local residents.

My hon. Friend is concerned that landlords are buying up good residences in towns such as Barnstaple and Bideford, registering themselves as businesses to avoid paying council tax or business rates and providing little employment.

Mr Pollard expressed frustration over the housing crisis in the south-west, noting that nearly 10,000 people are on housing waiting lists in Plymouth. He highlighted issues such as overcrowded accommodation, living in unsuitable temporary accommodations, and the increasing number of second homes and Airbnb listings contributing to community hollowing out. Mr Pollard also raised concerns about no-fault evictions turning properties into holiday lets and called for urgent intervention to address these problems.

Matthew Pennycook acknowledged the strength of feeling expressed in the debate about the impact of second homes and short-term lets on housing affordability, particularly in Devon and Cornwall. He criticised the government's lack of action, describing it as a crisis that has real consequences for local communities. Pennycook advocated for greater tax measures to mitigate the negative effects, including licensing regimes and additional discretion over council tax. He also highlighted the failure to deliver sufficient affordable homes, both rented and owned, and expressed concerns about the first homes scheme leading to reduced social housing stock.

I thank my hon. Friend for securing the debate and mention Cullompton's initiative in building Zed Pods on garage sites as an example of affordable, quick-to-construct housing that is also environmentally friendly. Neil Parish supported the idea of encouraging private landlords to offer long-term rental properties by reversing certain policies that have discouraged this practice. He argued for incentives that would encourage more private sector investment in affordable housing.

My hon. Friend suggests the Government consider a bold policy intervention to tackle second home ownership, proposing that councils reserve a percentage of new builds for people with local family or economic connections.

Mr Farron highlighted the housing crisis in rural communities, noting that a house priced at £200,000 is unaffordable for local residents with average incomes of £20,000. He emphasized the impact of excessive second home ownership and holiday lets on community viability. Mr Farron also advocated for stricter planning laws to ensure affordable homes are built, and called for measures such as raising council tax on second homes and abolishing section 21 evictions.