A CORNWALL county councillor has told the government that South East Cornwall ‘will not roll over’ and let Plymouth take Cornish housing land to meet its needs.

Admitting he was ‘fed up’ with the current situation, Cllr Armand Toms, the independent member for the Looe East and Deviock ward, said now was the time for those in London to start valuing Cornwall with fair funding and some well-paid jobs.

Whilst acknowledging planning processes and the emphasis on the building of new homes is an ever-changing picture, he has urged Cornwall Council to resist any planning changes that do not suit the county.

Cllr Toms said: “With 802 residents or families in Bands A, B and C either homeless in temporary accommodation or under the threat of homelessness, the idea of building home for Plymouth to meet their demand is not possible.

“The infrastructure, waste water and electricity capability is just not in place. In 2022 and 2023 our water reserves went down to as little as 15 per cent in one reservoir and if that happens again we will have no water.

“Building thousands more homes will only add pressure on a system that is already not capable of meeting the current demand.

“Our hospitals can’t cope, both Derriford and Treliske are funded less than those in Bristol, London and many other cities.”

The fear is the creation of yet more homes in the area could ultimately lead to an increase in second homes or Air BnBs.

“In 2016, we had few than 2,000 Air BnBs, but the latest figures show 20,688 active that we know of,” added Cllr Toms. “There are also 12,679 second homes which all make our rents and housing costs more expensive.

“We are pushing local people...they are our key workers and also our most valued product, our youth.

“The better paid jobs currently stop at Exeter and we here in Cornwall get little or no help. It is the job of a councillor to stand up for his or her area and I feel we need to do that now.”