This is the picturesque fishing harbour trying to stop outsiders snapping up new builds to use as holiday homes.
The village of Mevagissey in Cornwall has submitted plans to prioritise local first-time buyers.
Proposals were sent to Cornwall Council in the hope of ensuring wealthy second home owners don’t dominate the village, where 26 per cent of the homes are used solely for holidays.
Despite the population of the village dropping over the last two centuries, the number of buildings in the area have more than doubled since the 1930s
Locals are concerned that wealthy second home buyers are pricing out first-time buyers and risk compromising the cultural heritage of the Cornish village
Megavissey in Cornwall could follow the example of St Ives, which has imposed a ban on new builds in the area
A fisherman paints a boat in the harbour of the Cornish village, where plans to stop second home buyers taking over have been submitted to the council
Those properties go for an average of £299,587, compared with the Cornish average of £250,000, according to Rightmove. That’s 20 times the local average wage of £15,458.
The site also says the number of buildings in the village have more than doubled since 1930, despite the permanent population declining over the last 200 years.
A motorhome squeezes through the narrow streets of Mevagissey, where 26 per cent of the homes are holiday homes
Plans to restrict the perceived threat posed by second home buyers could be put to a referendum if the plan is approved
If the Neighbourhood Development Plan is approved, the village will be given a referendum to vote on the matter.
Should the second home block win the vote, the village could go the way of St Ives, which has introduced a new-build ban.
A fisherman among boats in the harbour at Mevagissey, Cornwall, where the average price of a home is 20 times the average local salary
Locals are concerned that tourism and homes used purely for holiday purposes is threatening the character of the area
The erosion of coastal and rural communities is a concern in the Cornish village, where Rightmove puts the average holiday home price at £299,587
Cornwall councillor for Mevagissey James Mustoe told Cornwall Live that first-time buyers faced being priced out of the village, adding the character of the area was also at risk.
‘In Cornwall we sadly are suffering from the erosion of our coastal and rural communities by what can be seen as an unstoppable onslaught of second-home owners,’ he said.
The Neighbourhood Development Plan raised concerns over the number of holiday homes in the village as locals are concerned about the impact of wealthy second home buyers
The plans for Mevagissey hope to give locals priority when it comes to home buying amid concerns that tourism is taking over
Some fear the ‘living and vibrant nature’ of the community in Mevagissey is at risk due to the number of people buying up properties to use as holiday homes
‘It is good that the Government has given communities the opportunity to have their say in where and how future development takes place in the places where they live.
‘In common with St Ives and other plans that are following similar lines, the Mevagissey Neighbourhood Plan seeks to preserve the living and vibrant nature of our community by restricting new builds to permanent occupiers only.
First-time local buyers should be given priority to help them get on the housing ladder, the Neighbourhood Development Plan claimed
The number of homes in Mevagissey has more than double since 1930, despite the falling population number over the last 200 years
If the Neighbourhood Development Plan is approved, villages will be invited to take part in a referendum, which backers say will safeguard against a developers’ paradise
The character of the Cornish village is under threat, according to locals who submitted the development plan to Cornwall Council
‘This is not about penalising second home owners, who contribute a great deal to our economy, but about restoring the balance to the playing field for local people. At least a quarter of the houses in Mevagissey are second homes.
‘Stepping away from economics, this is about safeguarding and preserving our community and something I welcome. I am glad that we are taking positive and proactive steps to redress the balance.’