Famous coast overrun by “Ferrari drivers” and locals driven out

Second homes are causing problems in many towns in Cornwall, but St Ives seems to suffer more than most. Known for its surfing beaches and vibrant arts scene, the town attracts around 540,000 day visitors and 220,000 overnight guests each year.

However, there are also a large number of second homes owned by wealthy tourists who want to own a piece of this idyllic spot. Locals reportedly feel displaced by these wealthy second home owners who thoughtlessly park their luxury cars in parking spaces intended for local tradespeople.

One resident said she is now living in a van after her apartment was converted into an Airbnb. When she approached the local council about her housing situation, she was directed to a homeless shelter.

Speaking to The Guardian, St Ives resident Lizzy said: “Why buy a house just to use it for a short time? Why not just come here and stay in, well, a hotel?”

Many locals have become increasingly discouraged by the changes in their town over the years. Another local woman lamented: “Nowadays, it's just a playground for rich people down here.”

While the town is bustling in the summer, some fear St Ives will become a ghost town in the winter months. Long-time resident Phyllis Rashleigh previously said: “The locals don't own St Ives anymore. It's all speculation. There are no lights on anywhere, nothing. Everything is shut at this time of year, it's just dead and up for sale.”

According to property website Zoopla, the average house price in St Ives has reached an incredible £507,396, well above the current UK average of £285,201 and making property in St Ives 78% more expensive.

Cornwall has a significant problem with second homes. According to recent figures, a staggering 13,140 houses in the county are used as second homes. Stefan Harkon, a dedicated lifeguard with the St Ives RNLI, shared his concerns with Cornwall Live: “Sometimes people in the town feel like they are just workers in a theme park. We work in an area but we can't live in it.”

This situation is also addressed by Camilla Dixon, co-founder of the First Not Second Homes campaign, who explained: “We are a town where the rich go on holiday, while in some parts of St Ives more than a third of children live below the poverty line.”

“This has had a detrimental impact. We used up our stock of social housing when it was sold off in the 1980s. As the value of land has increased, developers have grabbed land and created land reserves to make more money. This means that genuine social housing projects are being priced out.”