Cornwall’s Housebuilding: Flooding, Pollution, and Biodiversity Loss

This briefing paper outlines the environmental impacts of the government’s housebuilding programme in Cornwall.

Key points

Increased flooding: In Cornwall, 1 in 6 properties is at risk of flooding. New housing developments inevitably increase the amount of impermeable hard surfacing (such as roads, driveways, and roofs).   Flooding threats faced by new  housing built between 2022-2024 is broken down by parliamentary constituency (see table in pdf briefing below). These houses may find that no insurance company will issue household insurance in the future.

Sewage pollution: Cornwall’s sewerage network is already operating beyond its limits. More new homes means added  pressure on the public sewerage  system.

Biodiversity loss and habitat destruction: to speed up the delivery of new homes, the government is rolling back environmental protections, in particular, the mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) rules. Cornwall is already experiencing an unfolding ecological crisis which directly affects the productive future of its rural and maritime economy

Increased carbon footprint: While there is no specific carbon footprint estimate for Cornwall, the proposed 1.5 million homes by the end of this parliament is projected to consume England’s entire cumulative carbon budget for a 1.5°C temperature rise by 2050

Increased water scarcity: population growth accommodated by new housing developments will impose unsustainable demand on groundwater aquifers increasing the region’s vulnerability to severe summer droughts

Key factors driving the government’s housebuilding agenda

A misdiagnosis of the housing problem.There are 23,000 households on Cornwall’s housing register even as over one in ten dwellings In Cornwall remain empty. Adding to the existing housing stock may only increase the number of empty dwellings while failing to address the housing crisis. Critically,  the government’s approach ignores the fact that in today’s housing market, housing is treated as an investment product, not a place to live. Demand is fueled by too much money chasing too few houses, not too many people.  

The housing market is global not local and private equity in Cornwall plays an increasing role. Private equity companies are  treated as a much needed source of investment income to build affordable housing. This could  backfire in the future given the highly damaging track record of private equity investment.