Cornwall’s Housing Crisis: Simon’s Story
Over 955 households in Cornwall are in temporary accommodation, while (as of 2022) 29,000 homes are not lived in all year round. With Cornwall’s housing crisis, those looking to buy their own home, the average house price in Cornwall is £303,000, as of November 2024.
Cornish locals are finding it harder and harder to stay and live in the villages they call home. So, groups like Three Seas are stepping in to make a change.
Simon Ryan, General Manager of Three Seas, is well known for making a difference in Cornish communities. In 2014, he set up the Peninsula Trust on the Rame Peninsula, SE Cornwall, an independent community cooperative serving the local community. Over time, it was clear that the concern being raised again and again was housing. Having successfully embarked on an affordable housing project in the area, Simon wanted to continue making change across the county, and so the Three Seas charity was born.
“Do you know how many flats or houses there were to rent in Looe in the last two months? None. We are face to face with people who are at the sharp end of the housing crisis. We’re doing this week in, week out. And that’s the most desperate thing, because when we’ve got 11 flats to offer, we’re going to get 150 applicants.”
While Simon has had 10 years of experience refurbishing buildings for the community, the purchase and transformation of 11 coastal flats in Looe will be his first project with Three Seas. With the hard work of the team, they aim to offer these 11 flats to the community at genuinely affordable rent levels. As Simon says “the so-called ‘Affordable’ rents, set at 80% of open market, are way out of reach for many low-paid workers. We’re working on £500/month with low bills.”
By helping more Looe locals stay in the area, Simon and his team will be supporting individuals who would either have to move out of the area or stay in unacceptable housing circumstances. They will also be building a sense of community and supporting local contractors, as well as local businesses struggling to retain employees who can’t find accommodation in the area.
Simon’s mission to provide affordable housing is also a personal one, having grown up in a working class, single-parent household in Plymouth. Due to a combination of circumstances, paying rent was a struggle. Not just for him, but for his family, his mum and his cousins.
“I understand what this is about. And for whatever reason, or by whatever means, I’ve reached the point where I can make an actual, genuine difference to the same people that I am. OK, the empowerment isn’t just for the individuals or community, it’s for me.”
For many, Cornwall’s Housing Crisis is personal, impacting friends and loved ones. The work of organisations like Three Seas is making a difference in these people’s lives, for the better. Simon and his team plan to keep growing. As Simon says, “the demand is unlimited, it’s vast”, but with communities coming together, we can make a change.
“Cornwall Community Foundation are one of the few funders who are genuinely focused on the interest, needs and priorities of local communities. They have been flexible and quick, listening to what people really need and responding. I think it’s fabulous.”
This is where Cornwall Community Foundation plans to help. By providing organisations like Three Seas with funding from the new Cornwall’s Housing Action Fund, they can unlock further funding and impactful housing projectsA piece of work that delivers an output..
