'LIMIT SECOND HOMES' SAY ST COLUMB MAJOR TRADERS

11.52.06am GMT Tue 4th Mar 2008

A survey of businesses in St Columb Major has shown that the town's traders believe a limit should be put on the number of second homes in the area.

The survey, carried out by Liberal Democrat Parliamentary candidate Stephen Gilbert, has shown that a massive 77.7% of business people in the town are in favour of limiting the number of second homes and two thirds (66%) want to see more affordable housing for local people.

Commenting Stephen Gilbert said: "Too many second homes in an area damage our communities and can hurt local business. I believe councils should have the right to say no to more second homes. We need our communities to be busy places all year round, not just in the summer months."

The survey, which was carried out by St Columb Major's Lib Dem team over February, showed that car parking and anti-social behaviour were the top complaints.

42.3% said that there was not enough car parking in the town, while 27.5% highlighted anti-social behaviour as an ongoing problem. One in five businesses (20%) said that the town was too dirty and that there was too much litter on the streets.

Stephen Gilbert said: "It's clear from talking to traders that they are concerned that the reduction in car parking in the town could make it harder for people to visit."

A majority of the traders (60%) were optimistic for the future and believed the town would be better in 2011 than it is today - just under one in three (30%) thought the town could get worse.

With anti-social behaviour a key concern of businesses in the town, half (50%) of the traders surveyed felt that bad behaviour on the streets had increased over the last year - despite being satisfied with the level of the policing in the town.

Continued investment in Newquay airport, which recently announced it would be flying to a record of 20 destinations in 2008, was welcomed by over 88% of the businesses questioned.

Stephen Gilbert said: "Newquay airport is on St Columb Major's doorstep and I am pleased to see that businesses in the town back the programme of investment. The airport plays a key role in helping businesses across Cornwall get their products and services out to markets across the UK and beyond."