NORTH Cornwall’s MP is calling on the government to strengthen local authorities’ powers to hold housing developers to account when they go into administration.

Ben Maguire, Liberal Democrat MP for North Cornwall has, this week, written to the Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook, in an effort to change the rules surrounding abandoned developments within the area.

The letter follows the MP’s recent oral question to the minister in Parliament, where he pressed his department to give councils new enforcement tools to prevent unfinished roads, sewage systems, and community spaces from being abandoned mid-development, when developers go into liquidation.

In his latest letter, Mr Maguire raises multiple cases from North Cornwall where developers have gone bust before completing essential works, leaving residents facing financial loss and uncertainty. He also highlights issues around the Duchy of Cornwall, after some residents saw shared community land revert to Duchy ownership. This issue was also specifically raised by the MP in Parliament this week, during a questions session to Cabinet Ministers.

The MP has requested a ministerial meeting to discuss a ‘Planning and Development (Community Infrastructure) Bill’, known as the 'Infrastructure First Bill' - which would require housing developers to construct any planned community infrastructure before commencing construction of housing with which the planned community infrastructure is associated. As well as this, he also hopes to discuss the ‘Short-term Lets (Planning Permission) Bill’, or 'Airbnb Bill' as he has dubbed it.

Commenting, Ben Maguire MP said: "Too often, housing developers in North Cornwall have chased quick profits, then disappeared entirely. This has left countless residents with half-built estates, no infrastructure like sewage works or roads, and nowhere to turn.

"Cornwall Council and other local authorities must be given the proper powers to hold developers to account, or secure upfront bonds for the promised vital infrastructure.”