Site owners Ampersand say they will listen to protesters

Demonstrators gathered at Carlyon Bay, near St Austell, on Saturday to protest at more than 500 luxury second homes being built there.

The company which owns the site, Ampersand, said it would listen to the views of the protesters, who say it is unfair to build the homes when there is a need for affordable housing in the Restormel area.

The scheme is currently under review by the government, which is expected to make recommendations about the plans before Christmas.

In the last year, house prices in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly have risen on average by 60%, with some villages such as Padstow seeing an increase of 103%.

Property prices in Cornwall have risen by an average of 60%

One demonstrator, Richard Talbert, said district councils needed more power to control the type of housing which was built.

"They should have a much bigger role in providing affordable homes.

"Council tax levels on second homes should also be dramatically increased.

"The money that is taken from that should be ring-fenced by the councils and used to produce affordable homes for communities," he said.

Housing list

Roy Taylor, a cabinet member for housing at Restormel Borough Council, said he accepted more needed to be done to help those who could not afford to buy a house.

But he said the priority had to go to those people who were homeless.

"We might be able to tackle the problem of the 600 people who are homeless in our area," he said.

"But to help the other 4,500 people on our housing list, we need a step change. We need to move up a gear.