Newquay – change and growth

Newquay is a settlement, which has undergone considerable change over the years.  Originating as Tewynplustri or Towan Blystra in 1305, it has evolved into an urban area spreading onto adjacent farmland.

 

Constant change

So lets look at more recent history from 1991 to 2021.  Using census geographies, Newquay is divided into three Mid Super Output Areas (MSOAs) - 018 St. Columb Minor and Porth, 020 Newquay West and 021 Newquay East.  Looking at these areas its possible to examine how it has changed over time.  One problem is that different censuses have used different ways of measuring the number of dwellings without residents. The 1991 census included second homes and holiday lets as separate categories. Whereas in 2011 it simply recorded dwellings with no residents (unoccupied).  In 2021 the data covers occupied and vacant and second homes. [NB Numbers have been rounded as appropriate].

 

What has changed? Overall, The number of dwellings is up from 8,650 to 14,160 ,1.6 fold (as has those occupied), however dwellings without residents are up 2.2.fold from 940 to 2,060.  The data suggests that the number of second homes is up eight fold.  As a percentage share, occupied dwellings have fallen from 88.1% to 85.5%, while those without residents have increased from 10.9% to 14.6%, (second homes up from 1.1% to 5%). 

 

We can also look at ownership (with holiday lets and vacant numbers are estimated), to see the number and share of different types of tenure in 2021.  Of the total of 14,200 dwellings, 7,500 were owner-occupied, followed by 3,100 rented (and rent free), with 1,300 social rented. The remainder covered second homes (700), holiday lets (600) and vacant (700).

 

Owner-occupied properties were highest in St. Columb Minor & Porth at 59% with the lowest share in Newquay West at 43%.  This MSOA also had the highest share of second homes (11%) and holiday lets (9%).  Private rented properties were more prevalent in Newquay East (24%) and Newquay West (23%) with 17% in St Columb Minor & Porth.  Social rented properties shares were fairly consistent across Newquay. 

 

[There were 581 holiday lets on the Business rates register and Booking.com has a total of 617 properties advertised].

 

It is also possible to calculate the number and share of properties by ownership.  Second homes and holiday lets are added to the owner occupied properties to give a total privately owned figure. The share of those privately owned was fairly similar across the three MSOAs at 85% as was that of social rented properties at 9%.

 

We can see that of all those which are privately owned, 63% were occupied, 26% were rented out as private residential lets, 6% were second homes and 5% were holiday lets.

Appendices

 

Census data dwelling status numbers

Category	1991	2001	2011	2021	nos	Ratio
Occupied	7620	9270	9980	12100	4480	1.6
Vacant	440	250	0	1350	910	3.1
2nd	90	0	0	710	620	7.7
Holiday	410	0	0	0	0
2nd/holiday	510	290	0	0	0
No residents	940	540	1670	2060	1120	2.2
Other	80	0	0	0	0
Total	8650	9820	11630	14160	5510	1.6

 

 

Census data dwelling status %

Category	1991	2001	2011	2021
Occupied	88.1	94.5	85.8	85.5
Vacant	5.1	2.6	0.0	9.5
2nd	1.1	0.0	0.0	5.0
Holiday	4.8	0.0	0.0	0.0
2nd/holiday	5.8	3.0	0.0	0.0
No residents	10.9	5.5	14.4	14.6
Other	0.9	0.0	0.0	0.0
Total	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0

[Census 1991, 2001,2011, 2021].

 

 

Dwellings by status - numbers

Status	St Columb Minor & Porth	Newquay West	Newquay East	All
Owned (occupied)	2700	2000	2800	7500
2nd homes	200	500	100	700
Holiday lets	100	400	100	600
Vacant	200	200	200	700
Shared ownership	100	100	0	200
Social rented	400	400	500	1300
Private rented or lives rent free	800	1100	1200	3100
Total dwell	4600	4700	4900	14200

 

Dwellings by status - %

			Dwellings	% share
Status	St Columb Minor & Porth	Newquay West	Newquay East	All
Owned (occupied)	59	43	57	53
2nd homes	4	11	2	5
Holiday lets	2	9	2	4
Vacant	4	4	4	5
Shared ownership	2	2	0	1
Social rented	9	9	10	9
Private rented or lives rent free	17	23	24	22
Total dwell	100	100	100	100

 

Ownership of properties - numbers

			Ownership	nos
Status	St Columb Minor & Porth	Newquay West	Newquay East	All
Owned	3800	4000	4100	12000
Social rented	400	400	500	1300
Shared ownership	100	100	0	200
Vacant	200	200	200	700
Total dwell	4600	4700	4900	14200

 

Ownership of properties - %

 

Status	St Columb Minor & Porth	Newquay West	Newquay East	All
Owned	83	85	84	85
Social rented	9	9	10	9
Shared ownership	2	2	0	1
Vacant	4	4	4	5
Total dwell	100	100	100	100

 

The privately owned sector

Status	St Columb Minor & Porth	Newquay West	Newquay East	All
Owned (occupied)	71	49	68	63
2nd homes	4	12	2	6
Holiday lets	3	11	2	5
Private rented or lives rent free	21	29	28	26
Total dwell	100	100	100	100
All privately owned	3821	3997	4135	11952

[All data from the various census outputs, see NOMIS and ONS for further information].

 

Conclusion

Newquay has seen a dramatic increase in population and dwelling numbers while there has also been a significant rise in the number of dwellings used for holiday purposes.

 

Sources

Booking.com

Cornwall Council, Business rates.

Office for National statistics, Census, 1911, 2001, 2011, 2021.