A whole Cornish housing estate has stood empty for seven years and is now for sale

Not one person has ever lived on this estate. Now the whole thing is up for sale.

The Bridge View Nurseries development in Calstock, a village in Cornwall's Tamar Valley, was meant to bring 33 much-needed homes to the area. Instead it has stood boarded up and derelict since 2019.

What happened?

Planning permission was granted in 2018. Only 10 homes were ever built, fully or partly, before work ground to a halt. A further application was approved in 2025.

The developers, Construction Partners Ltd, say costs spiralled. They blame delays at Cornwall Council, which they say left them facing £1.2 million in interest payments.

A big sticking point was the affordable housing. The number of affordable homes was cut from 15 to 10 under a revised Section 106 agreement (a deal tying developers to local community contributions). The developers say it took years to approve, and that extras such as a second road and a £750,000 retaining wall ate into their budget.

What's actually for sale?

The 1.55-hectare (3.85-acre) site is listed by an estate agent, with the price available only "on application". It includes the 10 existing properties, foundations for more homes and part of a retaining wall.

The listing says 10 of the 23 planned private homes are built, and eight of those are close to completion. They still need things like flooring and white goods. None of the affordable homes have been started.

An 11th house has deteriorated so badly it may need to be knocked down and rebuilt. Any buyer would also face a Section 106 payment of almost £100,000 towards education and open space, and must bring the roads up to an adoptable standard.

Why are locals so angry?

Residents say the site has become a symbol of a wider housing problem. One, whose son lives next door, called the situation "disgusting" and said the homes should go to the council for local people.

Others want councils to have the power to set completion deadlines or revoke permission. Some want the homes bought compulsorily and sold cheaply to locals. One resident pointed out that south east Cornwall is among the most deprived areas in the country.

What's next?

Cornwall Council says 10 affordable homes still met the village's needs. It says it has done all in its power to work with the company, while following local and national planning policy.

It adds that it remains in active talks with stakeholders to find a way to deliver the development, including the affordable homes.