Rise in number of van-dwellers concerns residents

Hundreds of people attended a community meeting to voice their opposition to a city's van-dweller policy.

Bristol City Council estimates there are up to 680 vehicles being lived in across the city, with about 60 of those parked up around the picturesque Clifton Downs.

The residents' associations for the area around the Downs invited the council to attend the meeting and hear calls for a policy that shifts the vehicles elsewhere.

The authority has acknowledged the current situation is unsustainable and has committed to holding a series of engagement events that will balance supporting van-dwellers, alongside considering the needs of the local communities.

The number of van-dwellers in Bristol has more than quadrupled in five years

The meeting, organised by the Sneyd Park Residents Association, packed out St Alban's Church in Redland in Bristol on Monday night.

One of those in attendance insisted the sizeable turnout dispelled the notion that those opposed to van-dwellers in the area were limited to a small, wealthy minority.

While another resident said it was "a fantastic show of strength from the community", adding they hoped it would start action on sites and bylaws "to prevent roadside dwelling".

Residents living around the Downs say they want to stop people living on the roadside

One van-dweller, who wanted to remain anonymous, told the BBC he had bought a caravan for £500.

"I was living in my car when the council refused my application for a council house, so I had to do what I had to do.

"I came to Bristol because there's more work. I'm a builder and I'm building houses that I can't afford."

A recent report on Bristol's van-dwelling community suggested the number of people living in vehicles in the city has quadrupled since 2019, when the number was about 150.

Some locals have raised concerns about an increase of waste in the area

Concerns have previously been raised over the increased risk of infectious diseases faced by the van-dwelling community, leading to calls for suitable access to clean water and other services.

Bristol City Council has said it is currently considering a raft of measures aimed at catering to the needs of those living in vehicles, balancing them with the needs of the affected communities.

Among the considerations are establishing permanent vehicle dweller sites in the city, service sites to provide drinking water and waste disposal, and supporting the creation of a group to represent the community.

Councillor Barry Parsons, responsible for housing at Bristol City Council, acknowledged the current state of affairs was "complex" and not sustainable.

Mr Parsons said the authority would be holding a series of engagement events with all of those effected to ensure it was designing policy that would "balance offering supports to vehicle dwellers, alongside considering the needs of local communities".

He added: "Any engagement is something we will carefully consider and not rush into.

"We know we need to reduce the need for so many people to live in vehicles, and remain committed to increasing the number of well-built, affordable homes in Bristol so that people have a safe and secure place they can call home," he said.