Bristol councillor denies van dweller conspiracy

A council dispute over unauthorised van dwellers on council land prompts a clash between eviction plans and resident concerns.

Councillor rejects van dweller conspiracy in Bristol housing row

Residents on Lanercost Road in Southmead say Bristol City Council allowed a group of people to live on a disused council-owned site since January. The council says the matter is being handled through a legal process to move them on and that the site is being considered for future affordable housing. In Bristol as a whole, more than 600 vehicles are lived in across the city, and officials are exploring 250 pitches on meanwhile sites where van dwellers can access water and waste facilities for a small fee. A government request for expanded powers and funding to tackle van dwelling has been made, and a public consultation on the city’s approach, including meanwhile sites, is due to open on 11 September.

Councillor Barry Parsons, who chairs the housing committee, described the allegations as a conspiracy theory and stressed that action is underway. Residents, however, say the council has shown little progress and that the situation has affected neighbours with late-night disturbances and deliveries to nearby homes. Some people living on the site told the BBC they had been told to come there as part of a so-called tolerated site arrangement after previously squatting in vehicles.

The dispute sits at the intersection of housing policy and community safety. The council is trying to balance eviction timelines with longer-term plans for affordable housing and new van-dweller pitches. The term tolerated site signals a fragile, policy-driven approach rather than a settled solution, which can fuel frustration among neighbours who feel the problem is nearby and persistent. The upcoming consultation and increased government funding could shape a more decisive path, but immediate relief depends on efficient execution and clear, humane rules for access to services. This episode highlights the broader challenge many cities face as they try to provide housing options while managing the social impact on residents who live on the margins of the urban fabric.

Highlights

What happens next will test not just policy but the city’s willingness to pair enforcement with real options for living.