'State of emergency' call over van-dwellers

There have been calls for a "state of emergency" to be declared in a town with the highest density of van-dwellers in the UK.

A Somerset Council report said as of 25 February, there were 131 vans, caravans or motor homes being lived in on the roadside in Glastonbury, Somerset. A previous report found this was the highest density of vans in the UK.

Council chiefs said a planning application for a new site where van-dwellers could live was due to be submitted later this year.

Councillor Susannah Hart called for the emergency to be declared, adding that the authority was moving at "a snail's pace" and not doing enough to tackle the complex problem.

Speaking at a scrutiny committee meeting on Thursday, Hart said: 'I do feel now that we're in a situation where actually we need to call this what it is, a state of emergency with relation to the lack of availability of a travellers' site.

"Everyone recognises that Bristol has a huge issue trying to deal with this, but if the size of the problem in Glastonbury was equivalent to the size of the problem in Bristol, there would be 12 caravans in Glastonbury."

Councillor Hazel Prior-Sankey said calling it an "emergency" was "sensationalising" the issue.

She said: "I'm really pleased to hear that these initiatives are moving forward.

"We have to remember that these are human beings – they need somewhere to put the van in which they live.

"Anything we can do to move this forward and stop them being a pariah is welcome."

Councillor Ewan Cameron said there was a further "hidden cost" when vehicles were abandoned.

He said since 2021, about 104 caravans had been abandoned in the town costing the council up to £72,000 in removal and disposal.

The council has three dedicated sites for people who meet the protected criteria of Gypsies and travellers, which would not include many van-dwellers who tend to live in vans because they cannot afford to rent a home.

Council chiefs have been working to secure a site to provide safe accommodation for the non-bricks and mortar community in Glastonbury, which includes van-dwellers.

About £23.6m of central government funding has been set aside as part of the £23.6m Town Deal.

Plans were put forward in mid-2023 to create a new travellers' site on land north of Porchestall Drove. But these proposals were withdrawn in early-2024 due to flooding concerns.

Another different site was secured in the summer of 2024, with a new planning application expected to be submitted later in the year.

In addition, a feasibility study has been commissioned to look at new "designated vehicle dweller sites" along with Gypsy, Roma and travellers transit sites, said the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

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