War to end Bristol's caravan city: Families launch bid for legal fight to evict van dwellers
More than 100 people are parked on the Clifton Downs area of Bristol, where neighbouring homes sell for an average of £600,000.
Van dwellers claim they are forced into the lifestyle by unaffordable rents and tend to stay far longer than travellers who usually camp for just a few days then move on.
However Clitfton and Redland locals have aired their discontent, with 300 residents previously marching in a bid to force town hall bosses to take action.
They said vehicle dwellers, who 'blame[d] house prices, were ruining their beloved green space - and in recent months tensions have continued to boil over.
Those living in vans claimed those opposing their encampment kick their caravans and throw stones to scare them away, dubbing them a 'bunch of NIMBYs'.
And now, a local group 'Protect the Downs' have quietly set up a fundraiser in a bid to help fund legal advice to bring the war over Bristol's caravan city to an end.
The 'Protect the Downs' fundraiser, was quietly set up earlier and has raised over £8,000, with a final aim of £12,000.
They say money raised will go towards protecting their 'unique parklands as tranquil, safe and clean spaces', which they claim is currently being 'destroyed'.
Funds will help facilitate legal advice and potential action, as well as to hold decision-makers to account, environmental investigations like water and soil testing, campaign material and marketing and admin fees.
However, the group say that if they do not reach their target of £12,000, they will instead 'prioritise the most urgent actions' such as legal letters and expert reports.
Tony Nelson, chair of the Protect the Downs group, took to Facebook on Tuesday to also explain that all donations received thus far have meant the group can 'instruct a barrister to help us identify where Bristol City Council is failing in their duty of care'.
Bristol City Council have said they are choosing not to move van dwellers but will be offering them council-provided pitches on temporary 'meanwhile sites' which will offer basic amenities like water and waste disposal for a fee.
At the time of a previous protest, Mr Nelson said: 'We want to show the council that the increasing levels of damage being done to the Downs is unacceptable, and it's not just damage, it's levels of danger and levels of fear that we're experiencing.
'We have waste discharges into the kerbside. We have loads of human excrement. There are real homeless people up there, but they're masked by so many from out of town who have chosen to live there as a lifestyle choice.'
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