Latest news with #BarryParsons
BBC News
10-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Bristol van dwellers to be offered council pitches
People living in vans across Bristol will be offered council pitches from this autumn, according to the local announcement comes after protesters campaigning against van dwellers on The Downs gathered outside Bristol City Council on Tuesday, following a petition calling for action with more than 6,000 have put the number of vans being lived in across Bristol at about 650, with nearly all who live in them blaming the high cost of Barry Parsons, chair of the council's Homes and Housing Delivering Committee, said measures to mitigate the issue were due to be in place by the end of the year. Parsons said: "We're looking to bring on 250 pitches on meanwhile sites for vehicle dwellers, where people can go that are away from the road where they can get clean water and basic waste facilities for a small fee". Meanwhile sites are temporary areas on land due for development which can provide space and basic services including toilets for those living in vehicles. One van-dweller called Ash, who lives with his girlfriend close to the M32 motorway, said: "We're doing this because we don't have to pay up to £1,000 for a flat. "And then obviously you've got expenses on top of that, which is like bills, electrics."Protect The Downs, a community group which started the petition, said van dwelling was causing problems such as drug-taking, littering and human waste being dumped in petition called on the council to enforce existing policies on van dwellers. Group member Sally Booley said: "I'd like Bristol City Council to take their heads out of the sand and start enforcing the law. "There is a law there that says you can't park for more than five hours. Why are they not enforcing that?"The council said once established pitches had been set up, it would be easier to take action against illegally parked vans.
ITV News
05-07-2025
- General
- ITV News
'This is heartbreaking': Tensions rise between van-dwellers and protestors on Bristol Downs
Hundreds of people have marched across the Bristol Downs tonight (12 June) to protest at what they say is the council's failure to protect the valuable green space. In recent months, the number of people living in vans and caravans around the Downs has increased significantly - to an estimated one hundred people. Campaigners argue that this puts pedestrians at risk and is damaging to the environment. They say the council is failing to protect van-dwellers and those who wish to enjoy green space in the city. 'A complex situation' In a statement responding to the upset, Barry Parsons, Chair of Bristol City Council's homes and housing delivery Committee, acknowledged the complexity of the situation. He said: "The number of people living in vehicles and caravans in Bristol has grown significantly in recent years and we recognise the challenges this growth in the size and number of encampments raises for our city. "We have to acknowledge it's a complex situation, and one I and others have spoken about on many occasions in the past twelve months. "Fundamentally we want to make sure that all communities, including those living in vehicles or caravans, and those in homes in neighbourhoods, have a meaningful and fair chance to live healthy and safe lives. "This means we need to take action on a number of fronts to make sure we are balancing the needs of everyone, whilst prioritising our efforts where the need is greatest. "Our latest estimates are that there's between 640 to 680 lived-in vehicles and caravans on the kerbside, on private and council sites, with some squatting on land in parts of the city. This figure doesn't include the number of transient Gypsy, Roma and Traveller groups who visit the city throughout the year – and this is a group of people who we can expect to see more of during the next few months as we're now into the summer season. "While people living in vehicles and caravans are spread across our city, we recognise that the size and concentration of the group bordering The Downs is larger than all other encampments." He continued: "I also recognise the unique challenges that comes with having such a large group of people living in vehicles next to one of our city's most popular green spaces and in such close proximity to large neighbourhoods. "This is why we are focussing increasingly more of our time and effort on this part of the city. What this time and effort translates into is a range of actions being taken to find that balance we need." The council says its aims fall into two categories- supporting those living in vehicles to remain healthy and safe and focusing on how it manages the green space of the Downs It says it's taking proactive steps to apply for an injunction for the grassed areas of The Downs and Ladies Mile, which if secured, will allow officers to move vehicles that pitch up more quickly than usual.
ITV News
05-07-2025
- Politics
- ITV News
Plans for hundreds of dedicated spaces for van-dwellers in Bristol revealed as numbers surge
Plans to provide 250 dedicated spaces for people currently living in vans and caravans in Bristol have been revealed. Bristol City Council estimates there are up to 700 lived-in vehicles and caravans across the city. Officers say the spaces will give people a safer alternative to living on the roadside and will include services like running water, toilets and waste collection for a weekly fee. It's developing a comprehensive new policy to address the growing number of people living in vehicles across the city. Councillor Barry Parsons, Chair of the Homes and Housing Delivery Committee, acknowledged the challenges facing the city. He said: "We are actively looking to provide more meanwhile sites, where vehicle dwellers can be offered a safer alternative to living on the roadside and access to basic services like toilets, water and rubbish bins, for a weekly fee. "We want to try and make sure we have about 250 spaces available at meanwhile sites across the city. Achieving this number will make a huge difference to all communities as it will give vehicle dwellers the opportunity to move from the kerbside. "We are also in the process of setting up service sites where people can access water and waste disposal but cannot stop overnight. 'People living in vehicles can experience poor health and other vulnerabilities, and our focus must be on finding sustainable solutions and support options. "However, if an encampment, or individuals within an encampment, start to have a negative impact on the area in which they live, we need to make sure we have a robust and clear policy for when we will take action.' It comes as Labour Bristol North West MP, Darren Jones, whose constituency includes Durdham Downs has urged the city council to do more about van dwellers. He said: "I've asked the council today to do three things. "One, to think about how they can facilitate more permanent sites around the city for people that are in temporary accommodation. "Two, to get up there and talk to people to figure out why they're there so they can signpost them to get the right support they need so they can move on. "And three, to think about how they can make stronger enforcement on people who are unwilling to engage and to move on to better accommodation." Watch Darren Jones MP call on the council to provide more permanent sites for those in temporary accommodation The council has announced plans for a citywide consultation in September 2025 as part of efforts to create a more sustainable approach to managing vehicle dwelling, which has increased significantly in recent estimates suggest there are between 640 to 680 lived-in vehicles and caravans on the kerbside, on private and council sites, with some squatting on land across Bristol. This figure does not include Gypsy, Roma and Traveller groups who visit the city throughout the year. Last month tensions were high as hundreds of people marched across the Bristol Down s to protest at what they say is the council's failure to protect van-dwellers and locals who wish to enjoy green space in the city. Campaigners say it puts pedestrians at risk and is damaging to the environment. Cllr Parsons said: "We understand that the current situation is not sustainable, and the council is taking a proactive stance on addressing issues. "The number of vehicle dwellers in Bristol has grown significantly in recent years and this has brought with it new challenges. "Fundamentally we want to make sure that all communities, including those living in vehicles or caravans, and those in the surrounding communities, have a meaningful and fair chance to live healthy and safe lives. 'We know that 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."
BBC News
13-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Bristol City Council to seek injunction over Downs van dwellers
Bristol City Council says it is "taking proactive steps to apply for an injunction" to prevent people living in vans on a popular public green approved, the injunction would apply to the grassed areas of Durdham Down and would allow officers to move pitched vehicles off more of the vehicles currently on The Downs would be exempt as they are parked on adjacent Barry Parsons said he recognised the challenges an increase in van-dwellers had raised, and said the council was looking at solutions which worked for all parties. "Fundamentally we want to make sure that all communities, including those living in vehicles or caravans, and those in homes in neighbourhoods, have a meaningful and fair chance to live healthy and safe lives. "This means we need to take action on a number of fronts to make sure we are balancing the needs of everyone, whilst prioritising our efforts where the need is greatest," he said. A similar injunction, which expired last year, was previously in place in the in 2023, an injunction was imposed on people living in vehicles in Greenbank, east council estimates there are currently between 640 and 680 lived-in vehicles and caravans across the city, which does not include the number of transient Gypsy, Roma and Traveller groups who visit Bristol throughout the local authority said it was "supporting those living in vehicles to remain healthy and safe and have the support needed to move into more settled accommodation".Its longer-term plan is to create up to 250 spaces for people living in vehicles on land which is due to be at the site would have access to facilities like running water and toilets, as well as health and wellbeing support, it Parsons, who is chair of the council's Homes and Housing Delivery Committee, said the ultimate goal was a "single policy, co-designed with communities and van dweller groups, reflective of the various challenges and views associated with this growing issue". Between 200 and 300 people gathered on The Downs on Thursday evening for a protest walk to "highlight the impact of council inaction on public wellbeing"."We're here to show our strength of feeling to the council that this is a situation that can't be allowed to continue," said one supporters of the van dwelling community were also in attendance."I feel like a lot of people here own their own homes and benefited from the post-war economy where you could be a postman and buy your own house or have a minimum wage job and get a mortgage - that dream has gone," said Matthew Strange."I wish some more people would understand the context by which these circumstances have arisen," he added.
BBC News
29-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Residents in Bristol housing block told £18m refurb project not going ahead
A woman who lives in a council housing block has said she "doesn't want to go home" after residents were told a long-awaited £18m refurbishment project would not go Reid, a resident at Haviland House, in St Jude's, Bristol, said her flat leaks regularly, and is among many residents unhappy with conditions in their City Council has told residents that it is now unable to carry out planned internal refurbishment work because a survey had found that the building's structure required investment first and these works had not been budgeted for. Councillor Barry Parsons said he understood residents' disappointment but that safety was the council's priority. The scheme had been due to improve conditions inside five interlinked 1960s housing blocks - Haviland House, John Cozens House, Tyndall House, Langton House and Charleton of people who live in about 180 homes across the site were informed that the council would not be going ahead with the project earlier this month. After a long campaign from residents, the council had initially agreed to spend money on insulation, roofing and communal areas in June 2024. However, structural engineering contractor, Ridge, found that although the site was safe to live in, it required work "to ensure the continued safety of the building". The council said: "These works were not budgeted for and therefore the council has made the difficult decision to not move ahead with the full proposed refurbishment plan." Ms Reid told the BBC the council had previously "promised" to move her out of the block."They told me they were coming to refurbish my flat and they were going to move me out and refurbish it, but I haven't seen them," she said. "I used to have a leak practically every single day. I'd be in my bed at three o'clock in the morning - it's raining in my bedroom, raining in the passages, raining in the bathroom - it's raining everywhere in my flat."And what do they [the council] do? They give me £20 to turn on my humidifier."Ms Reid said she had not used her bath in more than 20 years due to the "nastiness" that comes through the added: "I don't think they [the council] care - you walk outside and the buildings look disgusting and nasty. "I come home and I don't want to come home. I want to get away from here." Ms Reid's neighbour John Dyer has lived at Haviland House for 27 years and is also unhappy with conditions in his said: "The council cancel everything and they never do nothing. It's just a mess." 'Poor conditions' Parsons said he was "sad" to hear residents' said: "People have been living with poor conditions in their council homes, especially some of our blocks, for many years now."I know what a blow it is for people to now hear we can't proceed."Unfortunately the structural survey we carried out as part of this work revealed that we need to invest in these blocks to make sure they are safe - that has to be our number one priority."Parsons said structural work would start "over the next few months", with inspections and repairs taking place in the coming weeks.
