Bristol City Council has approved a new 60-pitch meanwhile site for van dwellers at Albatross Road in Whitchurch, using a former sports centre that previously housed vehicle dwellers during the Covid pandemic in 2020.
The site at Albatross Road in Whitchurch, when it was used as a COVID-19 vehicle dweller site in 2020(Image: Bristol City Council)
Bristol Live readers are divided after plans were approved for a new ‘meanwhile site’ for people living in vehicles in the city.
Bristol City Council has confirmed the site will be on Albatross Road in Whitchurch, offering a managed space with access to water, waste collection and toilet facilities. It is expected to provide pitches for around 60 people and could open later this summer.
The scheme will be the council’s largest meanwhile site so far, using land set aside for future development. The location previously hosted vehicle dwellers during the pandemic before closing in 2022.
The land is ultimately planned for housing as part of the wider Hengrove Park development, but will be used as a temporary site for up to three years. It will be split into three areas to help with management and community cohesion.
Councillor Barry Parsons said the site would offer more stability for people who have often been living roadside, while also providing support towards longer term housing where possible.
The council says it is continuing to look for more sites across Bristol, despite falling short of its earlier target to deliver 250 pitches by April.
Other proposals are already in the pipeline, though some have faced local opposition, and delays have affected at least one planned site due to infrastructure issues.
Commenter Dis1954 says: “I would not be surprised if the budget for these sites is higher than what is spent on maintaining all council housing in Bristol, so I seriously doubt this is a good use of taxpayers’ money.”
Hhayes thinks: “This is such a controversial decision – there was so much local opposition to this proposal (over 200 objections), and it appears to have been waved through without any thought to the concerns raised. All these ‘meanwhile sites’ are being located in South Bristol despite this being a north Bristol issue (i.e. the Downs) – the sell for these sites is to help people hard on their luck to ‘get back on their feet’ . However, many of these van dwellers choose to live this way of life, on the fringe of society and not paying any tax to the community they’re in.
Blackbeard83 replies: “Sounds more like locals wanting to start trouble to me. They are just people. Let them live their lives.Firstly the downs are not in north Bristol. The council is responsible for all of Bristol & looks for the best value site for the tax payer. Like it or not they have to live somewhere. They are just people that need a safe space to live with appropriate facilities. Just saying no doesn’t make them go away. They need a home.”
Becky T agrees: “Why can’t people live how they wish in peace without conforming to society? Give them access to basic necessities like loos and water and bins and leave ’em to it.”
Sharon S retorts: “Because it’s unsightly and stops others enjoying their lives. However if you have a driveway be free to volunteer that to a van dweller!”
Owen S writes: “They were fine up on the side roads in Clifton Downs, they just needed a few portable toilets and a tap for fresh water.”
William B states: “It would be nice to see a level playing field. It feels like some areas get protected while others, usually already struggling, end up taking the hit. Meanwhile, loads of local people are still waiting for somewhere stable to live. Young people and those already struggling just want a place of their own, so it does make you question priorities. Why not focus more on things like modular homes or genuinely affordable housing instead?
“Costs in Bristol have gone through the roof. Rent, mortgages, bills, it all adds up and leaves people feeling stuck. For a lot of younger people, it can feel like there is no real chance of ever owning a home, which is pretty grim. It just feels like housing has not been properly planned for years, and now people are paying the price for it.”
Lindsay S agrees: “I live in Whitchurch. They are also building 2200 new houses on top of the hundreds of new homes they have already built in our area. We can’t get a doctor’s or dentist’s appointment as it is. This is disgraceful.”
Nna W writes: “One issue I know of is that some van dwellers actually own land but are not allowed to live on it because planning permission gets refused. That just pushes them onto public spaces instead. If councils were more flexible with planning, it could take pressure off elsewhere. A lot of landowners would likely allow others to stay there too if they had permission.”
Caroline J thinks: What a load of nimbys! The van dwellers are just the same as you; they live in vans for various reasons, but mainly because they have been excluded from usual housing opportunities due to the extremely high costs in Bristol. These are caused by the entitled people moving into Bristol because it is cheaper than where they were previously.”
Do you think these meanwhile sites are a good solution, or should the focus be more on permanent housing instead? Have your say in our comments section.
