City council to face legal action over van-dwellers

CAMPAIGNERS trying to end the use of Durdham Down by people living in vans and caravans say they are ready to take legal action against Bristol City Council for not acting to remove the van-dwellers.

- TRISTAN CORK

The Protect the Downs group, which formed earlier this year after a huge public meeting on the issue saw 450 people inside a local church and another 150 locked outside, said it is also organising another “major public briefing” on the next steps of their campaign, later this month.

Protect the Downs chair Tony Nelson has told members of the group that they want to “ramp up the pressure” on Bristol City Council to do more to move on the van-dwellers.

The council recently launched a consultation on a new citywide policy on people living in vans and caravans on the streets of Bristol.