The lives of dozens of people living in vans at Towan Head car park in Newquay, Cornwall, have been turned upside down as they were evicted by local authorities amidst the ongoing housing crisis. With 31 vans affected, many residents were forced to leave the popular beauty spot by a specified deadline.
Local officials acknowledge the plight of those living in vehicles but maintain that a busy tourist car park is not a suitable long-term solution. Newquay Mayor Drew Creek highlighted that the van-dwelling population issue is part of a broader, national challenge surrounding housing accessibility. He noted that the root cause lies in affordable housing stock rather than a lack of properties per se.
Thomas Dawe, one of the van dwellers who departed last Friday, expressed frustration at the council's approach, stating that no dialogue had taken place regarding their needs. He argued that simply moving people on without providing viable alternatives would inevitably lead to the issue resurfacing elsewhere. Dawe described a constant cycle of being 'pushed from pillar to post', making it difficult to establish any sense of stability.
The problem isn't unique to Newquay, with similar concerns raised across desirable UK coastal and rural areas where high demand, limited supply, and second homes or holiday lets drive up property prices beyond local residents' means. According to recent data from Rightmove, average asking prices in Cornwall have seen significant increases in recent years.
Mayor Creek has proposed the development of designated sites equipped with essential facilities such as running water and waste disposal, aiming to provide a more humane and sustainable solution for individuals living in vehicles. This proactive approach aims to address van dwellers' welfare while managing the impact on local communities and public spaces.