Demanding that Bristol City Council protect our parks and residential streets whilst supporting those in genuine need
Our Aim
Protect the Downs aims to hold Bristol City Council accountable for failing to protect the truly homeless, tenants, and homeowners alike from the impact of unmanaged voluntary vehicle dwellers and related anti-social behaviour. The Council’s permissive approach is leading to environmental damage, allowing slum letting, intimidation of residents, lost investment, and visible drug use in family parks and on residential streets.
Please donate!
Details on making donations are provided on the flier to the left. You can use the QR code or transfer directly to the bank account.
We will publish our accounts, so that you can see how our donations (visible on Go Fund Me) are used.
Bristol City Council are in clear breach of their legal duties. We outlined those breaches in our community briefing but are sensitive about detailing them here. Our barrister has prepared their ‘pre-action protocol letter’ which our solicitor (who has previously won action against BCC) is currently reviewing to ensure it hits the mark.
Our Concerns About the Council’s Ability to Govern:
Lack of Enforcement: Senior councillors have stated they do not intend to enforce against voluntary vehicle dwellers and have refused to use existing laws effectively.
Failure to Engage: Councillors have walked out of official meetings when challenged, abandoning their duty to represent constituents despite being paid to attend.
Selective Action: The Council has enforced in other parts of the city, proving the barrier is political will, not legal authority.
Poor Accountability: The Chair of Public Health and Communities - responsible for parks, green spaces, and community cohesion - has repeatedly failed to respond to constituents on this issue.
Lack of Leadership: Key officials remain passive, avoiding direct engagement with vehicle dwellers, failing to visit high-impact encampments, and declining invitations to community events.
Cancel Culture: The Council has dismissed concerns based their unilateral decision on allowable words, avoiding engagement rather than addressing the underlying issues.
Urgent Policy Changes Needed:
Clear Metrics and Transparency: Publish weekly data on the number of vehicle dwellers assessed, supported, and relocated.
Centralised Reporting: Create a single reporting point for all vehicle-dwelling issues to provide a true picture of the scale and impact.
PSPO Backstop: Implement a Public Space Protection Order if vehicle dwellers attempt reoccupation of cleared sites.
Visible Leadership: Councillors should visit vehicle dwelling hot-spots, attend community meetings, and engage directly with homeowners and tenants near high-impact sites.
Safety Measures: Install CCTV at large encampments, introduce traffic calming, and prevent joyriding in parks - activities currently enabled by a lack of enforcement.
Request a Temporary Reduction in Council Tax:
If Bristol City Council fail to take our requests for a temporary reduction in Council Tax seriously, we will coordinate mass complaints to to the ombudsman.
Group Background
The Clifton and Durdham Downs was gifted to residents in 1861 as a tranquil clean space within a busy city. The area has a long history, from being a key waypoint for the Roman Army to enabling safe trading during the Black Death. It is now protected for people to use as an escape from city life and to bring families and friends together. Recently, those choosing a vehicle dwelling lifestyle are trying to claim it as their private camp site, at the exclusion of all Bristolians. What’s more, this is setting an example for others across the city, impacting all city residents because the Council will not enforce exiting laws and protections.
What Are We Doing?
Our petition (now closed) had over 8000 signatures. This allowed us to present our concerns direct to the Council during their full meeting in July.
We are using Facebook and X to pressure the Council into action by providing a single voice to all those affected and to collect evidence, such as the photos on this page. We have had good engagement with Council leaders as a result, prompting them to review their policy of support and enforcement.
Our social media campaign is also forcing the Council to admit that their inaction is attracting many more people from across the UK to live a vehicle dwelling lifestyle in Bristol, putting further pressure on public finances, putting off business investment, and trapping many vulnerable people in slum-letting and low-paid gig work.
We are building a log of evidence to demonstrate to a court of law that the Council are tacitly allowing severe anti-social behaviour and environmental damage at the expense of communities.
We are also preparing for additional rounds of fundraising at a later date, having obtained very generous support for early legal work - thank you to all those who have donated already.
What are the dangers and damage?
· Increased levels of fear amongst lone women and families, increased levels of flashing and offensive behaviour, caravan fires, bonfires, grass fires, gas canisters left in the road and near pedestrian routes, slum-letting, dangerous roads, dangerous driving on the green spaces, blocked pavements forcing people onto the road etc, all due to the Green Party run Council’s acceptance of general rule breaking.
· Increased pressure on local finances from avoidable clean-up costs and litigation.
· Dumping of non-roadworthy vehicles and caravans.
· Environmental damage from human waste poisoning wild-life and pets, fly-tipping, littering, and exhaust fumes ruining homes and gatherings.
Protect the Downs
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