A Glastonbury councillor has urged Somerset Council to declare a “state of emergency” to tackle the rising number of people living in vans, caravans, and motor homes along the town’s roadside.
As of February 25, official figures reveal 131 individuals are living in mobile homes on the streets of Glastonbury. Many of them face complex challenges, including mental health issues, long-term medical conditions, and substance dependency.
In response, Somerset Council has been working to secure a dedicated site offering safe overnight accommodation for the ‘non-bricks and mortar’ community. Central government funding has been earmarked as part of the £23.6 million Glastonbury Town Deal to support this initiative.
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However, Councillor Susannah Hart, representing the Conservative division of Glastonbury, criticized the council’s pace in addressing the issue, describing it as moving at a “snail’s pace.” During a recent meeting of the council’s Communities Scrutiny Committee, Hart called for urgent action, emphasizing the scale of the problem and the urgent need for adequate travellers' sites.
“I genuinely think we must call this what it is — a state of emergency concerning the lack of available sites for travellers,” Hart said. “Compared to Bristol, which struggles with its travellers’ issues, Glastonbury’s problem is disproportionately large. If we scaled it to Bristol’s size, there’d be just 12 caravans here.”
She also highlighted that Glastonbury Town Council is willing to consider offering some of its land as a temporary “meanwhile site” equipped with necessary utilities, signaling a desire for immediate relief.
Currently, Somerset Council manages three travellers’ sites through Elim Housing, located at Chubbards Cross near Ilminster, Marsh Lane near Yeovil, and a small site at Pitney. As part of the Glastonbury Town Deal, plans had been proposed in mid-2023 to create a new site north of Porchestall Drove, featuring 21 temporary transit pitches and 19 permanent ones. However, due to flooding concerns, these plans were withdrawn early in 2024. Additionally, a solar farm project proposed for the same location was rejected in October 2025.
In the summer of 2024, the council acquired a new, yet undisclosed site and expects to submit a fresh planning application later this year. Alongside this, a commissioned feasibility study will explore additional “designated vehicle dweller sites” and transit options for gypsy, Roma, and traveller communities.
Councillor Hazel Prior-Sankey, an Independent member representing Taunton South, welcomed these developments. Drawing on over three decades of experience engaging with traveller issues, she stressed the importance of compassionate and practical solutions. “We must remember these are human beings who need a place to live,” Prior-Sankey stated. “Anything that moves us away from treating them as outcasts is a step in the right direction.”
Liberal Democrat Councillor Marcus Kravis stressed that any new sites must be thoughtfully located and tailored to meet travellers’ needs, acknowledging that not all vehicle dwellers would accept temporary sites. Independent Councillor Gwilym Wren described the situation as “a complex, persistent challenge” with no easy answers, further emphasizing the long-standing nature of the issue.
The growing urgency surrounding the accommodation of Glastonbury’s van-dwelling population underlines the need for swift, coordinated action to ensure safe and dignified living conditions for all.