Cornwall’s Van-Life Generation: Young Residents Forced into Mobile Homes by a Housing Crisis

Cornwall attracts ? 4 million tourists annually, driving a surge in short-term rentals. ? 13 000 properties serve as second homes and ? 24 000 are listed on Airbnb, leaving few long-term rentals for locals. Seasonal employment further limits steady incomes, making monthly rent unaffordable for many young residents.

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Unable to secure a house, a growing cohort of 16- to 25-year-olds have turned to permanent van dwelling. The vans serve as mobile shelters, often parked in car parks or lay-bys, and are used year-round despite harsh winter conditions.

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• Skye, 25, a special-educational-needs teaching assistant, bought an old van after repeated rental rejections.

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• Louella, 33, a singer-songwriter, lives in a van to fund her music career after being unable to afford rent.

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• Caroline Dann, organiser of the Traveller Space drop-in session in St Day, supports many of these young van dwellers.

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• Sue Nicholls, owner of a caravan site near Falmouth, rents spaces to people flagged as homeless, including several teenagers.

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• 4 million tourists per year.

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• 13 000 second-home owners.

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• 24 000 Airbnb listings.

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• Traveller Space has operated for ? 20 years in Cornwall and Devon.

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• Nicholls’ site provides 35 caravan spaces for 35 residents, most of whom are young.

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Winter temperatures often fall below 0 °C; Skye reports ice forming on van windows and frozen door handles. Van heaters fail, leading to repair bills such as a £2 000 bill paid in instalments. Access to water, washing facilities, and public toilets is sporadic; residents rely on friends, churchyard taps, or occasional charity showers. Isolation is common—one Facebook post described a week without contact. Limited space makes basic tasks like drying clothes or managing muddy boots cumbersome.

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Caroline Dann says Traveller Space has seen a surge in young people lacking basic van-living skills, resulting in frequent breakdown calls and growing loneliness. Sue Nicholls notes that her caravan residents are “vulnerable” and “struggling with mental health,” and she wishes for more external support. The council commissioned a 2024 survey of overnight van parking to better understand the phenomenon.

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Some locals view van dwellers as unwelcome, leading to feelings of shame among residents. Reports of “bang on windows” and fears of council crackdowns add pressure, prompting concerns that van dwellers may be forced to relocate.

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No official census exists for Cornwall’s van-dwelling population; estimates rely on charity reports and anecdotal accounts. The council’s survey results have not been published, leaving the scale of the issue unclear.

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• “Some winters I’ve had ice on the inside of my van windows, and the door handles frozen shut with me inside,” — Skye, SEN teaching assistant

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• “I’ve fallen in love with the lifestyle,” — Skye

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• “I haven’t spoken to anyone for a week and I’m feeling really lonely.” — van dweller, Cornwall van-life Facebook page

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• “Travellers have grown up like this. They know how to get water, they know someone who can fix their vehicle, they know how to keep a van warm,” — Caroline Dann, Traveller Space

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• “She says: “You’re trudging your wet boots and things in and out of the van, and in a cramped space it can all get messy quickly.” — Louella, musician

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• “Everyone here is vulnerable. They are all struggling with their mental health. I wish there was more for them. But it feels like they are on their own.” — Sue Nicholls, caravan-site owner

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Van dwellers fear stricter council enforcement of overnight parking, while charities call for dedicated safe-parking zones and affordable housing initiatives. Skye hopes to one day secure a plot of land to park her van permanently, reflecting a broader desire for stability amid Cornwall’s housing squeeze.

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