UK Coastal Communities Face Van‑Life Clashes and Erosion Evictions

In Newquay, Cornwall, a clifftop car park at Little Fistral has become a flashpoint between resident homeowners of multimillion‑pound beach houses and a community of nomadic "van‑lifers" who park converted vans with sea views. Tensions have escalated to physical confrontations, with reports of residents punching, spitting at and scratching the vans. Thirty‑one occupants were served two‑day eviction notices. One resident, Tom Dawes, said, "It's the best thing I ever did," describing his life in a converted van after surviving cancer.

Meanwhile, on the eroding coast of Hemsby, Norfolk, severe cliff loss after Storm Gorett has forced council‑ordered evacuations and demolitions of homes at risk of collapse. Over the past decade, 36 properties have been lost, and empty plots are now being auctioned for as little as £8,000. Residents recall being told the coast would take a century to reach their homes, but it arrived in five years. The Great Yarmouth Borough Council offers limited support, while owners face mortgage liabilities and lack of compensation.