Somerset Council has confirmed it will press ahead with enforcement action at the Zig Zag site in Glastonbury, despite site owner Chris Black insisting he will not make anyone intentionally homeless.

Around 20 people live at the former factory, which the Planning Inspectorate has ruled "not fit for human habitation." Residents have been ordered to vacate the site and return it to its former condition by the end of March.

An inquiry into the site laid bare shocking and unsafe living conditions, with residents enduring serious health and safety risks. The site has no mains water, no proper sanitation, and no safe electricity supply. Makeshift homes, including shipping containers and old caravans, lack ventilation, insulation, and fire safety measures. Waste disposal is uncontrolled, and the risk of disease and contamination is severe.

Despite this, Chris Black told the BBC he cannot comply with the enforcement order, calling it "not achievable and not reasonable."

Squalid and unsafe conditions exposed at Zig Zag site

A detailed inquiry into the site discovered residents living in conditions that pose serious risks of fire, disease, and contamination.

No mains electricity, dangerous power supply

• Residents do not have a safe or stable electricity supply. Instead, power is taken from an unprotected extension cable running from the neighbouring Red Brick Building.
• The cable is not armoured or professionally installed, leaving it vulnerable to damage, overloading, and fire.
• Temporary wiring runs across the ground, increasing the risk of electrocution. If the cable fails, residents are left in complete darkness, without light, heating, or refrigeration for food storage.
• There is no emergency lighting or backup power supply, meaning any failure could be life-threatening.

Images taken by West Midlands Police shows a caravan at the Zig Zag Building in Glastonbury, which have been condemned as 'not fit for human habitation.'

No running water, unsafe drinking supply

• There is no mains water supply. Instead, residents collect water from a hosepipe connected to the Red Brick Building or fetch it from local wells.
• There is no filtration, no purification, and no safety testing, meaning residents could be drinking contaminated water.
• The Planning Inspector warned that storing water in plastic containers could harbour bacteria, including Legionella, which can cause deadly infections.
• During dry spells, when water access is cut off, residents have no alternative supply, leaving them at risk of severe dehydration.

No toilets, no sanitation, human waste dumped illegally

• There are only two compost toilets for nearly 20 residents, and they are not connected to any proper waste system.
• The Planning Inspector found evidence of human waste being dumped illegally on nearby land, posing serious health risks to both residents and the surrounding community.
• Urinals drain directly into the ground, with no plumbing, no waste management, and no protection against contamination.
• There are no showers, no laundry facilities, and no proper washing facilities. Residents are forced to travel elsewhere to clean themselves, often going without basic hygiene for days.

READ MORE: Somerset Council stands firm on Zig Zag eviction order: What happens if residents refuse to leave?

Severe fire hazards and lethal carbon monoxide risks

• Many residents heat their homes with wood-burning stoves, often installed inside small, airless metal containers.
• No carbon monoxide alarms are in place, meaning residents could be poisoned in their sleep without warning.
• The Planning Inspector found that wood burners were installed dangerously close to wooden walls, creating a high risk of fire spreading rapidly.
• There are no smoke alarms, no fire extinguishers, and no fire escape plans. If a fire broke out, residents could be trapped inside with no way to escape.
• Firewood is piled up inside the units, meaning a single spark could turn the site into an inferno.

Investigators found evidence of human waste dumping and severe overcrowding inside the site's makeshift homes. (Photo from an investigation by West Midlands Police)

Overcrowded, filthy, and structurally unsafe accommodation

• Residents are living in old shipping containers, dilapidated caravans, and even a disused railway carriage, none of which are designed for permanent human habitation.
• Many containers have makeshift wooden porches and extensions, built without proper foundations, making them unstable and at risk of collapse.
• The structures are poorly insulated, leaving residents freezing in winter and dangerously overheated in summer.
• There is no ventilation, no proper flooring, and no structural safety checks. Some units rest directly on rubble, with no support to prevent sinking or shifting.

Land contamination and disease risks

• The site was previously used for industrial purposes, and the Planning Inspector found no evidence of soil testing to check for hazardous contamination.
• Human waste disposal is uncontrolled, creating a serious risk of disease spreading.
• The inspector noted that the stench of sewage from the nearby treatment plant was overpowering, adding to the unbearable living conditions.

Crime and anti-social behaviour concerns

• Avon and Somerset Police raised concerns about crime and anti-social behaviour linked to the site.
• Evidence was presented of drug use, previous evictions of problem residents around the site, and ongoing police interventions.
• The site has become a magnet for a transient population, with some residents moving between the Zig Zag site and other illegal encampments around Glastonbury.

Some residents have been living in shipping containers and dilapidated caravans, with no access to mains electricity. (Photo from an investigation by West Midlands Police)

Somerset Council confirms eviction will go ahead

Somerset Council has won its appeal and has confirmed that the eviction will happen, whether residents comply or not.

If the March deadline passes and residents refuse to leave, the council has several legal options:

• Court injunctions – A legal order requiring all residents to vacate the site.
• Bailiff enforcement – If an injunction is granted, the council could send in court bailiffs to remove residents and clear the site.
• Direct action – The council has the power to take control of the site itself, restore it to its previous state, and bill Chris Black for the costs.

Chris Black has said he "cannot comply" with the order, calling it "not achievable and not reasonable." However, the Planning Inspectorate ruled that the site is unsafe and must be shut down.

READ MORE: Glastonbury grapples with long-term van parking as council seeks balanced solutions

No relocation plan, no alternative housing

Somerset Council says it is working on long-term solutions, but no alternative site is available before the eviction deadline.

• The Enabling Project, part of the Glastonbury Town Deal, is developing a site for temporary and permanent accommodation, but this is still in the planning stages.
• The council has secured government funding to assess potential locations for new sites, but this will not be in place before the March deadline.

For now, residents have nowhere to go.

The Planning Inspectorate ruled the Zig Zag site uninhabitable, but nearly 20 people still call it home—for now.

What happens next?

In a statement, Somerset Council said: "In July 2024 the Planning Inspectorate dismissed two planning enforcement appeals relating to the Zig Zag building and yard (the former car park area behind the site).

 The Inspector agreed with the Council that the site was not fit for human habitation and the terms of the Enforcement Notice were upheld.

 Importantly, the Inspector made an award of costs to Council which demonstrates the Council has, and would, be acting reasonably in terms of upholding the terms of the Enforcement Notice.

 With regards the issue of alternative pitches, the Enabling Project aims to improve the situation and with the development of a site to provide both temporary and permanent provision, in consultation with the relevant communities and subject to deliverability. The Enabling Project is one of 10 projects in the Glastonbury Town Deal.

The Council recognises that the issue is much bigger than one town however, and a wider approach is needed going forwards. We have just secured some Government funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to undertake a feasibility study that will consider sites in Somerset that could provide a range of designated spaces for temporary and permanent pitches. This will provide the foundation for the Council to consider matters around funding and delivery options for sites across Somerset during 2025/26."

READ MORE: Drone footage reveals Glastonbury traveller site as council searches for permanent pitch solutions