New Local Plan Options

8. Gypsy and Traveller, and Travelling Showpeople Provision

99. Planning Policy for Traveller Sites (2015) states that we must plan for the accommodation needs of both gypsies and travellers, and travelling showpeople. This section considers the accommodation needs of gypsies and travellers, followed by the accommodation needs of travelling showpeople. The section then goes on to consider how the new Local Plan will seek to address the needs of both groups.

100. Gypsies and Travellers are defined in national policy guidance as;

"Persons of nomadic habit of life whatever their race or origin, including such persons who on grounds only of their own or their family's or dependants' educational or health needs or old age have ceased to travel temporarily, but excluding members of an organised group of travelling showpeople or circus people travelling together as such"

With Travelling Showpeople defined as;

"Members of a group organised for the purposes of holding fairs, circuses or shows (whether or not travelling together as such). This includes suchpersons who on the grounds of their own or their family's or dependants' more localised pattern of trading, educational or health needs or old age have ceased to travel temporarily, but excludes Gypsies and Travellers as defined above."

101. We aim to meet the differing requirements of the gypsy and traveller and travelling showpeople communities, with a difference between 'pitches' for gypsies and travellers and 'plots' for travelling showpeople. This terminology differentiates between residential pitches for 'gypsies and travellers' that may contain more than one caravan, and mixed-use plots for 'travelling showpeople', which need to incorporate space or to be split to allow for the storage of equipment.

(15) How many Gypsy and Traveller pitches do we need to provide?

102. Harborough District currently has a supply of 80 Gypsy and Traveller pitches, spread across the District (as at March 2015). The Planning Policy for Traveller Sites (PPTS) highlights the need to make adequate provision to meet future gypsy and traveller accommodation needs. The Leicestershire and Rutland study into future gypsy and traveller accommodation needs (2013) identifies a requirement for an additional 80 gypsy and traveller pitches within Harborough District between April 2012 and March 2031, 10 of which are already committed. This is based on survey interviews, secondary research, local authority planning records and data from the Multi Agency Traveller Unit for Leicestershire.

	April 2015 - March 2017	April 2017 - March 2022	April 2022 - March 2027	April 2027 - March 2031	Total Requirement 2015 - 2031
Net additional pitch requirements	17	16	19	18	70*

* this takes account of 10 pitches committed since April 2012.
Figure 17 Gypsy and Traveller residential pitch requirements 2012-2031

103. The requirement includes an outstanding total of 17 pitches identified in the first 5yr period (2012-2017), a result of 'need where it arises' and is based on the existing supply of pitches across the District. The proposed future provision of pitches is split between private pitches, either privately owned or rented, and the provision of social rented pitches, provided through a Registered Provider as per affordable housing. Harborough District currently has a supply of 5 social rented pitches, on a single site.

104. We have recently published a 5yr land supply update for Gypsy and Traveller provision. Based on the level of needs identified in the 2013 Leicestershire study, the Council has identified a 0.5yrs supply of Gypsy and Traveller pitches.

(3) How many Travelling Showpeople plots do we need to provide?

105. The District currently has a total of 98 travelling showpeople plots (as at March 2015). The Leicestershire and Rutland study (2013) sets out the requirement for 25 additional Travelling Showpeople plots (on top of current supply), based on growth of current sites across the District. This outstanding need is broken down into five-year periods and shown in Figure 18: Travelling Showpeople plot requirements 2012-2031 below.

April 2012 - March 2017	April 2017 - March 2022	April 2022 - March 2027	April 2027 - March 2031	Total additional requirements 2015 - 2031
2	7	8	8	25

Figure 18: Travelling Showpeople plot requirements 2012-2031

106. Based on the level of needs identified in the 2013 Leicestershire study, the Council has identified a 3.18yrs supply of Travelling Showpeople plots.

(9) How will future need be met?

107. The new Local Plan will set out a minimum target for the provision of Gypsy and Traveller pitches and Travelling Showpeople plots, as identified in the Leicestershire and Rutland study (2013). This is recognised as the objectively assessed need for provision within the District. In addition, the provision of transit sites will also be supported.

108. Previous Calls for Sites for the provision of Gypsy and Travellers and Travelling Showpeople sites have not resulted in any being put forward. However, the Council has received planning applications for additional sites and extensions to existing sites. The new Local Plan will seek to allocate sites and also set out an enabling policy for the development of Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople sites. This will be criteria-based and is expected to include the criteria set out in the current Core Strategy Policy CS4: Providing for Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Needs. The Core Strategy policy sets out 5 criteria for the provision of new sites and extensions to existing sites for Gypsies and Travellers, with a further 2 criteria for the provision of Travelling Showpeople. This will ensure we plan positively to meet the District's objectively assessed need over the new Local Plan period to 2031.

109. As we are currently unable to demonstrate a 5yr supply of Gypsy and Traveller pitches, or Travelling Showpeople plots, in accordance with Government guidance, this will be taken into consideration when determining applications for temporary planning permission for Gypsy and Traveller sites.