Response to DCLG’s consultation paper on amending planning policy for Gypsy and Traveller sites

Response of EHRC to DCLG’s consultation paper on amending planning policy for Gypsy and Traveller sites. DCLG proposes to amend current policy to:

• strengthen green belt protection.
• restrict circumstances in which temporary permission for Gypsy sites may be given in the green belt and ensuring that councils should "very strictly limit" new Traveller sites in open countryside, strengthening current policy.
• redefine "Gypsy" and "traveller" in planning policy to exclude those who no longer travel permanently. Current policy requires that those who have ceased travelling for reasons of health, education or old age should be treated like those who continue to travel. Where a member of the travelling community ceases to travel and applies for a permanent site, the document says this "should be treated no differently to an application from the settled population".

Read the full response PDF | Word

Last Updated: 24 Nov 2014