Agenda item

This report provides an overview of the Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment (GTAA) which has been prepared to assist with the formulation of the emerging Local Plan.

Recommendation:

That the Local Plan Sub-Committee notes the contents of the report and agrees to publish the Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment (December 2024) to the emerging Local Plan Evidence Base (online website).

The Local Plan Sub-Committee received a report which provided an overview of the Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment (GTAA) which had been prepared to assist with the formulation of the emerging Local Plan.

The Senior Planning Officer summarised that the GTAA identified the current and future accommodation needs of Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople within the district. 

In terms of Gypsy and Traveller need, the GTAA showed a need for 41 pitches arising from households which met the planning definition.  This would be met directly from site allocations, either by allocating new sites or expanding existing sites.  Additionally, there was a need for 5 pitches arising from households from undetermined need, which would be met by criteria-based policies.   A need for 3 pitches from households which did not meet the planning definition would be met as part of general housing need through separate Local Plan policies. 

In terms of Travelling Showpeople need, the GTAA showed a need for 6 plots arising from households which met the planning definition.  These would be met directly from site allocations, either by allocating new sites or expanding existing sites.  There was also a need for 10 plots arising from households with undetermined need, which would be met through criteria-based policies. 

The Sub-Committee noted that during the final stages of the drafting of the GTAA in December 2024, the planning definition of a Traveller (as set out in Annex 1 of the Planning Policy for Traveller Sites document) was expanded to include ‘all other persons with a cultural tradition of nomadism or living in a caravan.’  The GTAA therefore included a note which set out that, following this amendment, an updated version of the GTAA report would be prepared in due course to reflect this change to the definition.  The Senior Planning Officer reported that initial discussions had indicated that the overall assessed need of 49 Gypsy and Traveller pitches would not alter as a result: there would be a need for a further 3 pitches arising from households which previously did not meet the planning definition but would now do so.  However, this would not result in any additional need, as the 3 pitches from households which did not meet the planning definition would no longer be required.

Members of the Sub-Committee sked questions on the detail of the report, which were responded to by officers.  This included the following:

·         The process through which sites would be identified would be either by allocating new sites (for example as part of a larger strategic site allocation), or by extending or re-developing existing sites.

·         ORS was undertaking as assessment of the additional work which was required to update the report following the change to the definition.  It was not envisaged that it would be too onerous, and so no adverse financial or resource implications were expected.

·         There was no identified need to allocate a transit site: all of the need which had been identified in the GTAA arose from households within the Three Rivers district.

·         Discussions with ORS and GATE Herts had indicated a general preference for expanding existing sites rather than allocating new sites.  However, it was acknowledged that this may not always be possible, given the planning constraints.

·         ORS had undertaken GTAAs for several neighbouring authorities, and these had been found to be sound at Examination.  Officers therefore had confidence in the methodologies which had been used and the analysis provided.

·         Figure 5 of the GTAA referred to 5 ‘Public Transit Sites’, whilst paragraph 4.6 stated that no public transit site need was identified.  It was noted that this was likely to be an error and that these 5 sites and 37 pitches should instead be reflected in the row below, as Travelling Showpeople yards.  Officers undertook to seek a correction.

RESOLVED:

That the Local Plan Sub-Committee notes the contents of the report and, subject to correction to Figure 5 noted above, agrees to publish the Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment (December 2024) to the emerging Local Plan Evidence Base.