Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Development Plan Document
Vision
- The Council's mission for the whole borough is set out in the 2025 Corporate Strategy[18]:
"Putting People and the Environment First."
By 2040 Maidstone will be a borough where Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople have:
- The ability to secure a high-quality, well-designed, climate-resilient home in a place where they feel they belong and where they feel safe and that they can be proud of;
- Sufficient suitable land/sites available to meet the identified need for accommodation including that of different tenures, and as a result, no longer have a need for unauthorised developments or encampments;
- Equal and inclusive access to services and facilities through the provision of well located, sustainable sites that promote stronger, more socially cohesive and resilient communities;
- Security and certainty about their future and that of their local environment, such that they have the opportunity to thrive while pursuing and preserving their traditional way of life; and
- The same opportunities and responsibilities as the borough's settled community.
- Building upon this borough-wide mission, and taking account of the feedback from the previous consultation, the proposed vision for this DPD is as follows:
Objectives
- The Local Plan Review (LPR) includes 11 spatial objectives. The key cross-cutting objective specific to this DPD is:
"Objective 10: Meeting housing needs by delivering affordable housing, local housing needs, accommodation for the elderly, accommodation to meet Gypsy and Traveller needs, and accommodation to meet rural housing needs."
- Other relevant objectives from the LPR include, but are not limited to:
"Objective 3: Protection of the built and natural heritage, including the Kent Downs National Landscape and its setting, the setting of the High Weald National Landscape and areas of Local Landscape Value."
"Objective 4: Ensuring that development adequately mitigates and adapts to climate change, whilst addressing the issues of flooding and water supply and the need for dependable infrastructure for the removal of sewerage and wastewater."
"Objective 5: Protection and enhancement of biodiversity, and protection and promotion of the multi-functional nature of the borough's open spaces, rivers and other watercourses."
"Objective 11: Ensuring that all new development is built to a high standard of sustainable design and construction."
- Building on the above, the proposed additional objectives specific to this DPD are as follows:
Objective 1: To provide a sufficient number of authorised pitches for Gypsies and Travellers, and plots for Travelling Showpeople in the most appropriate locations available in Maidstone borough, in line with evidence of established need, thereby reducing the level of unauthorised development and encampments;
Objective 2: To ensure all new development is built to a high quality design and positively contributes to biodiversity and environmental enhancements; and
Objective 3: To enable Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople equal and inclusive access the services and facilities that meet their needs, in order to promote stronger, more socially cohesive and resilient communities.
- To achieve these objectives, it will be necessary to:
- Identify a sufficient number of sites that are available, suitable and achievable i.e. they are deliverable;
- Allocate and grant planning permission for sufficient land and pitches/plots to meet identified needs within Maidstone borough in the most appropriate locations possible with access to local services and facilities including health, education and employment – preferably by sustainable methods of transport;
- Ensure sites are of high-quality design, are climate-resilient, are safe and pleasant places to live, and do not adversely impact the local character, environment and amenity of an area; and
- Provide clear guidance for making decisions on planning applications regarding Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople sites on both allocated and non-allocated (windfall) sites.
Question 1: To what extent do you agree with the proposed Vision and Objectives of the Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Development Plan Document?
[18] https://maidstone.gov.uk/home/primary-services/council-and-democracy/primary-areas/your-councillors?sq_content_src=%2BdXJsPWh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGbWVldGluZ3MubWFpZHN0b25lLmdvdi51ayUyRmRvY3VtZW50cyUyRnM5NzY4MCUyRkFwcGVuZGl4JTIwMSUyMENvcnBvcmF0ZSUyMFN0cmF0ZWd5LnBkZiZhbGw9MQ%3D%3D
