Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Development Plan Document
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Results for Boughton Malherbe Parish Council search
New searchQ1 – Vision and Objectives Proposed amendment • In the fourth bullet point, prior to the semicolon, add: “to the extent afforded to the settled community”. Reason / policy justification • Ensures parity of treatment with the settled community (PPTS para 13; NPPF paras 8, 130). • Reduces perception and reality of preferential treatment beyond statutory requirements. Additional Comment • Vision and objectives should reflect the need for well-managed, safe, and sustainable sites, not just supply. • Consideration should be given to domestic abuse, literacy, education, and social inclusion within Traveller communities, as these affect site management and integration. • Sites should be professionally managed and maintained by councils, registered providers, or developers, to ensure long-term sustainability, community safety, and integration. Q2 – Policy TR1 (Spatial Strategy) Deletion of first paragraph under “Countryside” Proposed amendment • Delete the first paragraph under the Countryside section which allows in-principle development on existing authorised sites. Reason / policy justification • Prevents a blanket presumption in favour of intensification or expansion without assessment of individual site merits (PPTS para 13; NPPF paras 11, 60, 79, 174). • Maintains compliance with countryside protection and avoids dominance over nearby settled communities. • Ensures plan-led scrutiny rather than reliance on historical or windfall permissions. Extension of large-development provision Proposed amendment • Extend the Garden Settlements approach to other large developments. Reason / policy justification • Aligns with PPTS strategic provision and NPPF sustainable development principles (PPTS para 10; NPPF paras 62, 73). • Prevents pressure on small communities while increasing delivery. Additional Comment • The current approach risks unsustainable sites, often distant from services and along unsafe roads. • Emphasises need for sites within or adjacent to urban areas, with access to shops, healthcare, and transport. • Supports integration rather than ethnic homogeneity; small, manageable sites (max ~15 pitches) are preferable for health, safety, and social cohesion. • Sites should be professionally developed and maintained by local authorities, housing associations, or developers. • Compliance with sustainability criteria for urban services, including healthcare and transport, is essential.
Q3 – Policy TR2 (Meeting Accommodation Needs) Position • Support review of numbers. Reason / policy justification • PPTS requires robust, realistic assessment (para 9); current methodology may overstate need by counting births but not deaths. • NPPF para 31 emphasizes sound evidence for plan-making. • Figures in the supporting evidence are false. Additional Comment • Over-reliance on expanding existing sites increases isolation, ethnic homogeneity, and separation from settled communities. • Smaller, integrated sites promote community cohesion and avoid reinforcing marginalisation or prejudice.
Q4 – Policy TR3 (Safeguarding Permitted Sites) Proposed amendment • Remove paragraph 3; if retained, define “modest” relative to original site size. • Add requirement for planning conditions ensuring sites remain in authorised use. Reason / policy justification • PPTS para 14–15 supports occupancy and personal conditions; NPPF para 56 requires enforceable, precise conditions. • Avoids uncontrolled expansion and misuse. Additional Comment • Occupants should be proven Gypsies/Travellers with local connection. • Enforcement is needed to prevent weekly rental of mobile homes to non-
Q5 – Policy TR4 (Site Allocation) Additional Comment • Avoid overcrowding existing sites that are unsafe or poorly served by amenities. • Consider brownfield or greenfield sites
Q6 – Policy TR5 (Accommodation on Non-Allocated Sites) Position • Agree if sites fully comply with sustainability criteria and are properly enforced. Additional Comment • None beyond agreement.
Q7 – Policy TR6 (Rural Exception Sites) Proposed amendment / position • Sites should comply with sustainability criteria and be professionally managed. • Pitch sizes should be proportionate to settled community standards. • Enforcement of planning permissions must be proactive, particularly regarding retrospective developments. Reason / policy justification • PPTS para 10 emphasizes sustainable, integrated provision of Traveller sites. • NPPF paras 8, 60, 73, and 174 require development to be safe, accessible, and not harmful to the environment or neighbouring communities. • Policy should ensure sites are healthy, safe, and well-integrated, avoiding over-dominance, excessive size, or segregation. Additional Comment • Promote bricks & mortar options for younger generations. • Ensure lighting provides safety without harming landscape. • Pitch size: 320 m² is excessive; consider smaller, manageable layouts. • Facilities: equine provisions must not create disproportionate advantages or be stepping-stones for additional development. • Amenity and green space should be proportionate to what settled communities receive.
Q8 – Policy TR6 (Individual Site Allocation Requirements) Proposed amendment • Specify degree of employment connection and evidential threshold. Reason / policy justification • PPTS paras 13–15 support clear, enforceable eligibility criteria and management. • NPPF paras 16 and 56 require policies to be precise, enforceable, and robust. • Clarifying connections ensures allocations are legitimate and consistent with need assessments. Additional Comment • Requires vigorous enforcement and sufficient budget, otherwise policy may be ineffective.
Q9 – Policy TR7 (Site Design and Layout) Proposed amendment • In criterion (1)(i), define “nearest settled community” so that properties in the immediate vicinity are assessed independently of wider administrative boundaries such as parish areas. • • Enhance design standards for health, safety, and integration. Reason / policy justification • PPTS paras 13 & 26 emphasize avoiding dominance over settled communities and ensuring integration. • NPPF paras 8, 130, and 174 require safe, accessible, and visually appropriate development. Additional Comment • Health and Safety: traffic calming, lighting, signage, emergency access, and separate pedestrian/vehicle access. • Security: design out crime and social exclusion; office/management presence visible but non-intrusive. • Regular monitoring of layouts to ensure safety and accessibility for children and vehicles.
Q10 – Day Rooms and Amenity Blocks Additional Comment • Policies should address sanitation, wastewater management, and health standards.
Q11 – Monitoring and Review Additional Comment • Annual review is good, but more frequent data collection is recommended to address emerging issues promptly.
