Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Development Plan Document

Nothing chosen

East Sutton is rural parish does not currently have a G&T population with no sites listed in the consultation document on MBC. There is currently one planning application for a G&T pitch in East Sutton, on the Sutton Valence boundary. The attached spreadsheet is a combination of data from tables 6.1 and 6.2 of the consultation document on MBC, it looks at the existing number pitches within the Borough by parish and the ‘potential net gain in pitches’ possible at each of those existing sites and some proposed sites; and assesses the impact of the potential intensification at those sites in a colour coded assessment. If you filter the data to list the parishes of the Borough surrounding East Sutton, (Broomfield & Kingswood, Langley, Ulcombe, Chart Sutton, Sutton Valence, Headcorn and Lenham); there is a very significant number (142) of existing pitches and an even more significant number (253) of pitches proposed as a potential net gain, on or very close to the East Sutton Parish boundary. 142+253 would give a total potential of 395 pitches surrounding the parish of East Sutton, a 278% increase. To put the 395 potential total pitches in context the 2021 census shows East Sutton with a population of 383 persons, in 116 households. The KALC draft response, calls doubt as to the validity of parts of the data used in the consultation document as such overestimating the need. As the ‘potential net gain in pitches’ is concentrated on existing pitches and areas surrounding East Sutton. Our parish would potentially bear the brunt of the impacts of this level of development / allocation of pitches. From KALC draft response , ‘Maidstone borough has the highest Gypsy and Traveller population by local authority area across England and Wales, at 1,009 ‘usual residents’ 9. The Gypsy and Traveller population per 1,000 residents in Maidstone equates to 5.74. The national average is 1.06 per 1,000 of the population.’ That 5.4 times the national average, in Maidstone Borough, but that is further concentrated around the parish of East Sutton. From the ONS website. (See attachment) Nothing to add to the KALC draft response. The overall comment to make here is that East Sutton Parish Council recognises that the G&T community have a housing need, and that MBC must have a coherent and robust plan to identify and cater for that need. Whilst giving MBC the tools to make robust planning decisions to protect the environment and balance between the settled & G&T communities.