On Monday 6th October at 7pm - Epping Forest District Council's Cabinet will consider an item on their agenda. Telephone: 01992 564470 for information about the meeting.
8.b Gypsy and Traveller Development Plan Document - Public Consultation
rds.eppingforestdc.gov.uk/Published/C00000295/M00005203/$$Supp986dDocPackPublic.pdf?ku=1313299629$sqn
This report has been referred to the Cabinet by the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Economic Development. The Council is asked to consider the draft consultation document on provision of gypsy and traveller sites in the District, and to approve the document for release to the public. The report arises from a direction from the Secretary of State who requires the Council to submit a development plan document of the provision to be made for gypsies and travellers. The deadline for submission of the development plan is 30 September 2009.
The difficulties of this cannot be underestimated. No local authority has yet to use the new system to successfully produce a Gypsy and Traveller Development Plan Document.
The first part considers the broad spatial options. It looks at the parts of the District where provision would be possibly acceptable, including the range of factors set down in Government policy such as access to schools, jobs and primary health care. Mapping of these factors has been done through a site suitability study. It also looks at issues such as whether sites should be restricted in parts of the District, which have seen a concentration, and whether there should be a scattering of smaller sites or a few larger sites. The gypsy and traveller community has expressed a need for smaller sites.
The second part looks at potential sites, although it must be stressed that not all will eventually be needed. There are real and genuine choices, but all must be consistent with any chosen strategy, in order to be found ‘sound’.
Meeting regional requirements can be a ‘very special circumstance’ leading to the allocation or granting of planning permission for the ‘inappropriate development’ in the green belt of gypsies and travellers sites. For each site, a careful balancing act needs to be made in terms of the ability to meet need, against harm to the green belt and other harm.
It is inevitable that finding enough sites may require compulsory acquisition.
TBAG has been given a copy of the 83 page report and have summarised some sections below.
Attached is an aerial photograph of the location of the two sites that have been put forward for Theydon Bois. One site with space for 10 pitches is on the Abridge Road (not Abridge Lane) at the junction with Coopersale Lane and the other with space for 11 pitches is in Coopersale Lane opposite Marcris Nursing Home and the equestrian centre.
National and Regional Policy Requirements
National planning policy requires significant increase in the number of gypsy and traveller sites in appropriate locations with a focus on increased provision over the next 3-5 years.
It aims to ensure that gypsies and travellers should not become homeless through eviction, without having alternative sites to move to.
Rural sites are accepted in principle, nationally protected environmental designations are off-limits. Sites outside the green belt must be considered before sites inside the green belt.
Local development plans must include land zoned for additional pitches (pitch allocations).
The government has directed Epping Forest District Council to produce such a plan by September 2009.
A review of the East of England plan with established targets for all local authorities in the region.
The level has yet to be finalised and Epping Forest has disputed the draft figure, which is for an additional 49 pitches in the district by 2011 with a 3% annual increase (from planned 2011 levels). In the total number of pitches thereafter, to reflect household growth. On the basis of emerging evidence from research in Essex, EFDC estimates the need at 35 pitches.
What has happened so far and how you can influence what will happen
The Council is consulting on ways of meeting the national and regional requirements. You are asked to comment on this document.
A site suitability study has been undertaken to assess broad areas of the district that are potentially suitable and unsuitable.
What sites might be suitable and available have been examined within these broad areas. To aid this study, a ‘Call for Sites’ exercise has been undertaken, asking developers and landowners what land might be potentially available.
You are encouraged to make comments online at www.eppingforestdc.gov.uk or write to:
Epping Forest District Council, Forward Planning – Gypsies and Travellers Consultation, Civic Offices,
High Street, FREEPOST CL3360,
Epping, Essex CM16 4YA.
The period for comments will run from the 4th November 2008 to 5pm on 20th January 2009.
When the plan is finalised in 2009 and Epping Forest chooses its strategy and sites there will be a period for formal representations. An independent inspector will then determine whether or not the Epping Forest Gypsies and Travellers Plan meets the various legal and policy tests.
At this stage, the inspector will be looking for ways of correcting any deficiencies in the plan, eg if a site is unsuitable, what better alternative sites exist. We must provide sufficient sites, non-provision is not an option. Representations should be cast with this in mind. For this reason, responses solely of a negative nature may have a limited effect. Neither is it appropriate to make representations disagreeing with government policy; these should be directed to the government.
TBAG will keep residents of Theydon Bois informed when we receive more information concerning this important issue.