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Planning Policy: Traveller Sites
11 September 2024
Lead MP
Kevin Hollinrake
Thirsk and Malton
Con
Responding Minister
Matthew Pennycook
Tags
Taxation
Word Count: 10853
Other Contributors: 7
At a Glance
Kevin Hollinrake raised concerns about planning policy: traveller sites in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
I urge the Minister to tighten rules so that people who flagrantly abuse the planning system cannot obtain consent, ensuring fairness and preventing a sense of two-tier society. It is crucial to clarify guidance on intentional unauthorised development as a material point in planning applications.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
My constituents are concerned about a number of planning applications where there is a perception that the law does not apply equally. In some cases, applicants occupy sites unlawfully without planning consent before submitting retrospective applications, citing laws such as the Human Rights Act and the Equality Act to gain approval despite breaches of proper procedure. The site in question near Sheriff Hutton has been occupied for three years without permission but was recommended for approval by North Yorkshire planning authority.
Bradley Thomas
Con
Bromsgrove
Mr. Bradley Thomas highlighted the challenges of balancing Traveller community rights with local authorities' planning powers, citing a case in Bromsgrove where a greenfield site was bought and occupied by Travellers without proper planning permission. The delay in resolving this issue has caused significant uncertainty and tension among residents, who are concerned about rural crime and lack of community integration.
Christine Jardine
Lib Dem
Edinburgh West
She expressed concern over the perennial problems between local residents and Traveller groups due to insufficient legally designated sites. She cited an incident in her constituency where a Travelling community caused distress among locals, highlighting the lack of designated sites nearby and the absence of specific legislative frameworks protecting both communities' rights.
David Simmonds
Con
Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner
The local authority's role as a planning authority is complex, balancing the need to follow planning law with addressing community concerns. The issue of unauthorised encampments can significantly affect the reputation of other members of the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community. Swift and robust enforcement powers are necessary to address established illegal occupations and remediation costs associated with abuses of the planning process.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
Apologised for leaving early due to other engagements and emphasised the need for policies that balance travellers' way of life with community well-being, suggesting building relationships and understanding. Recommended the Irish Traveller accommodation strategy 2020-2025 as guidelines to provide culturally appropriate housing that fosters a sustainable and vibrant Traveller community while considering integration.
John Slinger
Lab
Rugby
Six applications for a site in Rugby were rejected due to the borough council's failure to meet its statutory obligation to provide sufficient pitches for the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community. The speaker argued that this decision turned the applicants into 'second-class citizens' by not respecting their rights to housing and additional needs.
Olivia Blake
Lab
Sheffield Hallam
Ms. Blake highlighted the two-tier planning system and discrimination faced by Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities. She mentioned that some families have lived on council-run sites for 40 years without the right to buy their land. She criticised the criminalisation of these communities through the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 and called for its repeal. She also pointed out issues with site segregation, poor access to services, and unsafe locations of many sites. She emphasised the importance of understanding community needs and working towards better integration.
Sarah Dyke
Lib Dem
Glastonbury and Somerton
Ms Dyke highlighted the challenges in supporting the GRT community due to a lack of transit sites, which leads to illegal encampments and tensions with local residents. She cited national data showing 91% of English local authorities have some form of GRT presence but face difficulties in maintaining or providing adequate sites due to funding constraints. Ms Dyke emphasized the need for permanent pitches to ensure better access to healthcare and education, as well as reduced costs for local authorities.
Government Response
Matthew Pennycook
Government Response
It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Dame Siobhain. I formally congratulate you on your honour—I have not had the chance to do so yet. I congratulate the hon. Member for Thirsk and Malton (Kevin Hollinrake) on securing this important debate and thank him for the characteristic clarity with which he made his case. I also thank the hon. Members for Edinburgh West (Christine Jardine), for Glastonbury and Somerton (Sarah Dyke) and for Bromsgrove (Bradley Thomas), and my hon. Friends the Members for Sheffield Hallam (Olivia Blake) and for Rugby (John Slinger) for their contributions. Lastly, I thank the shadow Minister, the hon. Member for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner (David Simmonds), for his thoughtful remarks, and warmly welcome him to his place. I will certainly take away the specific points that he raised. More widely, I look forward to working with him, as he said, on a constructive basis wherever possible. I must make it clear at the outset that, while I noted the specific case that the hon. Member for Thirsk and Malton raised—and indeed other cases that have been raised today—I hope that hon. Members will appreciate that I am unable to comment on individual plans or applications due to the quasi-judicial nature of the planning process and the potential decision-making role of the Deputy Prime Minister. I therefore propose to make some general comments about national planning policy as it relates to Traveller sites and specifically the role of local planning authorities, including in respect of enforcement, within that national framework, thereby addressing many of the points that have been raised today, while recognising that this is an incredibly complex area of policy and law, particularly as it relates to individual cases. The Government's approach to Traveller site provision is set out in the planning policy for Traveller sites policy paper, which should be read in conjunction with the national planning policy framework and has the same policy status as it. Local planning authorities are responsible for setting pitch targets for Gypsies and Travellers to address their accommodation needs within their area. The right to respect for private and family life under the European convention on human rights, and in relation to the rights of the child, under the Children Act 1989 and the UN convention on the rights of the child, are often engaged in Gypsy and Traveller developments. However, such considerations can be addressed by planning adequately for Traveller pitches through the local plan process. Local plans across the country need to come forward in short order to achieve universal coverage as they shape developments in their areas. The Government is consulting on a range of policy changes to ensure that our planning system supports the right development in the right places and delivers on the Government's growth agenda, including changes to green-belt policy to enable targeted release of low-quality grey-belt land for unmet housing and other development needs. These proposals aim to address unmet need for Traveller sites while not compromising environmental objectives or undermining the overall function and purpose of the green belt. We will finalise our position after considering consultation responses and following targeted engagement with key stakeholders, including specialist planning consultants, charities representing the interests of the Traveller community, and professionals working in this space. The Government is responsible for setting the legislative and policy framework within which the planning system operates, but it is for local planning authorities to prepare local development plans and make decisions based on adopted plans unless material considerations indicate otherwise. When it comes to enforcement more generally, local planning authorities have a wide range of powers with strong penalties for non-compliance, strengthened by reforms introduced in the 2023 Act. These powers include longer time limits for enforcement action and addressing a loophole with retrospective development so that there is only one opportunity to appeal. Ultimately, it is for individual local planning authorities to determine what weight they should afford to relevant considerations based on the circumstances of each case.
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About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.