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Office of the Deputy Prime Minister

Answer

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) how many (a) sites and (b) caravans he assesses would be reasonable to be contained within a Gypsy and Traveller development plan document drawn up by Brentwood borough council; [222206] (2) what his assessment is of the need for Gypsy and Traveller sites in (a) each (i) district and (ii) unitary authority in the county of Essex and (b) each county in the eastern region; and if he will make a statement; [222209] (3) how he will assess the need for Gypsy and Traveller sites in each (a) district, (b) county and (c) region; and if he will make a statement; [222211] (4) how he will allocate the required number of Gypsy and Traveller sites between adjoining local authorities in each district, county and region. [223222] Yvette Cooper: It is for Brentwood borough council to assess the need for Gypsy and Traveller sites in its area. The Housing Act 2004 will require that local authorities, when assessing local housing need should include the accommodation needs of Gypsies and Travellers, and that they should develop a strategy on how to meet the needs identified. Assessments of housing need are co-ordinated at the regional level and provide input to the revision of regional spatial strategies (RSS). Guidance in the draft circular "Planning for Gypsy and Traveller Sites" proposes that where there is an assessment of unmet need for Gypsy and Traveller accommodation in the area the regional spatial strategy and development plan documents at local level should allocate land to meet those needs. The RSS should set out how the required number of pitches for Gypsies and Travellers might vary between constituent authorities. Development plan documents at local level should then allocate land to meet those needs. In advance of provision in revised regional spatial strategies local authorities have a range of information available to them to inform the development of local policies and plans, including the twice-yearly caravan count, waiting lists for public sites and incidents of unauthorised encampment, and their own assessments.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

432 c1136-7W; 222206;222209;222211;223222

Session

2004-05

Subjects

Caravan sites Development plans Essex Planning Travellers East of England Brentwood

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk