Local Plans are at the heart of the planning system and are the main consideration in deciding planning applications.
A local planning authority’s Local Plan should include land that is marked out (‘allocated’) for Gypsy and Traveller sites, and a ‘criteria-based policy’ which guides how planning applications for Gypsy and Traveller sites are assessed.
Material considerations are matters or planning policies which should also be taken into account when deciding a planning application.
National planning policy relating to gypsy and traveller sites, including the government’s planning policy for Traveller sites, is an important material consideration.
The definition of Gypsies and Travellers was updated in December 2024 (see Annex 1 of planning policy for Traveller sites). The revised definition now includes ‘persons with a cultural tradition of nomadism or living in a caravan’. This has wide-ranging implications for both decision making on individual applications and plan making.