As explained in ‘What is planning?’, the Local Plan guides decisions on future development proposals and addresses the needs and opportunities of the area. Topics that Local Plans usually cover include housing, employment and shops and they also identify where development should take place and areas where development should be restricted. This includes Gypsy and Traveller sites.
It is important to note that Gypsy and Traveller sites are sometimes dealt with in a separate development plan document (DPD) for the area. Furthermore, in some city regions with regional authorities / Mayors with planning functions there may be a strategic plan. Examples include London, Liverpool and Manchester. These may contain high level policies that LPA’s must take account when preparing a Local Plan.
Local Plans take some time to be produced and go through various stages of consultation where the LPA seek the views of people in the community. There are a few different ways of getting involved:
1. Check the local development scheme – this can be found on the LPA’s website and sets out the timetable for producing a plan. This will give you an idea on when a plan is going to be produced and consulted on.
2. Check the LPA’s website for any current consultations on Local Plans – if one is open then look at the Gypsy and Traveller part and provide your views to the council, if these do not include any site provision – write to the council and ask why it doesn’t.
3. Respond to any call for sites – this is where the council are asking if people have land that could be allocated for Gypsy and Traveller use. If you have land, or know of any, it’s worth putting it to the LPA for them to consider.
4. Get yourself on the mailing list – if there is no consultation going on, then get in touch with the planning policy officers at the LPA and ask to be added to the mailing list.
5. Better still, get in touch with the planning policy officers and ask them to talk to you about Gypsy and Traveller sites – most LPAs are keen to talk to people from the community and will want to hear from you. Ask them about:
- Whether they have plans to build any sites – if not, why not?
- Whether they could set up a regular Gypsy and Traveller forum to talk to people from the community.
6. Ask to appear at an examination in public – this is where an independent planning inspector looks at a LPA’s local plan to check that it is ‘sound’. They will hold hearings where people can discuss various parts of the plan. This will often include a session on Gypsy and Traveller issues. You can ask to attend, and tell the Inspector if:
- You think the LPA have underestimated the level of need;
- That there is land that should have been allocated;
- Anything else that’s relevant.
You will have needed to respond to public consultations that come before the examination in order to be able to speak at the meeting.
You may also want to ask a Gypsy and Traveller support organisation or planning consultant to appear on your behalf.