The Petition of residents of the South Staffordshire constituency and others,
Declares that the Petitioners note that South Staffordshire District Council intends to increase the allowance of pitches for Gypsies and Travellers by 33 pitches over the next 15 years; further that the Petitioners believe that there are already sufficient pitches available for Gypsies and Travellers in the constituency; and further that the Petitioners believe that no more pitches should be allocated.
The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to take all possible steps to ensure that no further pitches for Gypsies and Travellers are allocated in South Staffordshire.
And the Petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Gavin Williamson, Official Report, 13 January 2015; Vol. 590, c. 838.]
[P001419]
Observations from the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government:
The Secretary of State has a quasi-judicial role in the planning system, and cannot comment on specific cases or local plans.
The previous Conservative-led coalition Government did away with the Labour Governments unelected regional planning bodies and their top-down targets, which did nothing but fuel opposition to development and increase community tensions.
Our planning policy for Traveller sites ensures that it is down to democratically elected local authorities to determine what level of provision is needed and suitable in their areas, mindful of the protections the National Planning Policy Framework accords to our sensitive areas. Our policy is clear that traveller sites, whether temporary or permanent, are inappropriate development in the Green Belt and should be approved only in very special circumstances and that local authorities should strictly limit the development of new traveller sites in the open countryside.
When developing a local plan, local authorities set out the evidence of the needs they are planning for, including for Gypsies and Travellers, which is consulted upon and examined publically by an independent examiner. We do not centrally monitor site provision as local authorities are responsible for enabling sites, for planning for these locally, and for reporting on progress to their local communities.
Since the introduction of the planning policy for Traveller sites policy, Ministers have been concerned that not enough protection is being given to the green belt and countryside. The previous Government consulted on proposals to ensure fairness in the planning system with everyone treated equally and decisions on development and enforcement action taken at the local level wherever possible and continue to take this work forward.