COUNCILS across south Worcestershire are on the lookout for land to accommodate travellers and travelling showpeople.
As part of a Government bid for residential pitches for travellers, Worcester City and Malvern Hills District Councils, together with Wychavon District Council are looking to identiy suitable sites by January 9.
The existence of official sites can also improve the chances of councils winning planning appeals over applications for unsuitable sites being used to accommodate travellers.
Individuals, agents, landowners and developers have been urged to come forward with suitable locations use by travellers over the next five to ten years.
Suggested sites will be rigorously assessed by the councils, which have to ensure they can meet the requirement in the South Worcestershire Development Plan (SWDP) for 35 new travellers’ pitches to be provided by 2018/19 and to ensure other locations are available in the following five years.
The most suitable sites will be included in a draft Site Allocations Development Plan that the councils are currently preparing.
This new plan – which will be subject to public consultation – will identify land to meet the accommodation needs of travellers and travelling showpeople across south Worcestershire.
Coun Geoff Williams, who chairs the SWDP Joint Advisory Panel, said: “Government policy requires us to identify a supply of developable sites that can be used to accommodate travellers and travelling showpeople for at least the next ten years.
“By launching this call for sites we’re getting on the front foot to ensure south Worcestershire can meet its obligations to provide travellers’ pitches in sustainable locations.
“If we can’t identify sufficient sites to meet projected need, south Worcestershire communities face the on-going risk of speculative planning applications for unsuitable sites going ahead, possibly as a result of planning appeal decisions,” he added.
This latest call for sites follows a similar exercise in February 2015 that did not identify enough potentially suitable locations.
More now have to be found to ensure the councils meet their obligations under national planning rules.
Visit www.swdevelopmentplan.org for more information on how to put forward a site.
