Issue - meetings

Minute 316 refers

Councillor J Ranger referred to one site that had been rejected previously and questioned whether this should be considered a potential site.  In reply, the Executive Member for Strategic Planning and Transport commented that this represented work in progress and it was too soon to rule anything in or out.

RESOLVED – that (A) the East Herts Gypsies and Travellers and Travelling Showpeople Identification of Potential Sites Study, September 2014, be agreed as part of the evidence base to inform and support the East Herts District Plan;

(B)      the East Herts Gypsies and Travellers and Travelling Showpeople Identification of Potential Sites Study, September 2014, be agreed to inform Development Management decisions; and

(C)      in light of the potential site options suggested in the Identification of Potential Sites Study, a joint Member/Officer Working Group be established to take forward the requirement to provide sufficient pitches and plots to meet the accommodation needs of Gypsies and Travellers and Travelling Showpeople and to formulate an appropriate policy approach.

(see also Minute 420)

The Executive considered and supported the recommendations of the District Planning Executive Panel meeting held on 22 October 2014, on the East Herts Gypsies and Travellers and Travelling Showpeople Identification of Potential Sites Study, September 2014.

RECOMMENDED – that (A) the East Herts Gypsies and Travellers and Travelling Showpeople Identification of Potential Sites Study, September 2014, be agreed as part of the evidence base to inform and support the East Herts District Plan;

(B)      the East Herts Gypsies and Travellers and Travelling Showpeople Identification of Potential Sites Study, September 2014, be agreed to inform Development Management decisions; and

(C)      in light of the potential site options suggested in the Identification of Potential Sites Study, a joint Member/Officer Working Group be established to take forward the requirement to provide sufficient pitches and plots to meet the accommodation needs of Gypsies and Travellers and Travelling Showpeople and to formulate an appropriate policy approach.

(see also Minute 327)

The Panel considered a report presenting the findings of the East Herts Gypsies and Travellers and Travelling Showpeople Identification of Potential Sites Study, September 2014.  This made recommendations on the manner in which the identified accommodation needs of Gypsies and Travellers and Travelling Showpeople could potentially be met in the District for the period to 2031.

Before any consideration of the report, Officers advised that a few factual inaccuracies concerning two existing authorised sites detailed in the study had come to light.  These were not of a material nature and would be corrected in the final version.

The Panel Chairman welcomed Paul Jobson, Peter Brett Associates, who was in attendance to give a presentation on the Identification of Potential Sites Study (IOPS).  Mr Jobson detailed:

·        the purpose of the IOPS and national policy requirements;

·        existing provision and needs within East Herts;

·        potential assessment areas and site criteria;

·        sources of sites for assessment; and

·        the outcomes of the Study.

In response to various questions, Mr Jobson and Officers outlined the consultation that had taken place with stakeholders, which had included onsite meetings.  They referred to the reasons why some publicly owned land had been identified as unsuitable sites as set out in Appendix D of the Study.  It was emphasised that the District Plan would need to identify a five year supply of specific deliverable sites in the plan making period.  In terms of determining planning applications, these would need to be considered on their merits in accordance with policies within the adopted Local Plan (or District Plan when adopted), along with Planning policy for travellers guidance and the National Planning Policy Framework. 

The Panel Chairman added that no decisions on suggested sites were being proposed at this meeting and that the proposed working group would consider further the site options of the IOPS.  The Council would follow the same approach in respect of Green Belt considerations towards potential traveller sites as the principles being used towards potential site allocations for general housing.

The Panel supported the recommendations as now detailed.

RECOMMENDED – that (A) the East Herts Gypsies and Travellers and Travelling Showpeople Identification of Potential Sites Study, September 2014, be agreed as part of the evidence base to inform and support the East Herts District Plan;

(B)      the East Herts Gypsies and Travellers and Travelling Showpeople Identification of Potential Sites Study, September 2014, be agreed to inform Development Management decisions; and

(C)      in light of the potential site options suggested in the Identification of Potential Sites Study, a joint Member/Officer Working Group be established to take forward the requirement to provide sufficient pitches and plots to meet the accommodation needs of Gypsies and Travellers and Travelling Showpeople and to formulate an appropriate policy approach.