10 April 2012
Peter Aldous this week welcomed the publication of the Government’s new streamlined guidelines regarding traveller sites.
The new policy puts the provision of sites back into the hands of local councils in consultation with local communities, and condenses the previous 54 pages of traveller site guidance into just eight pages.
Mr Aldous said: “These new planning policies remove the top-down directive on local councils. Our local authorities will now have more power to prevent illegal traveller sites being established.”
The new guidance gives councils the responsibility to determine, in consultation with local communities, the right level of traveller site provision in their area. It strengthens protection of open countryside, and gives stronger consideration to the protection of local amenity and the local environment.
It will also help councils in planning enforcement cases against unauthorised development. Guidance introduced under Labour restricting the ability to use enforcement action has been removed. The Localism Act also gives councils new powers to tackle the intentional abuse of retrospective planning permission.
Bob Neill MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at DCLG, said:
“Top-down targets from central Government failed to provide adequate land for travellers and caused tensions with the local settled community. People want to see fair play in the planning system, treating everyone fairly and equally. These new policies will allow local authorities to govern their own affairs whilst ensuring that both travellers and the settled communities get a fair deal through the planning system.
“The new policy forms part of a broader package, including changes to planning law to limit retrospective planning applications for any form of unauthorised development and the provision of incentives for new and refurbished traveller sites, which will deliver a better balance between site provision and enforcement.”
More information is available at
http://www.communities.gov.uk/news/planningandbuilding/2114110
The new policy puts the provision of sites back into the hands of local councils in consultation with local communities, and condenses the previous 54 pages of traveller site guidance into just eight pages.
Mr Aldous said: “These new planning policies remove the top-down directive on local councils. Our local authorities will now have more power to prevent illegal traveller sites being established.”
The new guidance gives councils the responsibility to determine, in consultation with local communities, the right level of traveller site provision in their area. It strengthens protection of open countryside, and gives stronger consideration to the protection of local amenity and the local environment.
It will also help councils in planning enforcement cases against unauthorised development. Guidance introduced under Labour restricting the ability to use enforcement action has been removed. The Localism Act also gives councils new powers to tackle the intentional abuse of retrospective planning permission.
Bob Neill MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at DCLG, said:
“Top-down targets from central Government failed to provide adequate land for travellers and caused tensions with the local settled community. People want to see fair play in the planning system, treating everyone fairly and equally. These new policies will allow local authorities to govern their own affairs whilst ensuring that both travellers and the settled communities get a fair deal through the planning system.
“The new policy forms part of a broader package, including changes to planning law to limit retrospective planning applications for any form of unauthorised development and the provision of incentives for new and refurbished traveller sites, which will deliver a better balance between site provision and enforcement.”
More information is available at
http://www.communities.gov.uk/news/planningandbuilding/2114110
