Policy HOU5: Travelling Showpeople Accommodation
The Council will make provision for the accommodation needs of Travelling Showpeople who meet the national Planning Policy for Traveller Sites (PPTS) definition, through allocated sites within the Local Plan.
1. Proposals which fail to protect existing Travelling Showpeople sites or involve a loss of pitches/plots/yards will not be permitted unless it can be demonstrated that they are no longer required or equivalent alternative provision can be made.
2. The Council will secure a minimum of 13 new plots for Travelling Showpeople on Local Plan Strategic Employment Allocations.
Period 2023-20282029-20342035-20392040-2043
No of pitches delivered 0 3 6 4
3. Any applications for planning permission for Travelling Showpeople sites must meet the following local design and location criteria:
a. Be reasonably accessible to community services and facilities;
b. if located in the Green Belt, make use of previously developed land and/or Grey Belt Land;
c. be of sufficient size to accommodate the proposed number of caravans, vehicles, and ancillary areas with adequate provision for storage, recreation space, amenity provision and utility services;
d. allow for a mixed-use yard with separate areas for residential and the storage, repair, and maintenance of equipment to protect residential amenity.
e. have no significant adverse impact on the intrinsic character and beauty of the countryside;
f. would not lead to the loss of, or adverse impact on, important historic and natural environment assets;
g. ensure that future occupiers would not be subject to significant adverse environmental impacts including no significant risk of land contamination or poor air quality or unacceptable risk of flooding;
h. have or be provided with safe and convenient vehicular access to the local highway network;
i. have essential services (water, electricity, and foul drainage) available on-site or can be made available on-site in accordance with relevant service provider standards;
j. any permission granted for a travelling showpeople development will be subject to a condition limiting occupation be subject to a condition limiting occupation to travelling showpeople.
Reasoned Justification
Planning Policy for Traveller Sites (PPTS) states that
For the purposes of this planning policy “travelling showpeople” means:
‘Members of a group organised for the purposes of holding fairs, circuses or shows (whether or not travelling together as such). This includes such persons who on the grounds of their own or their family’s or dependants’ more localised pattern of trading, educational or health needs or old age have ceased to travel temporarily or permanently but excludes Gypsies and Travellers.’
The GTAA 2024 identified 3 Travelling Showpeoples Yards in Basildon Borough.
The GTAA 2024 identified the need for 13 additional plots for Travelling Showpeople who meet the planning definition and 1 Travelling Showpeople household who did not meet the planning definition.
This was predominantly to meet the needs of households currently concealed or ‘doubled up’ on existing yards (7) with the remaining expected to meet the needs of future households (6).
A ‘Call for Sites’ for Gypsy Traveller and Travelling Showpeoples sites was held, and land was promoted for 3 pitches. This was within the draft emerging strategic employment allocation E1
This means that the Council is dependent upon strategic housing allocations being released from the Green Belt to deliver the new travelling showpeople sites required. Consequently, a large portion of the required sites can only be delivered later in the plan period.
Alternatives Considered
No Policy - This would not meet the Council’s obligation under National Planning Policy to make provision for Travelling Showpeople households.
To deliver additional plots on strategic housing allocations- this has merit but mixed-use plots for Travelling Showpeople, which will need to incorporate space or to be split to allow for the storage of equipment can be more effectively delivered on employment allocations.