Gypsies and Travellers
Overview
Local authorities have a responsibility to undertake housing needs assessments for all those residing within the borough, to identify their accommodation needs.
These needs are fed into the local planning framework and the Council will address the housing need by providing different types of accommodation, for example flats, houses or perhaps supported accommodation.
This is the same for Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople's accommodation which is just another form of provision that takes into account people’s different ways of life.
Since the introduction of the Housing and Planning Act 2016, Gypsy and Traveller accommodation needs will be assessed along with those in the rest of the borough. Previously there was a requirement to do separate assessments.
The current need for sites in Cheshire West and Chester
The most recent Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment (GTAA), (published in March 2014) partnership figures for permanent Gypsy and Traveller pitches are outlined below, showing the figures per authority with the five year phasing, which is now a requirement.
| Authority | 2013-2018 | 2018-2023 | 2023-2028 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheshire East | 32 | 17 | 20 | 69 |
| Cheshire West | 15 | 15 | 16 | 46 |
| Halton | 12 | 6 | 7 | 25 |
| Warrington | 26 | 4 | 5 | 34 |
| Total | 85 | 42 | 48 | 175 |
The GTAA also recommends that Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester and Warrington each provide a suitably located publicly provided transit site of between 5 - 10 pitches.
How sites are funded
There are two options:
- Public provision/transit site – in the recognition of the importance of the need to provide sites, it is possible to apply to the Homes and Communities Agency regionally for grants to cover a percentage of the costs for new provision; this is a similar process to how affordable housing for the settled population is funded.
- Private provision – land will be identified in the Local Plan (Part Two) that could be purchased or leased by individuals to meet their family needs, but not all Gypsies and Travellers can afford to buy and develop their own land.
Local Development Scheme
The Local Development Scheme provides a timeframe for all development plans, covering the period from December 2017 to December 2019.
