New traveller planning guidance welcomed

13th April 2012
New traveller planning guidance welcomed

Gordon Henderson MP has welcomed the announcement by the Government that new planning guidance on traveller sites will be implemented following a consultation last year as part of the Localism Bill.

The new guidance, which replaces the old Labour planning circulars on travellers - Circular 01/06, will see a variety of changes including:

• Abolishing top-down regional targets.
• Strengthening the protection of Green Belt land and the open countryside.
• Deleting the compulsory purchase of land for traveller sites by local councils.
• Removing the restrictions on councils to use enforcement action.
• Providing suitable, authorised sites to councils for use as traveller sites.

Mr Henderson said:

"The previous Labour Government introduced a number of policies which were flawed, undermined local Government and damaged the planning system so I welcome this new guidance, which I hope will put an end to some of the abuses we have seen in so many of our local communities."