About this page
How this part of the Local Plan Options Document works
These Development Management policy option pages contain the following sections:
Policy background
- Relevant national policy or regulations
- National or regional trends
- Local situation and needs/li>
- How we have dealt with this issue in the past
- The thinking behind the policy
Policy options for the new Local Plan
We may suggest a variety of approaches:
- Keeping existing policy as it is
- Making small changes
- Replacing the policy with something that is substantially different
- Identifying factors or events which may affect this policy in the future
Policy option analysis
- A list of the advantages and disadvantages that we have identified for each of the policy options we are presenting.
Read the Housing topic paper, Local Housing Need Assessment (LHNA) and B&NES Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment for in-depth focus about this topic, and the evidence which informs our policy. Visit our library of Local Plan Options supporting documents to learn more.
Explore the policy
Select a section below to read more.
9.116 The NPPF (December 2023) states that the needs of groups with specific housing requirements must be addressed and this includes the needs of Travellers. National policy guidance is provided in the government’s Planning policy for traveller sites (PPTS). This guidance recently updated Annex 1 (December 2023)and clarifies that Gypsies and Travellers mean any ‘persons of nomadic habit of life whatever their race or origin, including such persons who on ground only of their own or their family’s or dependent's educational or health needs of old age have ceased to travel temporarily or permanently, but excluding members of an organised group of travelling showpeople or circus people travelling together as such.’ As well as delivering the right number of homes, the Local Plan needs to guide the size and type of homes delivered, so that they reflect the needs of different groups in the community.
9.117 Policy CP11: Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople sets out a criteria-based policy for the identification and allocation of suitable, available and deliverable or developable sites in a Development Plan Document and when considering planning applications.
9.118 The Bath and North East Somerset Council Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment (Final Report) September 2021 (GTAA) undertaken by Opinion Research Services (ORS) on behalf of B&NES Council, set out the pitch requirement for the period 2020-2034. Although the approach and methodology to the GTAA was underpinned by the planning definition for a Gypsy, Traveller or Travelling Showperson as set out in PPTS (2015), it also included an assessment of need for households that did not meet the planning definition.
9.119 The 2021 GTAA set out the requirement of 12 pitches (2020-2034) to meet the need for households that meet the planning definition of gypsies and Travellers. Planning application 21/04206/FUL Carrswood View permitted the change of use of three transit Gypsy and Traveller pitches to use as permanent residential pitches for Gypsy and Traveller households. This leaves a residual requirement to 2034 of nine pitches.
9.120 ORS in an update note to this work on pitch requirements to 2042 set out a requirement of an additional 2 pitches required to meet the PPTS planning definition. The 2021 GTAA highlights that most of the identified need comes from households living on private sites. Therefore, consideration should be given to meeting it through intensifying existing private pitches or sites.
9.121 An updated GTAA (comprising new household interviews) will be undertaken in early 2024 to inform the Draft (Regulation 19) Local Plan and consider the implications of the recent update to the definition of Gypsies and Travellers as set out in Annex 1 of the PPTS.
9.122 Based on current evidence given the limited and locally specific pitch requirements, it is proposed to take forward a criteria-based policy approach within the Local Plan in addition to National Planning Policy requirements. The criteria-based policy would include consideration of intensification of private Traveller sites given local requirements. Infrastructure requirements, and specifically the need for school places, will need to be considered in relation to any sites or intensification of existing sites proposed.
9.123 In terms of transit pitches, the GTAA concluded that ‘Due to low numbers of unauthorised encampments and the presence of designated transit pitches, it is recommended that there is no need for any additional transit provision in Bath and North East Somerset at this time.’
We are proposing to take forward a criteria-based policy approach as outlined above and we do not consider that there would be a requirement to allocate additional sites for permanent residential or transit pitches within the Local Plan.
Option A
We are proposing to take forward a criteria-based policy approach as outlined above and we do not consider that there would be a requirement to allocate additional sites for permanent residential or transit pitches within the Local Plan.