London Gypsy Traveller Unit - North and East London boroughs

London Gypsy and Traveller Unit

"Seeking to support, empower and represent Gypsies and Travellers on all levels"

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London Plan - New Sites

New Sites in London

In October 2009 the Mayor published the draft of the “ Replacement London Plan“ you can see it at the GLA website then click on London Plan, which includes a section on new council sites to be built in London. There will be an Examination in Public in the autumn of 2010.

In the first draft of the plan the Mayor proposed 538 new pitches across London. This figure fell well short of the 808 that the Mayor’s own survey of Traveller accommodation needs recorded. The needs of housed Travellers, who are the vast majority in London, were given low priority.

In March 2010 the Mayor made a late alteration to this plan drastically reducing the target for new pitches from 538 to 238. LGTU has submitted an objection to this alteration.

Many Gypsies and Travellers have made their views known by writing individual letters and by a post card campaign.

Coalition Government Policies Marginalise Travellers.

The new Government's Coalition Agreement is out at http://programmeforgovernment.hmg.gov.uk/ it includes the following statements.

  • We will rapidly abolish Regional Spatial Strategies and return decision-making powers on housing and planning to local councils, including giving councils new powers to stop ‘garden grabbing’.
  • In the longer term, we will radically reform the planning system to give neighbourhoods far more ability to determine the shape of the places in which their inhabitants live, based on the principles set out in the Conservative Party publication Open Source Planning. (This is an appendix)

The regional spatial strategies have been the main mechanism for delivering new Travellers sites. When they are abolished there is no indication of any alternative policy on building Traveller sites. This bad news has been compounded by hearing of the immediate cut of all Traveller sites grants.

Gypsy and Traveller engagement in the consultation.

Between October 2009 and January 2010 LGTU:

  • Produced an information leaflet along with postcards for Travellers to send into the Mayor.
  • Held meetings and visited families living in Barking Dagenham, Bromley, Camden, Enfield, Greenwich, Hackney, Haringey, Harrow ,Havering, Lewisham, Newham, Tower Hamlets.
  • Supported and encouraged Gypsies and Travellers living in houses, sites and unauthorised camps to sign postcards and write letters to the Mayor saying why more than 538 pitches are needed, why most Travellers can’t live in houses and to give their views on the Mayor’s statement that priority for new pitches should be given to those Travellers already living on council sites. Over 50 letters were sent into the consultation. Click here to see some examples of letters sent.
  • Ensured that members of the London Gypsy and Traveller Forum were kept informed through reports and presentations by LGTU’s planner and GLA planning and housing officers. LGTF discussions and consultations through the year were then used in the LGTF formal response to the draft London Plan.
  • Produced our own LGTU response to the draft London Plan which was informed by all the consultation work described above.
  • LGTU publishes various reports and submissions on planning in London. (publication-and-resources.php)