Decision - Partial Review of the Regional Spatial Strategy for the South East: Provision for Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople

(1)       That the Cabinet Member for Environment agrees the proposed response as set out in this report, which states that:

(a)     The council generally supports the overall levels of provision proposed in the submission document for Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople (1,064 pitches for Gypsies and Travellers and 302 spaces for Travelling Showpeople for the South East region in the period to 2016).

(b)     The council supports the proposed allocation of 13 residential pitches for Gypsies and Travellers in Brighton & Hove.

(c)      The council supports the delegated approach to the determination of further transit provision made in the region.

(d)     The council is unable to support the allocation of 2 Travelling Showpeople spaces to Brighton & Hove.

(2)       That the Cabinet Member for Environment agrees that the report be forwarded to the Planning Inspectorate.

To inform the Environment Cabinet Member of the South East Partnership Board’s recommendations to government in terms of the proposed pitch/plot requirements for Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople for Brighton & Hove for the period 2006 – 2016 and to agree the council’s response to help inform the next stage of the process which will be the Examination in Public scheduled for February 2010.

SEERA held a 12 week ‘Issues and Options’ consultation between 1 September and 21 November 2008 with respect to the provision of 1,064 residential pitches for Gypsies and Travellers between 2006 – 2016 and the provision of up to 276 residential plots for Travelling Showpeople between 2006 – 2016 and four distribution options (A-D). The four options consulted on at Issues and Options stage, all providing the same total number of pitches, are summarised in Appendix 1.