Ministers stress policy on Green Belt protection and Traveller sites

Ministers have reiterated the Government’s position on Traveller sites in the Green Belt, amid concerns about whether planning appeal decisions are meeting its intentions.

In a written ministerial statement issued in July 2013 Local Government Minister Brandon Lewis insisted that the Government’s planning policy was “clear” that both temporary and permanent Traveller sites were inappropriate development in the Green Belt and that planning decisions “should protect Green Belt land from such inappropriate development”.

The July 2013 WMS also set out the Communities Secretary’s position that unmet need, whether for Traveller sites or for conventional housing, was unlikely to outweigh harm to the Green Belt and other harm to constitute the ‘very special circumstances’ justifying inappropriate development in the Green Belt.

In a subsequent statement issued last week (17 January) Lewis said Eric Pickles wanted to “re-emphasise this policy point” to both local planning authorities and planning inspectors as a material consideration in their planning decisions.

Lewis added that the Communities Secretary intended to continue – beyond the original six-month period set out in July last year – to consider for recovery appeals involving Traveller sites in the Green Belt.

He said: “The Secretary of State remains concerned about the extent to which planning appeal decisions are meeting the Government’s clear policy intentions, particularly as to whether sufficient weight is being given to the importance of Green Belt protection…..

“Moreover, ministers are considering the case for further improvements to both planning policy and practice guidance to strengthen Green Belt protection in this regard.”

Lewis added that the Government wanted to consider the case for changes to the planning definition of ‘Travellers’ to “reflect whether it should only refer to those who actually travel and have a mobile or transitory lifestyle”.

He said the Government was open to representations on these matters and would be launching a consultation in due course.