People living in Mid Sussex may soon be asked to give their views on the location of permanent Gypsy and Traveller sites.
The Council’s Scrutiny Committee for Planning and Economic Development met on Wednesday 9 July to discuss locations for permanent Gypsy and Traveller sites in the district. The committee noted two proposed site options and made a recommendation to Council that a full public consultation should be held this summer.
The two proposed locations, Land to the north and northwest of Burgess Hill (also known as the Northern Arc) and Land at Imberhorne Lane Nurseries in East Grinstead. In Burgess Hill, two separate sites would provide 12 pitches each and there would be 12 pitches provided at the site in East Grinstead.
The site in East Grinstead is currently occupied by Imberhorne Nursery and the tenant has received a letter from the Council advising him that the land is one of the proposed sites being considered. Should the Council decide to proceed, a planning application will need to be submitted and, if permission is granted, the tenant will be provided with a 12 month notice period.
National planning policy requires all Councils to assess the need for Gypsy and Traveller sites within their area and to identify appropriate land for such sites. Mid Sussex District Council has carried out an assessment and has identified the need for 34 permanent Gypsy and Traveller pitches in the district between now and 2031.
In order to meet the identified need, the Council considered over 160 potential development sites within Mid Sussex. Planning officers worked closely with a cross-party group of Councillors to assess more than 160 sites and produce a shortlist of six locations. Following further rigorous assessment, the two locations in Burgess Hill and East Grinstead were found to be the most suitable.
Providing permanent sites for Gypsies and Travellers will give the Council better control over the future location of Gypsy and Traveller sites, reduce the number of unauthorised encampments in Mid Sussex and will promote better relations between the Gypsy and Traveller and settled communities.
In a separate area of work, the Council has worked with other West Sussex Councils in order to provide a countywide Gypsy and Traveller transit site near Chichester to help meet the need for temporary accommodation and tackle unauthorised temporary encampments in West Sussex. If unauthorised encampments are set up when there is alternative space at a transit camp, Sussex Police has greater powers to move the Travellers on quickly. The site in question was granted planning permission April 2014.
“Finding locations for permanent Gypsy and Traveller pitches is extremely difficult because we have a shortage of suitable sites within Mid Sussex,” said Councillor Norman Webster, Cabinet Member for Planning. “We left no stone unturned in examining every available site in Mid Sussex but our options are extremely limited and, as a result, difficult decisions must be made.
“We have identified the two locations that we feel are the most appropriate and now is the time for local residents to let us know what they think. No decisions have been made yet and the views of local people will considered by the Council as part of the evidence used to select the final options.”
The two proposed for consultation will be considered by Council on 23 July 2014 and, if approved, there will be a public consultation later this summer. The final decision on the preferred sites will be made by an Independent Planning Inspector following a public examination in May 2015.