Councils to do more to find proper sites

New guidelines for local authorities on finding sites for gypsies and travellers have been welcomed by campaigners.

The planning guidance requires councils to do more to find suitable sites. It also introduces tougher enforcement measures where sites are unauthorised.

Gypsy and Traveller Law Reform Coalition policy worker Andrew Ryder welcomed the guidance. He said it could give travellers grounds for legal challenge if councils tried to use enforcement powers without having done enough to develop proper alternative sites.

Richard Bennett, chair of the Local Government Association’s task group on gypsies and travellers, said the guidelines would ensure that local councils were able to make accommodation needs assessments for gypsies and travellers.