Report to: Place and Economic Development Sub-Committee, 2nd February 2021

Report of: Corporate Director - Place

Subject: SOUTH TRAVELLER AND TRAVELLING SHOWPEOPLE SITE ALLOCATIONS DEVELOPMENT PLAN DOCUMENT (DPD) – PREFERRED OPTIONS: REGULATION 18 CONSULTATION

1. Recommendation

1.1 That the Place and Economic Development Sub-Committee approve the Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Site Allocations Development Plan Document (TTS SA DPD) – Preferred Options: Regulation 18 material (set out in Appendix 1) for consultation from 1st March 2021 for seven weeks.

1.2 That delegated authority is given to the Corporate Director – Place in consultation with the Chair and Vice Chair of Place and Economic Development Sub-Committee to make minor amendments to the Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Site Allocations DPD Regulation 18 consultation material prior to publication.

2. Background

2.1 Members will be aware that the South Worcestershire Councils (SWC) are committed to the production of a Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Site Allocations Development Plan Document (TTS SA DPD). This is the third time that the SWC will have consulted upon the DPD Preferred Options – the two previous occasions were in March 2016 and March 2018.

2.2 The Planning Policy for Traveller Sites (PPTS) states – LPAs should:  identify and update annually, a supply of specific deliverable sites sufficient to provide 5 years’ worth of sites against their locally set targets  identify a supply of specific, developable sites, or broad locations for growth, for years 6 to 10 and, where possible, for years 11-15

2.3 The Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment (GTAA) (published Oct 2019) identifies the need for new Traveller pitches and Travelling Showpeople plots for the first 5 years and over the longer term. The needs for the plan period (to 2030) are indicated in the table below:

Period Malvern Hills Worcester South Traveller Travelling City Traveller Worcestershire Pitches** Showpeople Traveller Pitches** Traveller Plots** Pitches** Pitches** 2019-2023* 15 7 1 14 30 2024-2028 3 1 1 16 20 2029-2030 1.2 0.4 0.4 7.2 8.8

Total 2019- 19.2 8.4 2.4 37.2 58.8 2030 *Each year runs from 1 Jan to 31 Dec ** PPTS 2015 definition

2.4 To meet the need identified for the SWDP plan period (to 2030) 58.8 Traveller pitches and 8.4 Traveller Plots are required across south Worcestershire. Since 1 Jan 2019 Wychavon have granted planning consent for 19 pitches but no new pitches or plots have been granted in either Worcester City or Malvern Hills, therefore the total pitch/plot figure is outstanding for Malvern Hills and Worcester City. Wychavon needs to provide an additional 18.2 pitches to meet its need. The number of outstanding pitches/plots required is therefore:

o Malvern Hills: 19.2 pitches and 8.4 Travelling Showpeople plots, o Worcester City: 2.4 pitches and o Wychavon: 37.2 – 19 = 18.2 pitches

2.5 The status of the sites included in the previous version of the Preferred Option (2018) (and its associated Site Assessment Background Report) has been checked, and the following changes are made:

Malvern Hills:  Mountain View, Bastonford – site removed due to landscape impact  Willows End, Guarlford – site removed as not within 800m of a town or Cat 1, 2 or 3 village

Wychavon:  Shorthill Caravan Park, Crossway Green - site removed as not within 800m of a town or Cat 1, 2 or 3 village (Crossway Green is no longer a Category 3 village)  Severn Acres, Main Road, Cropthorne - added back in (is within 800m of Cropthorne’s development boundary) - there is a pending application for 2 pitches on the site (20/012133)

2.6 Officers have considered Council owned land and none is suitable, available and deliverable for Traveller provision.

2.7 The most recent call for sites (Oct/Nov 2020) resulted in 10 submissions but none were considered acceptable as a Traveller site allocation. The Sustainability Appraisal has been updated to consider these 10 new sites.

2.8 Contact has been made with approximately 30 landowners/agents who submitted their land as housing/employment allocations for the SWDPR and whose land is within 800m of a town (i.e. Malvern, Tenbury Wells and Upton upon Severn) or Category 1 village in Malvern Hills. None have confirmed that they wanted their land to be considered as a potential Traveller site allocation.

3. Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Site Allocations DPD Preferred Options (2021)

3.1 The sites, and number of pitches, suggested for inclusion in the Traveller DPD are listed below (none are proposed within Worcester City). It is anticipated that additional sites and pitches will come forward through the DM process in Wychavon, but evidence indicates that this is doubtful in Malvern Hills and Worcester City.

Malvern Hills:  Hillbee Farm, Welland Rd, Upton upon Severn 3 pitches

Wychavon:  The Orchard, Knowle Hill, 5 pitches  Blossom Hill, Village St, Aldington 2 pitches  Hughes Barn, Bretforton Rd, Badsey 6 pitches  Severn Acres, Main Road, Cropthorne (subject to pending application) 2 pitches

3.2 If no additional pitches are approved through the DM process then it is likely therefore that there will be a shortfall of provision in all 3 SWC areas:  Malvern Hills shortfall of 16 Pitches and 8 Travelling Showpeople plots  Worcester City shortfall of 2 pitches and  Wychavon shortfall of 3 pitches

3.3 Some of this shortfall could be met by the new Strategic Growth Areas at Worcestershire Parkway, Rushwick and Throckmorton but these are unlikely to come forward in the short/medium term (i.e. within the next 5/10 years).

3.4 Despite the anticipated shortfall it is considered important to continue with the DPD process to allow the SWC to demonstrate that they have explored all reasonable avenues to identify a five year supply of deliverable and suitable sites to meet the identified need.

3.5 The latest Preferred Options (2021) will be reported to each of the 3 SWC in January and February with the intention of the seven week public consultation commencing on 1 March (same date and duration as the SWDPR Reg 18(iii) consultation which is also on this agenda).

4. Consultation Approach

4.1 The approaches to public consultation on planning policy documents relating to the statutory stages of plan making are set out in the 2018 adopted Statement of Community Involvement. In accordance with the revised regulations issued in July 2020 regarding public consultation in the planning process, since the advent of Covid-19 the SCI was temporarily amended in October 2020. Essentially this amended any of the ‘face to face’ requirement to ensure social distancing could be observed in accordance with Government guidance.

4.2 The public consultation will run for seven weeks from 1st March to 19th April 2021. The consultation documents and any supporting information will be placed on deposit in the following locations:

 Council reception or contact centres

 Public libraries (where open)  Relevant council websites and the SWDPR website

4.3 All the statutory bodies, neighbouring local authorities, parish councils, organisations and individuals held on the SWDP database will be advised via e-mail of the consultation and a press release will be issued in the w/b 22nd February 2021. In addition, householders within 200m of a proposed site allocation will also be notified of the PO consultation.

4.4 An on-line briefing will be provided for parish, town councils on Monday 1st March and at two on-line public meetings on 16 and 18 March from 6pm (open to district and city councillors). This will address the content and purpose of the consultation and provide a Q&A opportunity.

5. Alternative Options Considered

5.1 The alternative option is not to produce a DPD but to rely upon the DM process to approve planning applications for new Traveller pitches and Travelling Showpeople plots. This approach is not in accordance with the pro-active plan-making aims of the Planning for Traveller Sites as described in para. 2.2 above.

6. Implications

6.1 Financial and Budgetary Implications There are financial implications associated with preparing the DPD. The biggest cost is staff resources – the evidence base has been updated (2019) but there is an additional cost to continue work on the accompanying SA (approx. £9,400) and for representation at the Examination if required – but this cost will be shared across all 3 SWC.

6.2 Legal and Governance Implications The production of a DPD is governed by the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, as amended. The SA is a legal requirement of this act (S19(5) - the present statutory requirement for SA lies in The Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) () Regulations 2012), and SEA has been transposed into English law by The Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes Regulations 2004 (SEA Regulations).

6.3 Risk Implications Not having a Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Site Allocations DPD may result in a lack of provision of Traveller pitches with implications for the DM process and appeals.

6.4 Corporate/Policy Implications The DPD will update the council’s planning policies on accommodation needs for Traveller and Travelling Showpeople. It is being prepared in accordance with the relevant corporate policies.

6.5 Equality Implications The PO will include allocations to help meet the accommodation needs of Traveller and Travelling Showpeople across south Worcestershire. An Equality Impact Assessment is required.

6.6 Human Resources Implications None

6.7 Health and Safety Implications None

6.8 Social, Environmental and Economic Implications The TTS SA DPD is subject to Sustainability Appraisal which examines the social, economic and environmental sustainability of the sites submitted to the DPD call for sites and proposes mitigation measures to overcome any negative impacts identified.

Ward(s): All Contact Officer: Corin Beames – Acting Team Leader (Planning Policy) Tel: 01905 722546 E-mail: [email protected]

Background Papers:

 GTAA (2019) https://www.swdevelopmentplan.org/swdp-review/swdp- review-evidence-base/south-worcestershire-gypsy-and-traveller- accommodation-assessment

Appendix:

 TTS SA DPD PO (2021) and Site Assessment Background Report (2021)