Maidstone Borough Council

Freedom of Information Act Request

Ref: FOI 7700

Date: 23/01/2019

Request and Response

1. How many Gypsy and Traveller unauthorised encampments have you cleared from the local authority in: i) 2015 – Not recorded ii) 2016 - 9 iii) 2017 - 14 iv) 2018 - 8 (if possible please name them) – N/A

2. In relation to the cleared encampments listed in question one, how many pitches were in each cleared encampment. (If you do not know, please state whether, to the best of your knowledge, there were any individuals or families living in the cleared encampments.)

We do not record information on the numbers of pitches within encampments. The only information we are able to provide is the numbers of vehicles, including caravans, within encampments in 2018; please see Appendix 1.

3. How many NEW authorised Gypsy and Traveller pitches were created by your local authority in: i) 2015 Permanent non-personal mobile = 6 Permanent personal mobile = 1 Temporary non-personal mobile = 1 Temporary personal mobile = 0

Site Location The Orchards Snowey Track Park Lane Oak Lodge Tilden Lane Marden Land off Clapper Lane The Mellows Marley Road Land adj The Paddock, Stilebridge Linton Paddock, Stilebridge Lane Plot 4 The Meadows Road ii) 2016 Permanent non-personal mobile = 15 Permanent personal mobile = 8 Temporary non-personal mobile = 0 Temporary personal mobile = 2

Site Location Ash Tree Place, Hampstead Lane Nettlestead Peas Place Green Lane Land rear of Vine Cottage Pye Corner Orchard Farm Nursery, Chartway Street Orchard Farm Nursery, Chartway Sutton Valence Street The Chances, Lugshorse Lane Hunton The Chances, Lugshorse Lane Hunton Oaklands Gravelly Bottom Road Kingswood Oakland Place, Greenway Harrietsham Meadow View, Marden Road Staplehurst Quarter Paddocks, Bletchenden Road Headcorn Highlands Farm, Hill Yalding Hawthorn Place Harrietsham iii) 2017 Permanent non-personal mobile = 29 Permanent personal mobile = 3 Temporary non-personal mobile = 0 Temporary personal mobile = 5

Site Location The Chances, Lughorse Lane Hunton The Chances, Lughorse Lane Hunton Blossom Lodge, Land off Stockett Lane THE THREE SONS, HAMPSTEAD LANE Nettlestead Maplehurst Lane, Frittenden Road (Delilah) Staplehurst Stilebridge Stableyard, Stilebridge Lane Linton OAKTREE FARM, CRADDUCKS LANE Staplehurst THE STABLES, BROOKFIELD Sutton Valence TOMMY'S MAIZE/THE MOUNT Marden SEAVIEW FARM PARK WOOD STABLES/THREE SONS Staplehurst LAND ADJOINING GREENGATES, LENHAM ROAD Headcorn LAND SOUTH EAST OF STILEBRIDGE LANE Linton LITTLE BOARDEN, BOARDEN LANE Headcorn WHITE HOUSE FARM Linton Maplehurst Lane, Frittenden Road (The Acorns) Staplehurst Maplehurst Lane, Frittenden Road (Delilah) Staplehurst GREENFIELDS, STILEBRIDGE LANE Linton GREENFIELDS, STILEBRIDGE LANE Linton PEAR PADDOCK, SYMONDS LANE Yalding DUNROAMIN, PARK LANE Boughton Monchelsea THE VINE, GREEN HILL LANE Ulcombe Land At Pye Corner Ulcombe

iv) 2018 Permanent non-personal mobile = 31 Permanent personal mobile = 2 Temporary non-personal mobile = 0 Temporary personal mobile = 0

Site Location CARAVAN 2 HAWTHORN FARM Ulcombe ORCHARD FARM NURSERY (PLOT 1), Sutton Valence THE VINE, GREEN HILL LANE Ulcombe ORCHARD FARM NURSERY PLOT 2, Sutton Valence THE STABLES, FRITTENDEN ROAD Staplehurst THE OAKES, FRITTENDEN ROAD Staplehurst CHART VIEW, CHART HILL ROAD Chart Sutton LAND NORTH OF STILEBRIDGE Linton STABLEYARD MEADOW VIEW, MARDEN ROAD Staplehurst LAND AT STOCKBURY VALLEY WILLOWS GARDENS, LINDFIELD FARM Yalding WILLOW LANE WHITEACRES Staplehurst LAND AT CHERRY TREE FARM Stockbury LAND WEST OF THE BARN Linton STILEBRIDGE LANE WOODSIDE PLACE, GOUDHURST Staplehurst ROAD YELSTED FARM Yelsted SEAVIEW FARM Stockbury THE ORCHARD Marden

4. How many authorised Gypsy and Traveller pitches are there currently in your local authority?

The Gypsy and Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Accommodation Assessment (link below) outlines at paragraph 5 of the Executive Summary that following a study carried out in 2011 there were 172 pitches. https://www.maidstone.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/12085/Gypsy-and- Traveller-and-Travelling-Showpeople-Accommodation-Assessment-2012.pdf

Since that study was undertaken (October 2011 to December 2018) permission has been granted for: Permanent non-personal mobile = 146 Permanent personal mobile = 25

Of the pitches which have been issued a temporary permission, 5 pitches are extant.

5. What were the full evictions costs to your council for all cleared unauthorised Gypsy and Traveller encampments in: i) 2015 – N/A ii) 2016 – N/A iii) 2017 – N/A iv) 2018 – N/A

(These costs should include staff costs and resources, any contractor costs, court costs and legal fees, clear up costs as well as any other costs relating to evictions from unauthorised encampments.)

We do not record this information.

6. How much money was spent in the creation of authorised Gypsy and Traveller pitches and sites in: i) 2015 – N/A ii) 2016 – N/A iii) 2017 – N/A iv) 2018 – N/A

We do not spend money on the creation of authorised Gypsy and Traveller pitches and sites.

7. Are you considering or are there any plans in place to seek a court injunction against unauthorised Gypsy and Traveller encampments sites in your local authority? If you already have an injunction or already have an application in please state.

We have 5 individual injunctions on separate parcels of land owned by Gypsy and Traveller families, to prevent the preparation of the land for bringing on and stationing caravans.

8. When was the last time you undertook a Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Need Assessment?

The last Gypsy and Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Accommodation Assessment was undertaken in 2012.

9. What was the need identified by your authority’s most recent Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Need Assessment for new pitches, and what period does this GTANA cover?

The assessment identified a need for a total 187 additional permanent pitches across the borough over the plan period of 2011 to 2031.