Cherwell, Oxford City, South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Accommodation Assessment Final Report June 2017 Cherwell, Oxford, South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse GTAA – June 2017 Opinion Research Services The Strand, Swansea SA1 1AF Steve Jarman, Claire Thomas, Ciara Small and Kara Stedman Enquiries: 01792 535300 · [email protected] · www.ors.org.uk © Copyright June 2017 Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 Contains OS data © Crown Copyright (2017) Page 2 Cherwell, Oxford, South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse GTAA – June 2017 Contents 1. Executive Summary ......................................................................................................................... 6 Introduction and Methodology ...................................................................................................................... 6 Key Findings .................................................................................................................................................... 7 Additional Pitch Needs – Gypsies and Travellers ........................................................................................... 7 Additional Plot Needs - Travelling Showpeople ............................................................................................. 9 Transit Requirements ................................................................................................................................... 11 2. Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 13 The Study ...................................................................................................................................................... 13 Local Plan Policies ......................................................................................................................................... 13 Definitions .................................................................................................................................................... 18 The Planning Definition in PPTS (2015) ........................................................................................................ 18 Definition of Travelling ................................................................................................................................. 19 Legislation and Guidance for Gypsies and Travellers ................................................................................... 20 Planning Policy for Traveller Sites (2015) ..................................................................................................... 21 3. Methodology ................................................................................................................................ 23 Background ................................................................................................................................................... 23 Desk-Based Review ....................................................................................................................................... 23 Stakeholder Engagement ............................................................................................................................. 24 Working Collaboratively with Neighbouring Planning Authorities .............................................................. 24 Survey of Travelling Communities ................................................................................................................ 24 Engagement with Bricks and Mortar Households ........................................................................................ 25 Timing of the Fieldwork ................................................................................................................................ 27 Calculating Current and Future Need ........................................................................................................... 27 Applying the Planning Definition .................................................................................................................. 28 Unknown Households................................................................................................................................... 29 Households that do not meet the Planning Definition ................................................................................ 30 Supply of Pitches .......................................................................................................................................... 30 Current Need ................................................................................................................................................ 31 Future Need .................................................................................................................................................. 31 Pitch Turnover .............................................................................................................................................. 31 Transit Provision ........................................................................................................................................... 32 4. Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Sites and Population .................................................. 33 Page 3 Cherwell, Oxford, South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse GTAA – June 2017 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 33 Cherwell District Council .............................................................................................................................. 34 Oxford City Council ....................................................................................................................................... 34 South Oxfordshire District Council ............................................................................................................... 35 Vale of White Horse District Council ............................................................................................................ 35 Traveller Caravan Count ............................................................................................................................... 36 5. Stakeholder Engagement .................................................................................................................. 37 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 37 Views of Council Officers in the Study Areas................................................................................................ 38 The Oxfordshire Gypsy and Traveller Service ............................................................................................... 41 Neighbouring Authorities ............................................................................................................................. 45 Overall Conclusions from Interviews with Neighbouring Authorities .......................................................... 45 6. Survey of Travelling Communities ..................................................................................................... 47 Interviews with Gypsies and Travellers ........................................................................................................ 47 Cherwell District Council .............................................................................................................................. 47 Oxford City Council ....................................................................................................................................... 48 South Oxfordshire District Council ............................................................................................................... 48 Vale of White Horse District Council ............................................................................................................ 49 Efforts to contact bricks and mortar households ......................................................................................... 49 7. Current and Future Pitch Provision ................................................................................................ 51 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 51 Planning Definition ....................................................................................................................................... 51 New Household Formation Rates ................................................................................................................. 51 Breakdown by 5 Year Bands ......................................................................................................................... 53 Movement to and from Sites and Yards ....................................................................................................... 53 Cherwell District Council .............................................................................................................................. 55 Oxford City Council ......................................................................................................................................