The South East England Partnership Board has consulted the Council on its recommendations for providing accommodation for Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople in the South East, which has now been submitted to the Secretary of State.

The submission comprises;

• the SEEPB recommendations for a new policy H7 (including the pre-submission statement of consultation). The policy requires LPA’s to make provision in the LDF to deliver permanent residential pitches, and transit and temporary stopping places; in the case of Horsham, 50 permanent pitches for Gypsies and Travellers and 5 pitches for Travelling Showpeople. As yet there is no figure for transit pitches, athough there is a study underway to assess this;

• Sustainability Appraisal (summary).

The Strategic and Community Planning Department will draft a response, which will be reported to the Strategic Planning Advisory Group on 13 July 2009 for any comments, before being agreed by the Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and forwarded to the inspectors.

The next stage in the process will then be handled by independent planning inspectors, appointed by Government, who will convene an Examination in Public - scheduled to commence in February next year.

The full document can be viewed on and downloaded from the SEEPB website. There is also a hard copy at the Council’s reception which you can come in and view.

The closing date for comments is 5.00pm on Tuesday 1 September 2009.  Should you or any interested party wish to respond direct, there is a response form available to download via the website link. (Hard copies are also available from the Council Offices). Responses should be sent via post, fax or email to:

Barbara Bay
Panel Secretary
The Planning Inspectorate
Room 4/02 Temple Quay House
2 The Square, Temple Quay
Bristol , BSI 6PN.

Email: bbaysdnp@googlemail.com
Telephone: 0117 372 8424
Fax: 0117 372 8766