A report will be considered about the next steps for the Gypsy and Travellers site plan by the Council’s Cabinet on September 12th 2012.
The Cabinet will take stock of the current situation following the completion of the public consultation of options and the Inspector’s requirement to review the housing requirement of the Draft Core Strategy for the area in response to the new National Planning Policy Framework.
In particular, in response to feedback from the public, the site selection process will be made much clearer with a revised set of criteria.
Councillor Tim Ball (Lib-Dem, Twerton), Cabinet Member for Homes and Planning, said, “We are listening very closely to the views of local communities. In response to feedback, Bath & North East Somerset Council intends to revise the criteria by which any proposed sites are selected for our Gypsy and Traveller site plan.
“As things stand and under these proposed new criteria, I believe it is almost certain that the three sites suggested at Stanton Wick, Ellsbridge House, and Radstock Infant School Canteen will not be included in our final plans.”
The Cabinet will also consider:
- the public comments arising from the options consultation;
- an ongoing assessment of the 6 sites previously consulted on including, where appropriate, assessment of highways; habitats; and contaminated land;
- an assessment of new sites suggested through the Call for Sites, including a review of the existing unauthorised Gypsy and Traveller sites;
- review of major development sites, as part of the Core Strategy review, to assess opportunities for gypsies and traveller sites;
- a review of capacity outside the Green Belt, including opportunities for provision in neighbouring local authorities;
- an update to the assessment of need for pitches to establish the level of need for 5 and 10 year supply of sites in accordance with Planning for Traveller Sites;
- ongoing engagement with neighbouring local authorities in accordance with the duty to cooperate.
As part of the consultation, there was a call for the public to put forward other sites for consideration.
Although these sites will be reported to the Cabinet at its meeting on 12th September 2012, they are being released early to Town/ Parish Councils at their request. There were 27 sites suggested to the Council.
The Council is currently in the process of confirming exact site locations and ownership details. They will be assessed at the next stage of preparing the Council’s plan.
Members of the public will be able to comment on the assessment of the suitability of these sites at a later stage of the preparation of the development plan. The sites put forward by the public are as follows together with who they were suggested by:
- Ashes Hill Farm, Kilkenny Lane, Englishcombe Green space, Mr A. Scurlock
- Auto centre, Rush Hill, Bath Auto centre (currently ceased trading), Ms J. King
- Bath Express Removals, Padleigh Hill, Ms J. King (site not available)
- Charlton Lane, Queen Charlton, BS31 2SQ, Mrs K. O’Connor
- Charmy Down Military Airfield, Former military airfield, Cllr. E. Jackson
- Clandown Rec, Radstock Public open space, Cllr. E. Jackson
- Claverton Caravan Park (Quarry Rock Gardens), Ms J. King (site not available)
- Crossways Caravan Site, Fosseway, Dunkerton, Ms J. King (site not available)
- Derelict land entrance to Ralph Allen Drive (Bath Honda), Ms J. King (site not available)
- Field at Kilkenny Lane off Old Fosse Road, Ms J. King
- Former MoD Depot near Burnett Business park, Mr R. Ferris (site not available)
- Kellaways, Lower Bristol Road, Ms D. Atkinson (site not available)
- Land at Hicks Gate Roundabout, Mr J. Brown
- Land near Mill Lane, Radford, Ms C. Richards
- Lower Bristol Road, commercial premises, Ms J. King (site not available)
- MoD Ensleigh, Ministry of Defence land in process of being disposed, Ms J. King
- MoD Foxhill, Ms J. King
- MoD Warminster Road, Ms J. King
- Newton Mill caravan park, Ms J. King (site not available)
- Odd Down AFC Football club, Ms J. King (site not available)
- Old Tesco delivery site, Augusta Place Former petrol station, Ms J. King (site not available)
- Quarry Garage, Eastcourt Road, Temple Cloud, Bristol, BS39 5BU, Mr M. Wilson
- Radstock Road, Midsomer Norton – site with council buildings, Mr M. Wilson (site not available)
- Roundhill playing field, Radstock, Cllr. E. Jackson (site not available)
- Stoney Lane, Bath Unauthorised Traveller encampment (site not available)
- Sulis Club, University Bath, University leisure centre and grounds, Ms J. King (site not available)
- Trinity Allotments, Radstock Allotments, Cllr. E. Jackson (site not available)
