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South Worcestershire Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Policy and Site Allocations Development Plan Document

South Worcestershire Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Policy and Site Allocations Development Plan Document - Publication Consultation (Regulation 19) 

THIS CONSULTATION HAS NOW CLOSED

The South Worcestershire Councils (Malvern Hills District Council, Worcester City Council and Wychavon District Council) have a responsibility to plan for the housing needs of all residents, including the Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople community under The Housing and Planning Act 2016.

The Government’s national Planning Policy for Traveller Sites requires local planning authorities to identify a supply of deliverable Traveller sites to provide 5 years’ worth of sites against locally set targets, and sufficient developable sites, or broad locations, for years 6 to 10 and, where possible, for years 11 to 15.

The South Worcestershire Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment (GTAA, 2019) identified a need for 104 Traveller pitches in the period to 2041 (30 from 2019 – 2023, 20 between 2024 – 2028, 22 between 2029 – 2033 and 32 between 2034 – 2041). Between March 2019 and August 2022, 49 Traveller pitches were granted planning permission across south Worcestershire, leaving an outstanding requirement for 55 pitches in the period to 2041. Additionally, the GTAA identified a need for 10 Travelling Showpeople plots in the period to 2041. 2 Showpeople plots have been granted planning consent since March 2019.

To meet the identified need, the South Worcestershire Councils have prepared a Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Policy and Site Allocations Development Plan Document (DPD) to accompany the Local Plan (the South Worcestershire Development Plan). The DPD proposes additional Traveller pitches on two existing sites:

  • The Paddocks at Newlands near Malvern
  • The Hill, Canada Bank, Charlton

The following 2 existing sites are also allocated in the Traveller DPD but not for any additional pitches over and above those already granted planning consent; the sites are included should the latest planning permissions lapse:

  • The Orchard, Knowle Hill, Evesham
  • Blossom Hill, Village Street, Aldington

To help meet the medium to longer term needs of Travellers or Travelling Showpeople, new sites are also proposed on the new and expanded settlements at Worcestershire Parkway, Rushwick and Throckmorton, together with a site on each of the urban extensions at Worcester South and Worcester West.

In addition to proposing specific site allocations to meet the identified needs of Travellers and Travelling Showpeople, the DPD also includes draft policies to ensure that development proposals for Traveller and Travelling Showpeople sites are appropriately located and designed.

We are currently holding a six week consultation on the Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Policy and Site Allocations DPD that runs from 1 November 2022 until 13 December 2022 ending at 23:59.

On this page you can find out more about the Development Plan Document and how you can get involved.

Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Policy and Site Allocations DPD Publication Consultation (Regulation 19)

Read or download the South Worcestershire Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Policy and Site Allocations DPD Publication Consultation (Regulation 19) document.

pdf South Worcestershire Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Policy and Site Allocations DPD Publication Consultation (Regulation 19) (1.68 MB)

If you want to view a paper copy of the document then then it is available from the following locations:

Worcester City

  • Customer Service Centre Guildhall, High Street, Worcester, WR1 2EY
  • Worcester Library The Hive, Sawmill Walk, The Butts, Worcester, WR1 3PB
  • St Johns Library Glebe Close, St Johns, Worcester, WR2 5AX
  • Warndon Library The Fairfield Centre, Carnforth Drive, Worcester, WR4 9HG

Wychavon

  • Pershore Community Contact Centre Civic Centre, Queen Elizabeth Drive, Pershore WR10 1PT
  • Pershore Library Church St, Pershore, WR10 1DT
  • Evesham Community Contact Centre Abbey Road, Evesham, WR11 4SB
  • Evesham Library Oat St, Evesham, WR11 4PJ
  • Droitwich Spa Community Contact Centre / Library Droitwich Spa Library, Victoria Square, Droitwich Spa, WR9 8DQ
  • Broadway Library Leamington Road, Broadway, WR12 7DZ

Malvern Hills

  • Reception The Council House Avenue Road Malvern WR14 3AF
  • Malvern Library Graham Road, Malvern, WR14 2HU
  • Tenbury Wells Customer Service Centre / Library 24 Teme Street, Tenbury Wells, WR15 8AA
  • Upton-upon-Severn Customer Service Centre/ Library School Lane, Upton upon Severn, WR8 0LE

Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Proposed Site Allocations – Interactive Consultation Policies Map

You can use the SWDP Review Interactive Policies Map to look in more detail at the location of the proposed Traveller and Travelling Showpeople site allocations:

South Worcestershire Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Policy and Site Allocations DPD Publication Consultation (Regulation 19) Evidence Base

A large amount of technical evidence and assessments have been produced to support the Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Policy and Site Allocations DPD:

South Worcestershire Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Policy and Site Allocations DPD Publication Consultation (Regulation 19)

From 1 November 2022 until 13 December 2022 at 23:59 we are consulting on the South Worcestershire Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Policy and Site Allocations DPD Publication Consultation (Regulation 19).

This is the last stage of public engagement before the DPD is submitted for formal examination by the Government’s Planning Inspectorate.

The South Worcestershire Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Policy and Site Allocations DPD Publication Consultation (Regulation 19) represents what the South Worcestershire Councils consider to be the final version of the DPD. 

What comments can I make on the South Worcestershire Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Policy and Site Allocations DPD Publication Consultation (Regulation 19)?

At Regulation 19, the consultation is focused on whether the plan is legally compliant and meets the tests of soundness.  

For the Development Plan Document to be considered sound it must meet four tests:

  • Positively prepared – is the DPD based on a strategy that seeks to meet the area’s objectively assessed needs, has been informed by agreements with other authorities and is consistent with achieving sustainable development?
  • Justified – does the DPD have an appropriate strategy when considered against reasonable alternatives and is it based on robust and proportionate evidence?
  • Effective – is the DPD deliverable over the plan period and based on effective joint working on cross-boundary strategic matters?
  • Consistent with national policy – is the DPD enabling the delivery of sustainable development in accordance with the National Planning Policy Framework and other statements of national planning policy, where relevant?

In addition to these four tests, the Development Plan Document must also meet the following legal obligations:

  • Legal Compliance – does the DPD meet the legal requirements made under various planning laws?
  • Duty to Cooperate – Have the three South Worcestershire Councils engaged and worked effectively with neighbouring authorities and statutory bodies? In particular, the South Worcestershire Councils have a legal duty to cooperate with neighbouring councils to help meet their strategic housing requirements.

When submitting comments our forms will ask you to refer to a policy or paragraph in the Development Plan Document or supporting documents and to explain why you think it is or is not legally compliant or sound.

You will also be asked to put forward the change that you feel needs to be made to make the Development Plan Document legally compliant or sound, including any revised wording.

You can attach supporting documents to support your representation.

Only comments made during the consultation can be considered. While all comments submitted will be passed on to the Planning Inspectorate for consideration during the next stage of the review only those about soundness and legal compliance are likely to be considered.

How can I comment on the South Worcestershire Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Policy and Site Allocations Publication Consultation (Regulation 19)?

  1. Use our online comment form:  document South Worcestershire Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Policy and Site Allocations DPD Publication Reg 19 Response Form (280 KB)
  2. Download the form and send it back to us:
    • by email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or
    • by post: South Worcestershire Development Plan, c/o Wychavon Civic Centre, Queen Elizabeth Drive, Pershore, Worcestershire, WR10 1PT
  3. Collect a paper copy of the form from one of the deposit locations (listed above) and send it back to us.

Speaking at the Examination

After the South Worcestershire Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Policy and Site Allocations DPD Publication Consultation (Regulation 19) has finished, the DPD will be submitted to the Government’s Planning Inspectorate for Examination. A Planning Inspector will be appointed to review the DPD to determine if it is legally compliant and sound.

As part of this process, the Planning Inspector will hold a series of public hearings.  The dates and format of these hearings will be set by the Planning Inspector and further details will be made available nearer the time.   

The consultation form has a section where you can register your interest in speaking at the Examination.

Further information

If you have any questions, please contact us:

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Telephone: 01386 565 565

Postal Address:

South Worcestershire Development Plan,
Civic Centre,
Queen Elizabeth Drive,
Pershore,
WR10 1PT