Proposals would block retrospective applications for planning permission
Tories to crack down on Traveller sites
Conservative Party proposals to stop Gypsies and Travellers applying for planning permission retrospectively have sparked anger.
The party’s green paper on planning, not yet published but seen by Inside Housing, proposes a new criminal offence of intentional trespass.
The paper also says councils should be compensated for providing new Traveller sites.
The Human Rights Act would also be replaced by a ‘British Bill of Rights’, which would stop Travellers using the Act to prevent evictions.
Bob Neill, shadow local government and planning minister, has written a blog entry on the official Conservative Party website that says: ‘For too long a small minority of Travellers and squatters have been given the green light to exploit the rules and occupy illegal or unauthorised sites, which are often on green belt land.
‘The British public wants to see fair play for all, but Labour’s changes to the planning system have undermined community cohesion by creating a legitimate sense of injustice for those affected by illegal development.’
However, organisations working with Gypsies and Travellers said these plans will increase the problem of illegal sites. Emma Nuttall, advice and policy manager at charity Friends, Families and Travellers, said: ‘Some Travellers don’t know you need planning permission to live in a caravan on your own land. If they can’t do this they will camp on fields and parks and potentially cause more problems to the community.’
John Denham, communities secretary, said: ‘There are already tough measures in place for local authorities to use where development takes place without planning permission. Most complaints come from areas where councils have failed to use them.’
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Readers' comments (4)
alex kendall | 16/02/2010 8:38 am
Poor Bob he writes all these blogs but the british people want him to resopnd to key isses such as`third party rights' and what this will do to RSL development??? Divide and rule what an out moded political philosophy my Tory friend!!!
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Sancho | 16/02/2010 10:21 am
"Proposals in the party’s green paper on planning, which has not been published but has been seen by Inside Housing, would stop Gypsies and Travellers applying for planning permission retrospectively."
Eh?
Is that what it actually says, that everyone except Gypsies and Travellers can apply for retrospective planning. Doesn't that count as discrimination?
Alex, as for TPRA affecting social housing, very few people know or care what you're talking about I'm afraid. In my view, it is a fairer, cheaper and more accessible system than call-ins or JRs. A right to appeal is not a right to veto, so there is no reason to think that it would prevent the delivery of new housing. It will possibly lead to more delays, but the more sensible RSLs always put in a six month possible JR period straight after planning in their programmes so no big deal.
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alex kendall | 16/02/2010 10:34 am
A Tory proxy how good!!! Well the House Proud blog has nearly 1700 hits I have put knowledge and information for people to read at no cost to them. A fragmented picture from the Tory Party is not modern Politics old boy. Both Grant Shapps & Bob Neil have so much to say about planning and housing yet they will not debate Building Futures. Can Central Office do any better??
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Sancho | 16/02/2010 11:54 am
One of the reasons I love this website is that I can get called a 'lefty' and a 'tory proxy' on the same day....
Maybe we should stick to the subject of traveller sites on this particular article though.
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