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Traveller sites quota slashed in Mid Beds
Targets cut from 40 to 26
Central Bedfordshire Council is set to slash the number of new Gypsy and Traveller sites by nearly half the amount that was previously demanded.
Central Beds had been asked by the government to find provision for more than 40 pitches by 2015.
But after the Regional Spatial Strategy was recently abolished by the new government, the council is set to reduce the amount of sites needed to 26.
There have now been five sites put forward by the council's development strategy task force.
Four pitches on council-owned land at Hitchin Road, Henlow, have been proposed.
And private sites with temporary permission or tolerated sites have been suggested for Old Acres at Pulloxhill, with eight pitches, and two pitches at Westoning Road, Greenfield.
A further eight pitches at Hitchin Road, Arlesey have been put forward, along with four at Oak Tree Nursery and Magpie Farm in Upper Caldecote.
The issue is due to be discussed by councillors at a Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC) meeting next Tuesday (September 7).
A report to councillors said: "The task force discussed the distribution of pitches in the north part of Central Bedfordshire to meet the locally derived pitch target of 26 permanent pitches.
"It was recommended that the council should allocate four pitches on the council-owned land east of Hitchin Road, Henlow.
"The remaining 22 permanent pitches should be delivered through the expansion of existing private sites with temporary permission or where sites were tolerated – an option that had given rise to lower levels of objections during the preferred sites consultation."
Councillors will consider the recommendations of the task force and recommend to the executive a preferred approach to the Gypsy and Traveller Development Plan Document.
A report will be presented to the council executive later this month, and there will then be a six-week public consultation.
It will then be forwarded to the government for an independent planning inspector to consider.
What do you think? Is this a positive step or should we provide more traveller sites? Email editorial@timesandcitizen.co.uk
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Monday 06 February 2012
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