Steve Double, Member of Parliament for St Austell and Newquay, has welcomed the changes announced by the Government today to the planning regulations that govern applications for traveller sites.
These changes ensure that the special planning rules already in place to support England’s travelling community will only apply to those who lead a genuine travelling lifestyle. Anyone from the travelling community who no longer travels will have their planning application considered in the same way as any other member of the settled population.
Commenting, Steve said:
“I welcome these changes which will help restore fairness to the system and ensure all communities are treated equally.”
“I think it is only fair that planning rules and regulations are applied as fairly as possible and that travellers who no longer travel have to abide by the same rules as the rest of the community.”
“I hope that these changes will help ensure that communities such as those that have contacted me in Treverbyn and Stenalees where large numbers of traveller site applications have been made, have a better chance of being treated fairly by the planning system.”
The changes, which include greater protection for sites including Sites of Special Scientific Interest, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and National Parks also state that Councils must now place very strict limits on the numbers of new traveller site developments in open countryside.