Consultation Responses on Traveller Site Proposals to be Reviewed in Early 2025

Wiltshire Council has stated that feedback from a consultation regarding proposals for new Gypsy and Traveller pitches is set to be examined in early 2025. This development follows a discovery by the charity Friends, Families and Travellers (FFT) that merely 9% of local authorities, among those that responded to a Freedom of Information request, offer transit provisions within their respective areas. Abbie Kirkby, who serves as the head of policy and public affairs at FFT, commented, “This data should act as an urgent wake up call.” The council had been exploring the establishment of sites in Bushton, Edigonton, Cleverton, Rowde, Upper Seagry, and Potterne. Ms Kirkby further asserted, “These shockingly low levels of transit site provision make it abundantly clear families are being failed nationally.” Transit sites are defined as authorized locations for Gypsies and Travellers to stay for short periods, and FFT indicates that the availability of safe stopping places is insufficient to meet demand. The Local Democracy Reporting Service reported that Wiltshire Council neither owned nor managed any transit sites or transit pitches on permanent sites throughout the county. Wiltshire councillor Nick Botterill has stated that the forthcoming Gypsies and Travellers Development Plan Document is intended to establish a “network of sites to meet the identified need up until 2038”. Mr Botterill remarked, “We recognise there is a need for transit sites for Gypsies, Travellers and travelling show people in Wiltshire, and that’s why our emerging Gypsies and Travellers Development Plan Document has identified the need for three emergency stopping sites in the north, south and west of Wiltshire.” The Gypsies and Travellers Development Plan Document from Wiltshire Council outlines the council’s strategy to deliver 128 permanent pitches for Gypsies and Travellers and nine plots for travelling showpeople by the year 2038. A portion of these pitches will be created by increasing the density of existing Traveller sites, while others will be located on entirely new sites.