Planning for future Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople sites – North Hampshire Exhibition

THREE local councils, Hart, Rushmoor and Basingstoke & Deane will be staging a joint consultation exhibition about new sites for Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople (fairs and circuses) on Monday 3 and Tuesday 4 November.

The event, which is aimed at the general public as well as the Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople communities will be held at the Harlington Centre in Fleet Road, Fleet. It is part of a three month consultation being conducted by the South East England Regional Assembly (SEERA).

Further details on the consultation can be found on the SEERA website:

The exhibitions will run from 10am to 5.30pm on Monday November 3 and 1pm to 7pm on Tuesday November 4. The event will consist of a drop in exhibition where both the general public and travellers can talk to housing and planning officers from all three councils. There will be the chance to fill in a questionnaire and help will be available for this if required.

The main issues for comment will cover the proposed number of spaces for sites up to 2016 and how many spaces should go to each local authority area.  Current advice is that the south east of England needs 1064 spaces for Gypsies and Travellers plus up to 276 spaces for Travelling Showpeople by 2016.

After the consultation SEERA will determine how many spaces are needed. A further public consultation on the preferred options will then be conducted and subsequently reviewed by independent planning inspectors. The specific location of any new sites will be determined by councils in their emerging local development frameworks.

For further information please contact Robert Thain, Senior Planning Officer, Hart District Council on (01252) 774459 or email robert.thain@hart.gov.uk