Today, Friends, Families and Travellers (FFT) produced a new briefing on the Planning and Infrastructure Bill and the need for increased and improved Gypsy and Traveller site provision.
Historic and current failures in the planning system have led to the chronic undersupply of residential sites and stopping places for Gypsy and Traveller communities. As the Planning and Infrastructure Bill makes its way through Parliament, this briefing puts forward a series of amendments to ensure there’s an adequate supply of culturally appropriate accommodation for Gypsies and Travellers. Some of the recommendations include:
- A statutory duty to meet the assessed need for Gypsy and Traveller sites.
- Gypsy and Traveller site provision to be referenced within the housing requirements of Spatial Development Strategies.
- Duty on local authorities to assess the accommodation needs of Gypsies and Travellers to inform local plans and planning strategies.
- Assess social provision in line with the Government’s commitment to increase affordable homes and the rate of delivery.
- Provisions on giving the Government power to hold local authorities to account, where they are failing to meet the assessed need.
You can read the briefing and suggested amendments in full here.
The recommendations outlined in this briefing would allow the Bill to bring greater clarity and accountability to the planning system, and seek to achieve more well-designed and managed sites for Gypsy and Traveller communities.
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About Friends, Families and Travellers (FFT)
Friends, Families and Travellers is a leading national charity that works to end racism and discrimination against Gypsy, Roma and Traveller people and to protect the right to pursue a nomadic way of life.
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Additional Resources
Planning and Infrastructure Bill: The need for increased and improved Gypsy and Traveller site provision. Friends, Families and Travellers. July 2025. View briefing.
