Buckinghamshire’s Local Plan identifies a need for 681 pitches for Gypsies and Travellers and 38 plots for Travelling Showpeople by 2045, based on the 2025 Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment (GTAA). This includes households meeting the planning definition and those likely to qualify.
To comply with national policy (PPTS), the plan must allocate deliverable sites for the first five years and developable sites or broad locations for years 6–15 - at least 516 pitches and 30 plots over the first ten years.
To meet this need, the council will assess various approaches including:
-
Intensify and expand existing sites
-
Consider temporary sites and unauthorised sites for allocation of permanent pitches
-
Use vacant pitches
-
Reclaim pitches used by non-travellers
-
Call for sites for gypsy and traveller use
-
Consider past planning refusals for allocation
-
Review outstanding allocations
-
Additional supply from pending planning applications
This supports a fair, inclusive, and sustainable response to the accommodation needs of travelling communities.