The Government is proposing to tighten up planning rules, allowing councils to crack down on uauthorised gipsy and traveller sites in their areas.

Housing minister Brandon Lewis has launched a consultation aimed at preventing another Dale Farm, and which would redefine travellers.

Under the proposals, local councils would be required to provide sites for the numbers of travellers they could reasonably expect.

However, travellers would be defined as those leading a genuine travelling lifestyle.

That would mean that any application for a permanent gipsy site by someone who has stopped physically travelling would be considered in the same way as an application from anyone else, rather than have to be considered under policies relating to travellers.

Green belt policy would also apply to traveller sites in the same way as it does for most bricks and mortar housing.

Currently, travellers who set up large, unauthorised sites cause misery for neighbours, blight surrounding areas and cost councils a lot of money.

Enforcement action can be taken, but councils are required to meet the needs of travellers being moved on.

The consultation will last ten weeks until November 23.

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/planning-and-travellers-proposed-changes-to-planning-policy-and-guidance