Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople five-year land supply statements

Background

National planning policy for Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople sites is set out in the Planning Policy for Traveller Sites 2024 (PPTS). The PPTS requires local planning authorities (LPAs) to identify and update annually a supply of specific deliverable sites sufficient to provide five years' worth of sites against locally set targets. It also confirms that where a LPA cannot demonstrate a five-year supply, the provisions in paragraph 11(d) of the National Planning Policy Framework apply.

Paragraph 11d of the NPPF is known as 'the presumption in favour of sustainable  development'. In decision-taking, it requires that planning permission should be granted where relevant development plan policies are out of date, unless specific exceptions apply. These exceptions are where policies in the NPPF that protect areas or assets of particular importance (such as National Landscape) provide a strong reason for refusal, or where the adverse impacts of granting planning permission would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits when assessed against the NPPF as a whole. 

The PPTS defines Gypsy and Travellers as:

"Persons of nomadic habit of life whatever their race or origin, including such persons who on grounds only of their own or their family's or dependants' educational or health needs or old age have ceased to travel temporarily or permanently, and all other persons with a cultural tradition of nomadism or of living in a caravan, but excluding members of an organised group of travelling showpeople or circus people travelling together as such."

Travelling Showpeople are defined as:

"Members of a group organised for the purposes of holding fairs, circuses or shows (whether or not travelling together as such). This includes such persons who on the grounds of their own or their family's or dependants' more localised pattern of trading, educational or health needs or old age have ceased to travel temporarily or permanently, but excludes Gypsies and Travellers as defined above."

Current five-year position

West Berkshire District Council published a Five Year Housing Land Position Statement in May 2026. The document is available to download and view here [221KB] . The statement supports both plan-making and decision-taking.

Gypsy and Travellers:

Evidence from the Council's Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Accommodation Assessment  identifies a need for 30 additional pitches between 2021 and 2038, including 17 pitches within the current five-year period (2025-2030). Through a combination of site allocations and recent planning permissions, the Council can demonstrate a deliverable supply of 19 pitches over this period, exceeding the identified need and confirming a robust five-year supply.

While this requirement is met, there remains a longer-term unmet need of 11 additional pitches up to 2038.

Travelling Showpeople:

For Travelling Showpeople, no additional need has been identified beyond the existing allocation at Long Copse Farm, Enborne, which provides 24 plots and is currently subject to a planning application. As this site is available, suitable and achievable within five years, the Council can also demonstrate a sufficient five year supply for this group. The adopted West Berkshire Local Plan Review 2023 to 2041 provides the policy framework for the delivery of this site.