Increase in county Gypsy pitches - Kent

ACTION is needed to cope with an increase in Gypsies and Travellers following news the number of caravans in Kent has shot up by 12.5 per cent in just two years.

Government figures show the total number of caravans across the county now stands at 1,239 – up from 1,101 in 2009 – and Gypsy Council life president Hughie Smith believes more pitches are needed to meet an increase in Gypsy and Traveller populations.

If the trend continues, by 2017 the number of caravans in Kent will have jumped by more than 50 per cent on 2009's figure.

Mr Smith said: "It's a national disgrace people should still be talking about site provision for Gypsies.
"Local authorities don't take into account the fact that our children grow up, start families of their own and need accommodation."

There are fewer than 300 public pitches across the county. They are owned and run by either Kent County Council or the 12 district and borough councils.

Fifty-eight of them are in Sevenoaks at Polhill Caravan Site in Dunton Green, Romani Way in Hever Road, Edenbridge, and Barnfield Caravan Site in New Ash Green.
And there are 18 in Tonbridge and Malling at Coldharbour Caravan Site in Aylesford and Windmill Lane Caravan Site in West Malling.

Last month Sevenoaks District Council unveiled four more pitches at the Romani Way site.

See also: Tunbridge Wells People