Pitches for Travellers set to double - Worcester

THE NUMBER of pitches for Gypsies and Travellers in Worcester is set to double over the next three years.

Evesham-based Rooftop Housing Group has been awarded £840,000 from a Government pot of money to create 18 new pitches in Worcester.

The city currently has 20 pitches which are all based at the same site on Offerton Lane, near Sixways, but it is hoped the new facilities will help foster a better relationship between Travellers and the local community.

The location of the new pitches has yet to be decided but Rooftop will liaise closely with the city council with the aim of submitting planning applications over the next few months.

Work on the schemes could begin by early 2013 and be completed by the end of March 2015.

Nina Warrington, the city council's strategic housing services manager, said: “All councils are required by central government to produce a Gypsy and Travellers’ needs assessment.

"The provision of central funding for 18 pitches in Worcester is based on the findings of this assessment. They will be delivered over the next four years, although no specific sites have been identified at this stage."

Rooftop is one of 33 housing associations and local authorities which have been awarded funding from a £60million pot of cash to deliver more than 600 new traveller pitches across the country.

The Government hope boosting provision will help ease tensions between settled and traveller communities.

Tony Henderson, Gypsy and Traveller project manager for Rooftop Housing Group, said they would be able to help Traveller families find sites where they want to live, while developing closer relations with neighbouring communities.

"As a group, Gypsies and Travellers remain one of the most disadvantaged in the country, experiencing deep inequalities and poor outcomes in health and education," he added.

"Authorised Gypsy and Traveller sites help to tackle these issues and increased, high quality, authorised provision reduces the number of unauthorised sites and the tensions that can rise as a result.”