Rooftop Housing Group to lead Gypsy site scheme - Evesham

AN EVESHAM based housing group has been chosen to help lead a new scheme which will see hundreds of new pitches delivered for Gypsies and Travellers.

Rooftop Housing Group has been asked to provide 72 new units in the area out of a total of 600 across the country after receiving more than £3million from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA).

The High Street company is one of 33 housing associations, councils and other providers taking part in the scheme which could begin in early 2013.

While none of the pitches are planned for Wychavon, £1.7million has been allocated to provide 38 new units in Gloucestershire. This will see Rooftop team up with Stroud District Council.

Rooftop has also been awarded £840,000 to build 18 new pitches in Worcester and a further £700,000 to create 16 units in Solihull.

Tony Henderson, Gypsy and Traveller project manager for Rooftop Housing Group, said: "This welcome news means that we can help Traveller families find sites where they want to live whilst at the same time develop closer relations with adjacent communities and local authorities.

"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. 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."

Rooftop will now work closely with the councils and aim to submit planning applications in the next few months.

If things go well, work on the schemes could begin early 2013 with completion targeted by the end of March 2015.

Richard Hill, deputy chief executive of the HCA, added: "One of our key aims is to provide homes where people want to live, and the travelling community is a part of that.

"We are pleased therefore to be able to confirm the funding allocations for this spending period and we will be continuing to work closely with our local partners to deliver the best solutions for this community where they are most needed."