Gypsy and Traveller Local Plan: Consultation on the Gypsy and Traveller Local Plan Pre-Submission 2014 - Bedfordshire

From About My Area

Central Bedfordshire Council has a legal duty to consider the accommodation needs of Gypsies and Travellers and Travelling Showpeople. The Council has developed a Draft Gypsy and Traveller Local Plan which sets out how Central Bedfordshire Council proposes to meet these needs up to 2031 and identifies potential sites to help meet this need. We consulted last year on a Draft Plan. We have listened to your feedback and updated the Plan. We are now seeking your views on the new Gypsy and Traveller Local Plan 2014.

The consultation is open from 17th February to 31st March 2014. This is called the "Pre-Submission stage"(Regulation 19 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012) because we are required to submit the Draft Plan and all of your comments (called "representations") to an independent Planning Inspector who will approve or reject the Plan.

How to have your say

The easiest way to have your say is online via our website - www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/gypsytravellerplan You will be able to read the Draft Plan, supporting documents and complete a response form online.

However, if you wish, you can download a response form from our website or pick up a copy from the locations below or contact the Planning Team on T.0300 300 8307 or email ldf@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk to request paper copies.

Council offices in:

Chicksands (Priory House, Chicksands, Shefford),
Dunstable (High Street North)
Shefford Town Council Offices (High Street)



Council Customer Services Centre in:

Biggleswade (High Street)

Libraries in:

Ampthill (Dunstable Street)
Arlesey (High Street)
Barton (Bedford Road)
Biggleswade (Chestnut Avenue)
Dunstable (Vernon Place)
Flitwick (Coniston Road)
Houghton Regis (Bedford Square)
Leighton Buzzard (Lake Street)
Potton (Clock House)
Sandy (Market Square)
Stotfold (Hitchin Road)
Toddington (Market Square)

The Draft Plan is made up of 17 policies. You can make comments about any of the policies but please comment on the policies one at a time. The paper copy of the questionnaire has space for you to comment on up to four different parts of the Plan. If you would like to comment on more than four parts of the plan please complete the form online or attached extra sheets covering question 8 to 13 for each part of the plan.

What happens next?

After the consultation, the Gypsy and Traveller Local Plan, supporting evidence and all of your comments and feedback received during this consultation will be submitted to the Secretary of State in June 2014.

The Secretary of State will appoint an independent Planning Inspector to review all of the consultation feedback and determine whether the Plan is sound and legally compliant. The independent Planning Inspector will also assess the Plan and the sites in a public examination.

Making your response count

The Planning Inspector will review all of the consultation feedback and determine whether the Plan is 'sound' and legally compliant. We are therefore required by Central Government to ask that your comments are based on the soundness of the Plan and legal compliance. We have included guidance in the response form to help you to make your views count.

If you do not indicate in your response whether you feel the Plan is sound or legally compliant the Council is required to complete this for you based on your responses to the other questions.

When commenting on individual policies within the Plan, the only matters that the Planning Inspector will take into account are planning related issues such as issues relating to amenity, visual impact, highways, biodiversity and other planning matters. Comments about the intended users cannot be taken into account. The Council has a duty not to accept comments which contain statements which may reasonably be considered to be of a racist nature.

Keeping up to date

For updates on the plan's progress and to keep track of when decisions are likely to be made, please refer to www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/gypsytravellerplan