Policy H/GT: Gypsy and Traveller and Travelling Showpeople sites

1. Any proposals for new Gypsy and Traveller pitches or new

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.

plots on unallocated sites must: 

  a. demonstrate a clear need for the new pitch(es) or plot(s), and why the need cannot be met by an existing available lawful pitch(es) or plot(s), 

  b. set out who the proposed residents are, including how they meet the definition of a Gypsy and Traveller or Travelling Showperson as set out in the Planning Policy for Traveller Sites (2024) or a successor document, 

  c. be in a sustainable location, with access to a range of services and facilities, particularly a primary school and healthcare facilities, 

  d. be located where the needs of the residents can be met without placing undue pressure on existing local services and facilities, 

  e. respect the scale of the nearest settled community, and not dominate it when considered individually or in combination with other existing and planned sites, 

  f. provide an appropriate environment for residents in terms of health, safety, and living conditions, and therefore not be located on contaminated land or where there are noise, dust, air quality or other issues, unless suitable remediation or mitigation can be provided prior to occupation, and 

  g. consider the impacts on the surrounding area, and not have an unacceptable adverse impact, when considered individually or with other existing and planned sites, on: the amenity of surrounding land uses, the built environment, landscape character, heritage assets or their setting, biodiversity, or the amenity of public rights of way. 

2. All Gypsy and Traveller pitches or

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.

plots on allocated or unallocated sites must be well designed, and any proposals must: 

  a. set out the number of pitches or plots proposed, and be appropriate for the size and location of the site proposed, 

  b. have a clear layout that includes demarcation between pitches or plots, and also between the site and the surrounding land uses, using appropriate boundary treatments and landscaping that are in keeping with the surrounding area and provide safety and security for residents, 

  c. have safe and appropriate access into and out of the site for vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians, and not have unacceptable adverse impacts on the safety of the public highway from the traffic generated, 

  d. have sufficient space within the site for the safe movement, including turning and parking, of caravans, vehicles (including emergency vehicles and refuse/recycling vehicles), pedestrians and cyclists, 

  e. have sufficient space within a Travelling Showperson site for the storage, maintenance, and testing of equipment, 

  f. include provision of essential utilities including water, electricity, drainage, sewerage, and the collection of refuse and recycling, 

  g. clearly differentiate between public communal spaces and private spaces, and between residential and non-residential areas, 

  h. provide space for play within a communal area of the site, if the site proposed is for 10 or more pitches or plots, 

  i .minimise the harm to the surrounding area, and therefore any developments within the countryside must have limited built development, 

  j. include amenity buildings that are of an appropriate scale and design for the location and the size of the pitch or plot, and 

  k. not result in overcrowding or unnecessary sprawl, and therefore pitches or plots must be an appropriate scale for the number of caravans and residents to be accommodated. 

3. A varied choice, type and mix of housing will be provided within all strategic sites to meet the needs of different groups in the community including

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.

. Any unallocated strategic site of up to 5,000 dwellings will provide one area of serviced land that is 1 hectare to accommodate approximately 12 Gypsy and Traveller pitches, and any unallocated strategic site of over 5,000 dwellings will provide two areas of serviced land that are each 1 hectare to each accommodate approximately 12 Gypsy and Traveller pitches. The site(s) provided will be located within but on the edge of the strategic site, or outside but in close proximity to the strategic site. Access to the site(s) must not rely on minor residential roads. 

National planning policy for travellers sets out that the government’s overarching aim is to ensure fair and equal treatment for travellers, in a way that facilitates the traditional and nomadic way of life of travellers while respecting the interests of the settled community. It also requires local authorities to ensure that traveller sites are sustainable (economically, socially and environmentally), and to very strictly limit new traveller sites in open countryside that is away from existing settlements. 

Our evidence shows that there is a need for additional Gypsy and Traveller pitches and

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.

plots within

The combined areas of Cambridge District and South Cambridgeshire District Councils.

, but that there are also existing vacant pitches and pitches that are not being occupied by those meeting the definition of a Gypsy and Traveller. It is therefore important that any new pitches or plots that are proposed demonstrate a clear need for the new pitches or plots, provide details on how the proposed residents meet the definition of a Gypsy and Traveller or Travelling Showperson, and are located in a sustainable location, with the design and layout of any new sites providing healthy, safe and secure living conditions for their occupants. Any proposals for Gypsy and Traveller pitches and

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.

plots within the

A statutory designation made for the purposes of checking the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas, preventing neighbouring towns from merging into each other, assisting in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment, preserving the setting and special character of historic towns and assisting in urban regeneration by encouraging the recycling of derelict and other urban land. Specific Green Belt purposes have been set out for Cambridge.

and/or within areas of flood risk will be considered against the relevant national and local planning policies. 

Proposals for Gypsy and Traveller sites are predominantly residential uses and therefore will generally be acceptable within settlement boundaries, provided that the requirements in other policies in the

A plan for the future development of a local area, drawn up by the local planning authority in consultation with the community. In law this is described as the development plan documents adopted under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. A local plan can consist of either strategic or non-strategic policies, or a combination of the two.

are also met. However, proposals for

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.

sites generally include both residential and non-residential uses, as these sites tend to include areas for the storage and maintenance of equipment, and therefore will need to be located where a mix of uses can be accommodated within the site without impacting on the living conditions of either the proposed occupants of the site or the existing neighbouring uses. 

Each Gypsy and Traveller pitch or

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.

plot should be designed to provide appropriate accommodation for a household, and will normally include space for the siting of a mobile home, a touring caravan, an amenity building containing kitchen and bathroom facilities, car parking and a turning circle for vehicles, and external amenity space. Proposals for family sites, such as to accommodate an extended family rather than one household, must identify the number of pitches the site is capable of providing if it were to be occupied by individual households, in order for the impacts of the site to be fully considered. A condition will be included on any planning permission for Gypsy and Traveller pitches or

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.

plots that sets out the number of static and touring caravans that can be stationed on each pitch or plot permitted. 

Strategic sites provide an opportunity to deliver Gypsy and Traveller pitches, alongside other types and tenures of housing, to ensure that new communities meet the needs of different groups in sustainable locations with access to services and facilities. New communities that accommodate

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.

and the settled community from their conception allows for the different land uses to be considered in a co-ordinated and integrated manner through the masterplanning and design process. 

• The combined areas of Cambridge District and South Cambridgeshire District Councils.

  A plan for the future development of a local area, drawn up by the local planning authority in consultation with the community. In law this is described as the development plan documents adopted under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. A local plan can consist of either strategic or non-strategic policies, or a combination of the two.

  : Homes Topic Paper (2025)
• Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies,

  Travellers refers to both Gypsies and Travellers and Travelling Showpeople.

  ,

  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.

  , Bargee

  Travellers refers to both Gypsies and Travellers and Travelling Showpeople.

  , and other caravan and houseboat dwellers for Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire (2024)
• Addendum to Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies,

  Travellers refers to both Gypsies and Travellers and Travelling Showpeople.

  ,

  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.

  , Bargee

  Travellers refers to both Gypsies and Travellers and Travelling Showpeople.

  , and other caravan and housebaot dwellers for Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire (2025)

We will consider all comments while developing the next version of the

A plan for the future development of a local area, drawn up by the local planning authority in consultation with the community. In law this is described as the development plan documents adopted under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. A local plan can consist of either strategic or non-strategic policies, or a combination of the two.

.

All comments must be received by 30 January 2026 at 5pm.