News

Following the distribution of an anonymous leaflet, some local residents have raised concerns about a possible increase in size of a local Gypsy and Traveller site. For decades there has been a small travellers’ site in Earlsfield at the end of Trewint Road on the banks of the River Wandle. These travellers are well integrated into the local community. Indeed one “traveller” on the site has actually lived there for over thirty years. 

 

However, the Government want to see more and more traveller sites and have passed legislation allowing them to set regional quotas imposing more sites. These quotas take little account of local need – indeed our existing traveller site actually has empty plots.

 

These quotas mean that Wandsworth Council must by law identify where up to 80% more gypsies and travellers could potentially be accommodated. There is no planning application at this stage merely the identification of the site for possible future use.  If the Council does not do this then they would find it difficult to evict unauthorised encampments from places like the commons and could even be sued by travellers.

 

Mark has spoken to the travellers already on the site. Ironically, they are opposed to any increase in the size of the site and their concerns echo that of many local residents. 

 

A future Conservative Government will, as a priority, abolish these regional quotas which are forcing Wandsworth Council to explore increasing the size of the site. Then any such decisions will become one purely for local councils and local people to decide. 

 

In the meantime local residents can have their say by emailing planningpolicy@wandsworth.gov.uk before the 5^th February.