14. The Partnership recognises the benefits of a plan-led approach to providing suitable sites for Gypsies and Travellers. We are consulting on a choice of possible sites so that the best available sites can be identified.
15. The very recent appeal court decision suggests that providing sufficient pitches to ensure that the full ethnic need can be met should prevent any potential unlawful discrimination. Legal advice has confirmed that this is the case. It could also provide the strongest guarantee that full needs can be met.
16. This consultation includes 10 favoured sites along with a reasonable alternative site as follows:
Table 2: Favoured Sites
| Reference | Address | Pitches | Pitches delivered years 1 to 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| GNLP5004 | Land off Buxton Road, Eastgate, Cawston | 4 | 4 |
| GNLP5005 | Strayground Lane, Wymondham Recycling Centre | 2 | 0 |
| GNLP5009 | Hockering Lane, Bawburgh | 6 | 6 |
| GNLP5014 | A47 North Burlingham Junction | 15 | 15 |
| GNLP5019 | Woodland Stable, Shorthorn Road, Stratton Strawless | 4 | 4 |
| GNLP5020 | Romany Meadow, The Turnpike, Carleton Rode | 6 | 6 |
| GNLP5021 | The Old Produce Shop, Holt Road, Horsford | 6 | 6 |
| GNLP5022 | The Oaks, Foulsham | 5 | 5 |
| GNLP5023 | Strayground Lane, Wymondham | 10 | 10 |
| GNLP5024 | Upgate Street, Carleton Rode | 4 | 4 |
| Total | 62 | 60 |
Table 3: Reasonable Alternative
| Reference | Address | Pitches | Pitches delivered years 1 to 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| GNLP5013 | Ketteringham Depot | 10 | 0 |
| Total | 10 | 0 |
17. The Partnership is confident that allocations to meet needs can be found from its list of favoured and reasonable alternative sites.
18. This public consultation is an important part of the plan-making process as responses could provide feedback which alters the favoured sites currently identified.
19. In addition to the proposed allocations in this consultation, windfall sites on non-allocated locations could also come forward through planning applications. Existing development management policies which are currently used to assess such applications will be supplemented by policy 5 of the GNLP on adoption of the plan.
20. From analysing past trends, the Partnership estimates that 8 pitches are likely to be built over the current 5-year period between April 2022 and March 2027 on windfall sites.
21. In combination, the supply of pitches from consultation sites and windfall pitches that are anticipated would comfortably meet the identified need for pitches under the ethnic definition of need.