Accommodation and planning
More and better accommodation has the potential to unlock improved outcomes for Gypsy/Travellers. Accommodation actions in Improving the lives of Scotland’s Gypsy/Travellers 2 – Action Plan 2024-2026 build on progress made since 2019.
Gypsy/Traveller Accommodation Fund
The Gypsy/Traveller Accommodation Fund is providing up to £20 million to local authorities, between 2021 to 2026, for more and better accommodation.
The investment is improving living conditions for residents and supporting local authorities to meet equalities and human rights duties, as well as building a stronger evidence and knowledge base to inform future projects.
Local authorities identified a need to build experience and skills in Gypsy/Traveller site development. The funding has therefore been focused on a number of demonstration projects in six local authority areas to establish examples of model sites.
To drive a significant improvement in the quality of sites going forward, we published an Interim Site Design Guide for Gypsy/Traveller sites, developed in conjunction with local authorities and with input from members of Gypsy/Traveller communities. This is intended to assist new build and site re-development of a high quality, to meet the varying needs of families, including children, older and disabled people and to align with key principles of Housing to 2040 such as accessibility and energy efficiency.
An independent evaluation of the Fund and Design Guide is under way. This will gather the key points of learning from the demonstration projects to inform future projects, a final Site Design Guide and policy on Gypsy/Traveller accommodation.
Assessing accommodation needs
Housing Need and Demand Assessments (HNDAs) provide an evidence-base that includes the need for specialist provision and related services for people with a protected characteristic, including Gypsy/ Travellers. This is used by local authorities to inform local housing strategies and planning authorities to inform development plans.
Local Housing Strategy guidance requires local authorities to have a full understanding of the requirements of Gypsy/Travellers in their areas and a strategy for meeting the identified need. Local authorities must demonstrate evidence of recent engagement with Gypsy/Traveller communities to better understand their needs.
We plan to commission work on an Accommodation Needs Toolkit to improve the way that Housing Needs and Demand Assessments (HNDA), Local Housing Strategies (LHS) and Development Plans reflect the needs of Gypsy/Travellers and help local authorities meet their duties.
Minimum standards
Minimum standards for Gypsy/Traveller, published in 2015, sets out the minimum standards for public sites, covering things such as safety, maintenance, repairs, and facilities. The standards were developed in consultation with Gypsy/Travellers, local authorities, and other stakeholders to be as similar as possible to those experienced by social housing tenants under the Scottish Housing Quality Standard. While new sites or major redevelopments of existing sites should be in line with the Interim Site Design Guide for Gypsy/Traveller sites, the minimum standards still set the standard below which sites should not fall.
The site standards are part of the Scottish Social Housing Charter, which are monitored by the Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR).
Unauthorised sites
Gypsy/Travellers have a right to their traditional way of life, but that right must be exercised responsibly and balanced against the rights of the wider communities.
While many unauthorised sites do not cause any problems, on a small number of sites anti-social behaviour can be an issue (both from those living on the site and the settled communities around it).
Managing unauthorised camping by Gypsy/Travellers in Scotland: guidance for local authorities was published in 2017.
The guidance reflects the principles that:
- unauthorised sites should be managed to minimise disruption for all concerned
- the same standards of behaviour should be expected from all members of the communities
It was developed with stakeholders including local authorities, Police Scotland, Gypsy/Travellers and equality groups.
Planning
Scotland’s planning system should be people centred, place-based and delivery focussed.
National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) adopted in February 2023 includes a cross-cutting outcome for a fair and inclusive planning system where engagement in development planning and decisions should be early, collaborative, meaningful and proportionate. It provides support for development that will help to ensure human rights are maintained. It also includes supportive policy on Gypsy/Traveller sites to meet the housing needs of the communities.
Many Gypsy/Travellers prefer to live on private sites, which can help support their independence, self-sufficiency and security. Making provision for the development of private sites can help Gypsy/Travellers to maintain their traditional lifestyle.
NPF4 Policy 16 ‘Quality homes’ is clear that local development plans should allocate land to ensure provision of accommodation for Gypsy/Travellers and Travelling Showpeople where need is identified.
Gypsy/Travellers have often found it difficult to access the planning system and get the appropriate permission to develop their own sites. The Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 introduced a duty for planning authorities to engage with Gypsies and Travellers as they prepare their Local Development Plans - this came into force in 2023. To support planning authorities in meeting this requirement a new definition of Gypsies and Travellers developed collaboratively with the communities - which includes Gypsy/Travellers, but also other communities, such as Travelling Showpeople - was introduced for development planning purposes.
Local Development Planning guidance provides advice to planning authorities – including setting out their legal duty to engage with the communities and advice on engaging with the communities and signposting to representative organisations such as MECOPP, Fair Scotland, and the Scottish Showman’s Guild.
Approval of more Gypsy/Traveller sites, which are sound in planning terms, could also ease accommodation pressures for the community as a whole, and potentially reduce the number of unauthorised encampments.