Castle Point MP Rebecca Harris has welcomed proposals by the planning Minister, Brandon Lewis MP, to take away the special rights of travellers in planning law.

Under new proposals councils will no longer have to meet the housing need of any large influx of travellers and planning applications from travellers who have no intention to move on from the site will no longer enjoy special consideration under planning law.

Ministers also want to strengthen the level of protection given to sensitive areas and the green belt against inappropriate traveller site development.

Proposals would include reducing the circumstances in which temporary permission may be granted, ensuring green belt policy applies to traveller sites in the same way it does for most bricks-and-mortar housing, and that councils should very strictly limit new traveller sites in open countryside.

Planning Minister Brandon Lewis MP said :

"We will not sit back and allow people who bypass the law to then benefit from the protection it can offer.

"We have already strengthened the powers that councils have to enforce planning rules and take action against breaches which fuel community tensions. This will not only tackle the abuse of the system but prevent long drawn-out cases like Dale Farm.

"Today’s proposed measures go even further, and would end the perverse incentive for councils not to act when travellers ignore planning rules and set up unauthorised sites."

Castle Point MP Rebecca Harris said:

"Between 2000 and 2009 there was a 4-fold increase in the numbers of unauthorised caravans and this has created massive tensions between travellers and the settled population.

"We have some long standing small unauthorised traveller pitches which are currently going through a planning appeal in Thundersley up in Janda Fields by the Blinking Owl cafe, and of course local residents and businesses on Canvey have just put up with the nightmare of an unauthorised traveller incursion on Labworth field two weeks ago.

"These measures proposed today will ensure those who cause misery to local residents by setting up unauthorised sites will no longer benefit from the very planning rules they choose to ignore.

I am also very pleased that the new proposals will clarify that putting down a traveller pitch on virgin Green Belt is just as against planning guidance as putting up a bricks and mortar house."