Pickles Reveals 'Fair Deal' Plans for Travellers 'Who Play By the Rules'

Travellers 'who play by the rules' will get the same rights as other mobile home residents and could benefit from more authorised sites under plans announced by Communities Secretary Eric Pickles. At the same time, top-down Whitehall planning rules on travellers will be scrapped. Under Mr Pickles' proposals, travellers on official local authority sites will benefit from changes to legislation that will give them the same rights and responsibilities as residents on other mobile home sites. And travellers who abide by the terms of their pitch agreement will have greater protection against eviction, and have the same rights and responsibilities as other social tenants. The Government has also announced that councils will get financial benefits for building authorised sites as part of the New Homes Bonus scheme to deliver new housing. In addition, the Government will allow councils to decide for themselves how many traveller pitches are necessary in their area according to local need and historic demand. Read more on the CLG website.