West Berkshire District - GTAA Update
Client
Brief
In August 2018, arc4 was commissioned by West Berkshire Council to undertake a Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showperson Accommodation Assessment (GTAA) to identify the accommodation needs of Gypsies, Travellers, Travelling Showpeople and houseboat dwellers from across the West Berkshire District.
The aims of the GTAA 2018 were:
- To identify the current accommodation provision for members of the Gypsy and Traveller community within West Berkshire District;
- To identify current levels of need for accommodation arising from within the community, including from concealed households and those living in bricks and mortar;
- To project future accommodation needs for pitches, plots and moorings using a clear and transparent methodology in order to create a robust evidence base for the next five years and the period to 2036; and
- To inform the development of housing and planning policies for the Council and its strategic partners.
What we did
The West Berkshire District GTAA (2018) has comprised the following evidence sources:
- A review of existing (secondary) data;
- Interviews with 21 Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople households living in the District. Of these, 85.7% met the updated Planning Policy for Traveller Sites (PPTS) definition of being a Gypsy/Traveller household; and
- An online survey achieving the views of 19 stakeholders.
The Result
This study was produced to update the accommodation requirements of Gypsies and Travellers across West Berkshire District. It provides a picture of current provision and activity across the District and an assessment of future need, taking into account both ‘cultural’ need and Planning Policy for Traveller Sites.
This detailed and robust evidence base, along with its accompanied recommendations, helps to inform the housing and planning policies for the Council and its strategic partners.