Need for Gypsy and Traveller pitches identified

Five additional Gypsy and Traveller pitches are estimated to be required in Bridgend county borough over the next five years to meet statutory requirements, according to a report discussed by the council’s cabinet on Tuesday, December 15.

As part of an assessment process to establish the current and future need for accommodation, interviews were carried out with Gypsies and Travellers living across the county borough.

With six private sites currently in the county borough (typically with 1-2 pitches on each site), it is recommended an additional five pitches are created by 2025 with a further two pitches required before 2033. There are relatively low numbers of Gypsy and Traveller households in the county borough, compared to some other local authorities in Wales.

Having undertaken in-depth accommodation assessments with relevant families, we are aware that additional pitches could be accommodated by intensifying existing sites and/or providing new sites capable of accommodating several pitches.

With cabinet having now approved the Gypsy Traveller and Accommodation Assessment (GTAA) findings, the report will be submitted to Welsh Ministers for approval.

Cabinet member for wellbeing and future generations Dhanisha Patel

An approved GTAA will inform the deposit Local Development Plan and any related allocations, based on evidence of Gypsy and Traveller needs across the entire plan period.