Travellers' sites could be part of new plan to stop illegal camps

NEW Gypsy and Travellers' sites may be allocated within the new Somerset Local Plan in a bid to prevent further unauthorised encampments.

- DANIEL MUMBY

Somerset Council and Taunton Town Council have recently had to contend with numerous incidents of Travellers setting up on public parks and other public land in Somerset's county town - the most recent occurring at Stoney Furlong Field near Lyngford Park Primary School.

The town council estimated on June 12 that it had cost “around £20,000” in legal fees to remove the Travellers from these sites since the beginning of the year - a figure which may rise when cleaning up costs are added.

Somerset Council has now pledged that its new countywide Local Plan - which is expected to take effect in early-2029 - will include an assessment of demand for Gypsy and Traveller pitches across Somerset, and could include new sites being allocated.

The new Local Plan will cover the whole of the Somerset Council area, and is designed to bring together and harmonise the following existing plans:

Mendip Local Plan Part I (which covers Frome, Glastonbury, Shepton Mallet, Street, Wells and the neighbouring villages)

Mendip Local Plan Part II (which provides additional sites in these settlements)

Sedgemoor Local Plan (which covers Bridgwater, Burnham-on-Sea, Cheddar, Highbridge, North Petherton and the neighbouring villages)