Sadiq Khan opens up London's green belt to Travellers as 900 'transit pitches' needed across capital

London mayor Sadiq Khan has set out plans to open up London's green belt to Travellers as 900 "transit pitches" are needed across the capital.

Almost 900 additional permanent pitches will be needed by 2037 to meet the needs of "London’s Gypsy and Traveller and travelling showpeople communities", City Hall's London Plan states.

The London Plan is City Hall's blueprint for guiding planning decisions across the capital's 32 boroughs, covering issues ranging from fire safety standards to the location of new tall buildings.

City Hall acknowledges it is unlikely existing developed land alone will be enough to accommodate the required pitches

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It accepts green belt sites are likely to be needed in some boroughs.

The plan states meeting the needs of London's diverse communities, including Gypsies and Travellers, older residents, students and those requiring supported or accessible housing, is essential to building a thriving city.

Each borough has been given its own target for net additional permanent pitches to be delivered by 2037.

These range from 77 in Bromley and 53 in Greenwich down to ten in Islington and just five in Richmond.

The plan specifies that any new pitches must be culturally appropriate and reflect the accommodation preferences of Gypsy and Traveller communities.

Susan Hall, the Conservative leader in the London Assembly, said the plan was "beggars belief".

She told the Times: "The idea that our parks are about to be turned into sites for Travellers is the sort of vindictive policy you’d expect from a spiteful authority.

"These spaces are for communities to share in common, to provide green space for families and community groups, not to be used for this. It’s a disgrace."

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Under the proposals, the additional pitches could take the form of either permanent sites or negotiated stopping arrangements, rather than fixed locations alone.

A charity representing Gypsy and Traveller communities in London previously argued the true level of need was far higher, putting the figure at around 2,000 pitches last year.

Philomena Mongan, the community engagement officer at London Gypsies and Travellers, told Travellers’ Times: "Our people’s needs have to be met. And we need to be heard."

Official estimates suggest there are roughly 300,000 Gypsy, Roma and Traveller people living in the UK.

However, the real figure could be higher, as some members of these communities do not participate in the census.

The wider London Plan also opens the door to residential and industrial development on green belt land in selected areas.

The plan sets out an ambition to deliver 558,000 new homes between next year and 2036.

This will run parallel to the commitment of meeting the government's target of 850,000 additional homes as soon as possible in the following decade.

City Hall describes its housing targets as the most ambitious approach possible, insisting they reflect a determination to prioritise brownfield development first.

However, it does accept some green belt land will still be required to develop.

A spokesman for Mayor Khan said: “The draft London Plan requires every borough to plan for the accommodation needs of Gypsy and Traveller communities, helping to address a long-standing shortage of suitable sites.

“The plan does not allocate any green belt sites.

"It is for boroughs to decide how best to meet identified need through their local plans, in consultation with their communities, including whether green belt land should be considered where there are no suitable alternatives."

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