A GOVERNMENT crackdown on illegal encampments, which ‘make law-abiding neighbours’ lives a misery’, will take effect this week.

New planning rules designed to support England’s travelling community will only apply to those who lead a genuine travelling lifestyle. The measure is intended to ensure all communities abide by the same planning rules and make it easier for local councils to take action against unauthorised occupation of sites.

The reforms will also see greater protection for the countryside and green belt, restricting circumstances in which temporary permission for traveller sites on designated land is given.

Communities secretary Greg Clark said: “I’m determined to ensure fairness in the planning system, so everyone abides by the same rules.

“Today’s new policy strengthens the hand of councils to tackle unauthorised development in their area, ensures all communities are treated equally and that the protection of the Green Belt is enforceable.”

A spokesperson for Bournemouth council said they were unable to comment until they fully understood how the changes would affect the town.

Councils have an obligation to provide suitable sites for ‘settled encampments’ under the Housing Act 2004. Now the government says these will no longer be provided unless applicants can prove they ‘travel permanently’. Applications for permanent sites, including caravan sites, by someone who does not travel will face the same, more rigorous considerations as those making a planning application for a home.

However, an official at the Department for Communities and Local Government said there were no firm guidelines about what constitutes a travelling lifestyle, and it would be up to local planning officers to ascertain, based on criteria such as if travellers’ children attended local schools.

Housing and Planning Minister Brandon Lewis commented: “Unauthorised traveller sites can blight communities, causing misery for their neighbours and creating resentment that planning rules don’t seem to be applied fairly.

“Today’s revised planning policy clearly sets out the protection against unauthorised occupation and that the rules apply fairly to every community equally – no ifs, no buts.”

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