Gypsy and Traveller Site Allocations Development Plan Document (DPD)

Why do we need to do a DPD?

The Consultation Draft Local Plan 2016 set out the council's strategic approach to meeting the accommodation needs of the Gypsy and Traveller community, but did not identify a site to meet this need. As part of a Local Plan advisory meeting with the Planning Inspectorate in March 2018 it was highlighted that by not identifying an available, suitable, achievable and deliverable site, the Local Plan may be found unsound. It is an ongoing risk that the Local Plan may be found unsound due to the way in which it currently addresses the accommodation needs of travellers.

In order to ensure that the publication of the Local Plan is not delayed and to mitigate the risks to the Local Plan being found unsound, it will be necessary to include a commitment in the Local Plan to prepare a separate Gypsy and Traveller Site Allocations DPD, and to show progress by the time of the examination. The council may also need to consider potentially managing and operating any site allocated in the DPD.

A Gypsy and Traveller Technical Paper 2018 [1.3MB] (opens in new window) has been prepared which provides an overview of the Gypsy and Traveller work undertaken to date, including our initial assessments, and our decision to undertake a Gypsy and Traveller Site Allocations Development Plan Document (DPD) to meet the need. It will also explain where we are in the DPD process, and how this relates to the overall Mansfield District Local Plan process.

DPD timetable

The preparation of the Gypsy and Traveller Site Allocations DPD formally commenced in July 2018, with the initial consultation on what the Gypsy and Traveller DPD should contain (known as a regulation 18 consultation) and a 'Call for Sites'. More information on the DPD timetable can be found on the Council's Local Development Scheme page.

More information

If you would like further information on the DPD process, please contact the Planning Policy team at lp@mansfield.gov.uk

For older information please go to the archive