Test Valley Borough Council is publishing its draft Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report for Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople for public consultation.
“The Council has a responsibility to plan for the housing needs of all residents, including the Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople community. This is proposed to be undertaken through a Development Plan Document which needs to be subject to a sustainability appraisal. This is needed to comply with the requirements of the Planning and Compulsory Act 2004 and the Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes Regulations 2004 (which transposes a European Directive).
“The first stage of the sustainability appraisal process is to consider the scope of the exercise, which is presented in the form of a Scoping Report. The last Scoping Report was prepared in 2011 and is needed to be updated for this Sustainability Appraisal. The Scoping Report does not allocate sites, consider the merits of possible sites or deal with the scale of need.
“Public consultation will commence on Friday 15th January for a period of 5 weeks closing on Friday 19th February 2016. Comments received after the deadline will not be taken into account. Comments can be sent via email to planningpolicy@testvalley.gov.uk or by post to the address at the top of this letter. The document is available on the Council’s website and for inspection from the Council’s Andover and Romsey offices during normal office hours.
“For further information please contact Jennifer Ryan, Planning Officer jryan@testvalley.gov.uk
“The draft Scoping Report is available here:
“Any comments submitted should be consistent with the overarching principles of equality and non-discrimination. The Council will not accept any inappropriate or racist comments.
“The information collected will be processed in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998. Information from any comments received will be stored on a computer database used solely in connection with the Scoping Report. As all representations received must be made available for public inspection, they cannot be treated as confidential. They will be posted in full on the Council’s website and will be available, on request, for public inspection. Only signatures will be redacted.
“Following consultation, Officers will review comments received and if necessary, amend the draft Scoping Report where appropriate to help form the basis for the sustainability appraisal.
“Jennifer Ryan, Planning Officer, Planning Policy & Transport”