Examination process - key dates
Inspector's report published
The inspector published his report on the examination of the Herefordshire Travellers' Sites Development Plan Document on 24 June 2019. This means that the examination process has now ended. For further information please visit the Inspector's report page.
About the examination process
The council has prepared a Travellers' Sites Development Plan Document (DPD) as part of its Local Plan. This focuses on the accommodation needs of the Traveller community (Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Show People) up to 2031.
The Travellers' Sites Development Plan Document was submitted to the Secretary of State for Housing Communities and Local Government on 27 February 2018 for examination. The Secretary of State appointed Mr David Smith BA(Hons) DMS MRTPI of the Planning Inspectorate to conduct the examination and to report to the council. Mr Smith reviewed the DPD, the evidence base and consider all the representations received from the pre-submission consultation.
Initial examination hearings took place on Tuesday 22 May 2018. Following the conclusion of the hearing, the inspector issued closing comments and post hearing advice. The council subsequently consulted on two additional sites and a further hearing session took place to discuss these two sites on 18 March 2019. Consultation on main modifications took place between 1 May and 12 June 2019.
Update June 2019
The main modifications consultation closed at midnight 12 June 2019. All the representations received were sent to the Inspector for his considerations. View all the responses.
Update May 2019 - Main modifications consultation
Following the second hearing session and the publication of the Inspector's post hearing advice, the main modifications were published for consultation. Please visit the Main modifications consultation page for further information.
Post hearing advice issued March 2019
The Inspector issued his advice following the hearing session held on 18 March 2019. The next stage in the process will be public consultation on the main modifications. We will notify you of this consultation on this page in due course.
Further update March 2019
The Inspector issued the agenda for the hearing session on Monday 18 March 2019 at 9.30am at the Three Counties Hotel, Belmont, Hereford.
Update March 2019
The Inspector confirmed that a hearing session will take place on 18 March 2019. The hearing sessions were open to the public to observe. Please note that this hearing session will be concerned solely with the two sites that were the subject of additional consultation. The hearing sessions will consider: Are the proposed allocations suitable and justified and are they deliverable?
Update February 2019
Following the additional sites consultation carried out between October and December 2018, the Inspector is considering the need for a further hearing session. A provisional date has been set for 18 March 2019 at 9.30am at The Three Counties Hotel, Belmont Road, Hereford HR2 7BP. This will be confirmed after 1 March and this page will be updated accordingly.
- View the individual representations received during the consultation period
- View the council's response to the representations
Update October 2018 - additional sites consultation
In response to the post hearing advice from the Inspector, the council identified two additional sites that could help meet the shortfall of pitches up to 2022/23. (See the August update below for more details about this).
The sites are located at:
- Oakfield, Nash End Lane, near Bosbury (for up to 4 pitches)
- Land at Stoney Street, near Madley (for up to 10 pitches)
These two sites have been the subject of a Sustainability Appraisal (SA) and Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA).
Please visit the Travellers' Sites additional sites consultation to view the consultation document.
Update August 2018
In the post hearing advice the Inspector asked the council to review the sections of the Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment (GTAA) in relation to turnover of pitches on the local authority sites. This review resulted in a further five pitches being required in the county before 2022/23 and further 11 pitches between 2023 and 2031. This is in addition to the nine pitches already identified in the Travellers Sites DPD.
He also asked the council to prepare a report outlining the possible approaches to identifying the additional pitches. The Inspector has agreed the approach suggested by the council to finding additional pitches. This report together with the revised tables from the Gypsy and Accommodation Assessments can be viewed from the following links:
- HC approach to identifying additional pitches
- View the revised GTAA Table 5.1 Needs Modelling
- View the revised GTAA Table 5.2 and 5.3 longer term modelling
The council carried out further technical work to identify the five additional pitches required for the period up to 2022/23.
The examination process continue until the Inspector issues his report, and if this concludes that the plan is sound, it will be adopted by the council.