Since 2020, LASplanning have been pleased to represent a client who sought to provide for his extended family as members of the Gypsy/Traveller community.
The decision now by Aberdeenshire Council to approve the site in line with the recommendation of the Council Planning Authority report, is welcomed; not least as this is understood to be the first such approval of this nature within the Council area in recent years.
In doing so Aberdeenshire Council and the planning officer/s responsible for the case have recognised the distinct and specific needs of the Gypsy/Traveller community in addition to accepting that appropriate sites for such development can help to ensure diverse communities and to meet unmet demand.
Of particular note is the following extract from the Council Committee Report which states;
“… The Council will also continue to seek the provision of alternative permanent sites for the use of the Gypsy/Traveller community in appropriate locations through its Site Provision Strategy and allocation in the Local Development Plan….” (Paragraph 7.3, Aberdeenshire Council Committee Report, 18 November 2021)
LASplanning therefore look forward to monitoring across the Council area how the future needs of the Gypsy/Traveller community are met and stand ready to assist the Council or other interested parties in progressing related proposals or those which may now follow.
The services provided by LASplanning were those of professional Chartered Town Planning consultancy delivered and co-ordinated by practice principal Lorna Sim.
You read this project’s full case study here.