Angela Rayner, the Housing Secretary, has been accused by the Conservative Party of creating a 'two-tier' planning system that favours traveller communities. Shadow housing secretary James Cleverly said the Labour Government is "being dishonest with the public" over changes to planning rules.
Claims of special treatment
Mr Cleverly told Ms Rayner: "You are creating a two-tier planning system, where special treatment is given to certain groups due to human rights and equality laws." He claimed the planning system was being "stacked against law-abiding residents who believe in fair play and follow the rules, in favour of sprawling traveller caravan development on precious green spaces."
Under new plans announced by the Government, it has been reported that hundreds of new sites could be opened to facilitate traveller camps. In a letter to Ms Rayner, Mr Cleverly reminded ministers that civil servants "must not 'knowingly mislead' and must set out facts 'truthfully'." He added: "Your department should not be using taxpayer-funded resources to peddle untrue statements about the actions of the Labour Government."
Government response
Ms Rayner said Mr Cleverly is "scaremongering" and "spreading fake news designed to stir up tensions in local communities", but she did not comment on the specific claims made in the letter. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) insisted there has been no weakening of the rules around traveller sites, and that it is "misleading" to suggest otherwise.
Conservatives argue that the Government's National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) has revoked a number of policies introduced by the previous Conservative government that restrict traveller sites. These include instructions to local planning authorities to "strictly limit new traveller site development in open countryside" and the assertion that sites should not "dominate the nearest settled community" in rural areas.
Policy changes and rebuttal
They also say references to limiting environmental damage from traveller sites have been removed, as well as the position that traveller sites in the green belt are an "inappropriate development". Mr Cleverly accused the Government of reinstating rules originally imposed by John Prescott, a former Labour Local Government Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister.
An MHCLG spokesperson said: "The Government is cracking down on illegal traveller sites and it is completely misleading to suggest otherwise. Our new planning rules explicitly tackle any potential environmental damage and transport impacts, and make it harder for people to get retrospective permission for development that were built without approval. We’re also building the homes the country needs while ensuring Green Belt land is strongly safeguarded."
