Tories warn Labour is “making it easier for travellers to set up illegal sites”.
Housing Secretary Angela Rayner. (Image: PA)
Labour has been accused of watering down planning rules to make it easier for more “illegal” traveller sites. Housing Secretary Angela Rayner has removed two rules that councils have used to oppose unauthorised camps.
Ms Rayner made the changes as part of a planning overhaul aimed at speeding up homebuilding, which also paves the way for more development of the green belt.
Under the previous rules, councils could consider “potential environmental damage caused by unauthorised encampments” when assessing applications.
They also stated that sites should only be approved if they “provide a settled base that limits the need for long-distance travelling”. But the requirements have been removed in the new guidance.
Tory Shadow Housing Secretary Sir James Cleverly said: “Communities across the country are being forced to tolerate lawbreaking from a small minority of travellers.
“But instead of siding with those who play by the rules, Labour are making it easier for travellers to set up illegal sites and get them rubber-stamped afterwards – often when they’ve already erected permanent structures.
“Andy Burnham talks about devolution, but once again, he is stopping councils from making their own decisions about what’s best for their areas.
“Instead of this soft-touch approach to traveller criminality, the Conservatives will take the robust action needed to ensure equal treatment across the board.
“With the freedoms we gain from leaving the European Convention on Human Rights, we will crack down on unauthorised sites, end the two-tier system where travellers get special treatment, and stand up for local residents abandoned by Burnham.”
It comes as the Conservatives have pledged for a crackdown on “illegal” traveller sites if the party wins power.
A Labour spokesman said: “The Tories left our planning system in a mess. Not only has this Labour Government put in place incredibly strong safeguards for developments in the green belt, our planning changes have strengthened national policy on intentional unauthorised development.”