'Lack of uniformity' in how local authorities address accommodation needs of Traveller community
The OPR has said that officials of local authority housing and planning departments must "to work together in an integrated manner through their respective TAP and development plan processes." File Picture
The State’s independent oversight body for planning has said there has been "a lack of uniformity" in the way local authorities meet the accommodation needs of the Traveller community.
In a new report, the Office of the Planning Regulator (OPR) has called on local housing and planning departments to use city and county development plans, currently being drafted around the country, to address issues associated with the provision of Traveller-specific accommodation.
The OPR's report titled surveyed existing local authority development plans and Traveller Accommodation Programmes (TAPs), which local authorities must publish every five years.
The Regulator said the purpose of the report was "to address knowledge gaps and to provide support for local authorities in performing their duties and to highlight best practice to foster shared learning".
The report found that all development plans it examined included general policy statements relating to Traveller accommodation and that 94% had specific listed policies and objectives in their development plans.
However, only a small number of the plans included detailed maps to identify Traveller-specific accommodation.
The report's authors believe that there is now an opportunity for the next generation of development plans to "improve alignment with the local authorities' TAPs.
For this to be successful, the OPR said officials of local authority housing and planning departments must "to work together in an integrated manner through their respective TAP and development plan processes".
"Local authority development plans play a crucial role in the process of identifying and facilitating the delivery of Traveller accommodation. This case study paper highlights some of the good practice which already exists.
"However, it also finds a lack of uniformity in approach," said Planning Regulator, Niall Cussen.
"By implementing the examples in the case study paper and using the good practice checklist, planning authorities will be better able to facilitate the provision of Traveller accommodation."
Mr Cussen said initiatives such as mapping Traveller-specific accommodation, which only a small number of authorities included in their plans, were important to give the public and other stakeholders, "the opportunity to input their opinion on any proposed locations."
"This will help to avoid any issues which might arise later in the planning process," he said.
As part of its role in assessing development plans for adherence to national and regional planning guidelines, the OPR can make recommendations and observations to local authorities, which Mr Cussen said the OPR would do if it found that any local authority had "not fully fulfilled their obligations".
"With almost all local authorities currently producing new development plans, this is an ideal opportunity to incorporate best practice and help facilitate the delivery of Traveller accommodation," he added.
- The report can be read in full on the OPR's website.
