Planning permission has been submitted this month for a new traveller site located just north of the A371 in Axbridge. If approved, the site will provide a family pitch accommodating three caravans specifically for the traveller community.
In the application to Somerset County Council, the applicant highlighted longstanding challenges faced by travellers: “Since 2011, spanning over a decade, the council has consistently failed to meet the identified accommodation needs for the Gypsy and Traveller population.”
The statement criticized the council’s lack of updated assessments: “There has been a failure to refresh the Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment (GTAA) to reflect current and accurate needs, which constitutes a failure of policy.”
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It further pointed out the scarcity of suitable sites: “The ongoing shortage of both transit and permanent pitch provision locally and nationally, coupled with persistent hostility towards Gypsies and Travellers, leaves many with limited housing options.”
The term “travelling community” can include groups such as Irish Travellers and Roma people. According to the 2021 Census, around 71,000 individuals in England and Wales (roughly 1 in 1,000) identified as Gypsy or Irish Traveller. Additionally, about 100,000 people identified as Roma, making up around 0.2% of the population.
Both groups frequently face prejudice and social challenges, including disadvantages in health and education. The term “Gypsy” is considered neutral in the census and is used by some within the community, although others find it offensive.