Milton Keynes Council to debate building new £4.8m 'gypsy and traveller' site

    Local councillors in Milton Keynes are set to debate proposals for a new £4.8m 'gypsy and traveller' site at a meeting this week.

    The two new proposed possible sites are located in Newton Leys and near the Bottle Dump Roundabout in Milton Keynes.

    One or more new sites would provide an additional 24 additional places plus 8 transit pitches, and would be estimated to cost around £4.8m.

    Meanwhile, the cost of the surveys and fees necessary to take all the proposed options through to planning consent are estimated at £0.7m.

    Council officials have said that most of the 203 unauthorised encampments in our area during 2018 involved the same eight groups who had been moved on from a different site in Milton Keynes by the landowner.

    They say that the provision of a transit site, where people would be allowed to stay for up to four weeks, would allow the police to direct unauthorised encampments to either temporary suitable pitches in Milton Keynes which are safe and secure or to leave Milton Keynes.

    Any group refusing to leave when directed by police under the order, or that return to any site within the same local authority area within 3 months of being directed to move to a transit site, would be committing a criminal offence.

    Council officials have said that: "The Council has duties in respect of all residents of the borough to ensure that their rights as citizens are protected. The Council respects the needs of all groups and takes all decisions in line with article 8 of the Human Rights Act and further, in consideration of the Equality Duty placed on public bodies by the Equality Act 2010."

    The proposals will be debated on Tuesday night at 6.30pm in the Milton Keynes Council Chamber.

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