PLANNERS dealing with proposals for gypsy and traveller sites in South Gloucestershire have scooped an award for how they liaised with the public.

South Gloucestershire Council has been honoured for holding workshops and drop-in events, instead of formal public meetings, about where travellers’ sites should be located in the district during a public consultation earlier this year.

The authority was particularly praised for its ‘sensitivity’ and ‘foresight’ in handling the issue in the annual Awards for Community Involvement run by Planning Aid and the Royal Town Planning Institute in the South West. The council was named overall winner in the category of best practice community involvement in a development plan by a local authority or government agency.

Barry Pearce, South West Planning Aid regional manager, said: "The council has displayed an impressive sensitivity and foresight in dealing with the community aspects and the potential risks associated with this difficult issue.

"Planning for gypsy and traveller sites presents all sorts of challenges – including the hard-to-reach nature of travellers, the historically contentious nature of the subject matter, and the propensity for rumour, racial prejudice and misinformation to damage good intentions."

The consultation, however, sparked a huge campaign by residents in Wickwar and Rangeworthy against plans for a 10-pitch travellers’ site on Tanhouse Lane.

The Hall End Action Group said the consultation had been a ‘farce’ and complained that public comments were only accepted for one month. The group has also mounted a legal challenge to try and overturn planning permission, which was granted in June, for five pitches at Homefield, on Hall End Lane.

Residents said the Homefield case set a precedent for travellers’ site applications and that after approving planning permission, the Tanhouse Lane site was a ‘fait accompli’.

Helen Marsden, from Rangeworthy, said: "We were told in the planning meeting on the Homefield site that our objections were immaterial to the planning process so what is the point in the consultation?

"South Gloucestershire Council effectively said they can put travellers’ sites wherever they want to.

"It is quite depressing really."

The consultation was following a Government directive to provide 53 residential pitches and 25 transit sites by 2011.

Lisa Price, principal planning officer with the council, said: "We have endeavoured to be as open and transparent as possible and engage and consult with our communities on this subject to seek their views, which are very important to us."