Mayor Proposes 73 New Traveller Pitches for Havering 2026

Key Points

• The Mayor of London’s Draft London Plan proposes a minimum target of 73 additional permanent Gypsy and Traveller pitches for the London Borough of Havering between 2027/28 and 2036/37.
• Havering’s proposed allocation is the second-highest in the capital, trailing only Bromley, which has a proposed target of 77 pitches.
• The figure represents a planning target rather than approved developments; no specific sites or locations have been allocated or approved.
• An alternative assessment using Havering’s existing local evidence calculates a target of 58 pitches, though the Draft London Plan currently proposes the higher figure of 73.
• The Draft London Plan does not mandate the use of Green Belt land for the pitches, requiring future proposals to undergo standard planning procedures.
• The Greater London Authority (GLA) assessment noted 107 caravans on unauthorised developments in Havering in 2022, alongside five authorised Travelling Showpeople plots.

Havering (East London Times) August 19, 2026 – The London Borough of Havering could be required to plan for 73 additional permanent Gypsy and Traveller pitches over the next decade following proposals published in the Mayor of London’s Draft London Plan. The proposed minimum target, which covers the period from 2027/28 to 2036/37, places Havering among the local authorities facing the largest allocations in the capital. However, planning experts emphasize that the figure constitutes a strategic planning target rather than approved developments, with no specific locations currently identified or granted planning permission.

Why Has the Mayor of London Proposed 73 Pitches for Havering?

The strategic proposal stems from the Greater London Authority’s (GLA) London Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Needs Assessment. The capital-wide study identified a broad accommodation shortfall across London, calculating a total requirement of 876 additional permanent Gypsy and Traveller pitches between 2022/23 and 2031/32. The GLA introduced borough-specific targets to address identified accommodation needs and to rectify historically slow delivery of permanent sites across the city.

For Havering, the GLA’s assessment calculated a overall requirement of 73 pitches, split into 45 pitches during the initial five-year period and 28 during the subsequent period. The assessment noted that accommodation demand across London is driven by factors including overcrowding, new household formation, and households currently residing in bricks-and-mortar housing who maintain a cultural preference for pitch accommodation.

How Does Havering’s Target Compare to Other London Boroughs?

Havering’s proposed minimum target of 73 pitches is the second-highest across all London boroughs. Only the London Borough of Bromley has been assigned a higher target, standing at 77 pitches.

The targets proposed across the highest-allocated London boroughs include:

• Bromley: 77 pitches
• Havering: 73 pitches
• Brent: 55 pitches
• Greenwich: 53 pitches
• Kingston upon Thames: 52 pitches
• Hillingdon: 49 pitches

The GLA assessment also presented an alternative calculation for Havering. Because Havering is one of six London boroughs where existing local Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Needs Assessment and Local Plan evidence was incorporated, the local data alone yields a requirement of 58 pitches. The GLA’s published documentation records Havering’s figure as 73 pitches — or 58 using the borough’s existing local evidence — though the Draft London Plan proposes 73 as the formal minimum target.

Where Could the Proposed Pitches Be Located?

No published list of 73 individual sites exists within the Draft London Plan. Strategic policy guidelines within the draft document outline several avenues local authorities should explore when identifying potential accommodation capacity.

The policy directs boroughs to evaluate:

• Capacity within or directly adjacent to existing authorized sites.
• Suitable temporary sites that possess potential for permanent planning consent.
• Opportunities to incorporate pitches within large-scale residential or mixed-use developments.
• Options to refurbish or expand existing site provision.

Planning targets refer to individual accommodation units (pitches) rather than separate geographical developments. A single site can accommodate multiple pitches, meaning the requirement would not necessitate 73 individual locations across the borough.

Will Green Belt Land Be Used for the New Pitches?

The Draft London Plan does not designate or allocate Green Belt land in Havering for the 73 proposed pitches. While Havering contains a substantial amount of Green Belt land, any future site identification would remain subject to standard statutory planning procedures.

Any specific proposals brought forward by the local authority or private developers must be formally assessed against national planning policy, the London Plan, and local development policies. The establishment of a strategic target does not grant automatic planning permission or bypass existing statutory protections for protected land.

What Is Havering’s Existing Provision and Unauthorised Development Status?

Data from the GLA’s underlying assessment highlighted existing accommodation patterns within the borough. During the 2022 assessment baseline, Havering recorded 107 caravans on unauthorised developments, representing one of the highest numbers recorded among London boroughs at that time.

The baseline study also recorded 32 caravans on unauthorised developments in Havering when evaluating regional transit provision needs. Across the capital, the assessment identified a total London-wide requirement for 87 transit pitches. Furthermore, the assessment documented five authorised Travelling Showpeople plots in Havering. Regional needs for Travelling Showpeople remain separate from the 73 permanent Gypsy and Traveller pitch target.

Background of This Development

Strategic planning in Greater London is governed by the London Plan, a spatial development strategy published by the Mayor of London that sets out an overarching framework for housing, infrastructure, and land use across the 32 London boroughs and the City of London. Local planning authorities are legally required to ensure their individual Local Plans are in general conformity with the London Plan.

Historically, the provision of dedicated accommodation for Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities has been managed through local accommodation assessments conducted by individual councils. However, inconsistent delivery and persistent regional shortfalls led the Greater London Authority to undertake a unified London-wide assessment to establish standardized minimum targets across all boroughs. The publication of the Draft London Plan initiates a formal statutory procedure involving public consultation, technical revisions, and an independent Examination in Public before any proposed targets receive final mayoral adoption and legal effect.

Future Impact and Predictions

If adopted in its current form, the proposed target of 73 pitches will require the London Borough of Havering to integrate these accommodation targets into its formal local planning documents and land-use strategies.

Impact on Local Planning Authorities and Infrastructure

Havering Council will need to conduct local call-for-sites exercises and site allocations assessments to identify suitable land capable of meeting the target between 2027 and 2037. Council planners will have to evaluate whether existing authorized sites can be expanded or intensified, or whether negotiations with developers will be required to secure pitch allocations within major new housing developments. Failure to identify a viable five-year supply of specific deliverable sites could leave the borough vulnerable to unplanned speculative planning applications.

Impact on Local Residents and Landowners

Local landowners and residential developers may face updated planning requirements compelling the inclusion of pitch provisions within large-scale urban extensions or residential masterplans. For local residents, the site identification process will involve formal public consultations as part of the council’s Local Plan update. The debate regarding land selection is likely to focus heavily on balancing infrastructure capacity, sustainable access to local services, and the preservation of Havering’s designated Green Belt boundaries.