Almost 3,000 caravans were counted on unauthorised sites across England this year - as campaigners fight to increase site provision for Gypsy and Traveller people. Figures from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities show that in January, 515 caravans were on land not owned by Travellers, and another 2,377 were on sites that they did own - but did not have planning permission for.
That is 32 more than were counted on all unauthorised sites during the same period in 2020. In total, including on authorised sites, there were 24,371 caravans reported on the count date of January 2022 - 658 (3%) more than there were counted in January 2020.
That increase has largely been driven by a rise in the number of private caravans with permanent planning permission, which resulted in an increase in authorised caravans despite a drop in the number of socially rented ones. Some 14,786 caravans were counted on authorised privately-run sites, a 6% increase from 13,983 in January 2020.
