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Travellers: Caravan Sites

Asked by Sir James CleverlyConservativeMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled Answered 20 January 2026UIN 105218

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 21 November 2025, to Question 88641, on Stop Notices, and to the answer of 20 November 2025, to Question 89449, on Planning: Enforcement, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of amending guidance to facilitate the use of Temporary Stop Notices by local authorities against unauthorised traveller sites.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook

My Department has no current plans to amend the guidance on temporary stop notices.

The criteria for issuing a temporary stop notice, namely that the local planning authority thinks there has been a breach of planning control and that it is expedient for it to be stopped immediately, are set out in legislation. The changes made to the National Planning Policy Framework on 12 December 2024 do not affect this.

We have not made an assessment of the effectiveness of temporary stop notices in preventing unauthorised development by travellers.

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