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Travellers: Caravan Sites

Asked by Paul HolmesConservativeMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled Answered 20 January 2026UIN 105386

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 17 November 2025 to Question 88278 on Travellers: Caravan Sites, whether his Department has made an assessment of the effectiveness of Temporary Stop Notices in preventing unauthorised development or encampments by travellers.

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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