South Cambridgeshire District Council - Accommodation Needs Assessment of

The following group of local authorities (hereinafter referred to as “the Councils”) wish to commission jointly a new Accommodation Needs Assessment for those living or needing to live in caravans and houseboats , including (although not restricted to) Gypsies, Travellers, Travelling Showmen and Bargee Travellers.

• Cambridge City Council (Cambridgeshire)
• East Cambridgeshire District Council (Cambridgeshire)
• Fenland District Council (Cambridgeshire)
• Huntingdonshire District Council (Cambridgeshire)
• Borough Council of King’s Lynn & West Norfolk (Norfolk)
• Peterborough City Council (unitary authority)
• South Cambridgeshire District Council (Cambridgeshire)
• West Suffolk District Council (Suffolk)

1.2 For the purposes of this tender, the needs assessment should meet the provisions set out in Section 8 of the Housing Act (1985, as amended) that requires local housing authorities to consider the needs of people residing in or resorting to their district with respect to sites on which caravans can be stationed, or places on inland waterways where houseboats can be moored. The assessment must be undertaken so as to meet the requirements of national policy, including the National Planning Policy Framework 2019 and Planning Policy for traveller sites, August 2015; all relevant national guidance, including the draft guidance to local housing authorities on the periodical review of housing needs – caravans and houseboats, March 2016; and best practice or guidance, such as the publication by the National Bargee Travellers Association – ‘Best practice guide for boat dweller accommodation needs assessments’, March 2019.

1.3 The Study must provide a robust assessment to inform policy development in housing and planning and will also form an integral part of the evidence base to underpin individual Local Plans. The assessment should set out clearly it’s methodology and give a clear analysis of the accommodation needs for those that have a need to live in a caravan or houseboat whatever their race or origin. It should include, but not restricted to, bargees, Romany Gypsies, Irish and Scottish Travellers, new-age travellers and travelling showmen. The assessment should be broken down for each local authority area for the following groups:
• Gypsies & Travellers who currently meet the planning policy definition for Gypsies and Travellers
• Gypsies & Travellers who do not meet the planning policy definition.
• Travelling Showmen
• All other caravan dwellers, including those living in mobile home parks and others
• Houseboat dwellers, including Bargee Travellers and others

20. This contract is to undertake the assignment until successful completion, estimated as four months. In addition the Councils reserve the right to extend the contract as necessary up to an additional four years to cover additional work, see para 7.3 for further details.