Gypsy and Traveller Local Plan Review

The Council is currently consulting on the ‘Draft Gypsy and Traveller Local Plan Sites and Policies – Proposed Submission’ document. The consultation closes at 23:59 on 18 August 2026.

The Islington Local Plan sets out a vision and framework to guide how future development in the borough is managed to ensure housing, employment and other needs are met. As part of this, the Council must make sure the accommodation needs of Gypsies and Travellers are met. To do this, a focused review of the Local Plan began in March 2024.

Draft Gypsy and Traveller Local Plan Sites and Policies – Proposed Submission consultation (Regulation 19)

The document includes policies and site proposals to accommodate between 9 to 12 pitches for Islington’s Gypsy and Traveller community. Gypsy and Traveller residents have been part of Islington’s diverse communities for generations. There are currently no sites with pitches for caravans in the borough. For many Gypsies and Travellers, living in a caravan is an essential part of their ethnic identity and social and cultural heritage. The proposals seek to meet the need for permanent residential sites for Gypsy and Traveller residents who already live in conventional housing in Islington.

What is the purpose of this consultation?

This consultation gives people a chance to share their views on the ‘Draft Gypsy and Traveller Local Plan Sites and Policies - Proposed Submission’ document. This is the final stage of consultation before the Plan is submitted for examination by independent Planning Inspectors.

Islington Council previously consulted on plans to meet the need for Gypsy and Traveller accommodation between December 2025 – January 2026.

Some changes have been made to the plans since the previous consultation. Two of the sites proposed at the previous stage, Stephen’s Ink Estate and Pleasant Place Gardens, have been removed from the Plan. For two of the proposed sites, Aubert Court Estate and Ronalds Road, there are now additional site layout options that can accommodate up to three pitches. Further evidence is also available on trees and ecology, site access, parking pressure and heritage for the relevant sites. Please see the supporting document: Gypsy and Traveller Local Plan Review: Topic paper for a summary of the results of this evidence and a summary of the site selection process.

What is included in this consultation?

This consultation includes the ‘Draft Gypsy and Traveller Local Plan Sites and Policies – Proposed Submission’ and the supporting evidence documents which can be downloaded from the ‘Documents’ section.

Is there any further information?

We have prepared a Frequently Asked Questions document available to download from the ‘FAQs’ section. There is also a consultation leaflet for each proposed site. If you require the leaflets in an alternative format, please contact us by email at planningpolicy@islington.gov.uk.

Get Involved

To provide comments on the ‘Draft Gypsy and Traveller Local Plan Sites and Policies - Proposed Submission’ please read the consultation papers in the documents section. Physical copies are available to view at Islington Town Hall, Upper Street, N1 2UD (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm).

There are three ways to respond:

• Complete the online survey below; or
• Email planningpolicy@islington.gov.uk; or
• Respond via post by writing to the following address: Freepost RTXU-ETKU-KECB, Planning Policy, Islington Council 2nd Floor, Town Hall, Upper Street, London, N1 2UD.

Information sessions

We are holding information sessions where you can ask council officers questions and find out more about all the proposed sites. The information sessions will take place at Islington Town Hall on the following dates:

• 16 July 2026, between 6-8pm
• 17 July 2026 , between 12:30-2:30pm
• 22 July 2026, between 6-8pm

To sign up for a 30-minute slot on one of these dates, please register online on the Eventbrite page.

If you do not have digital access, you can register in person at the Islington Town Hall reception (9am-5pm from Monday-Friday). Please note you can only attend one of the information sessions if you have signed up.

Consultation information

The consultation period for feedback on the ‘Draft Gypsy and Traveller Local Plan Sites and Policies -Proposed Submission’ closes at 23:59 on 18 August 2026.

Please note that to be considered, all comments must be made in writing. Representations should focus on whether the Plan is sound and legally compliant. All representations will be made publicly available and will be forwarded to a Planning Inspector when the documents are submitted for independent examination. If you wish to take part in the examination hearings, you must submit a representation to this consultation.

Inappropriate comments that make use of stereotypes and discriminatory language to characterise the Gypsy and Traveller community will be rejected. Please see the anti-racism statement in the documents section for more information

Please note that comments and names of respondents will be made publicly available. Providing your address will help us better understand the specific planning impacts of the proposed site locations. We will remove personal contact information when representations are published. For more information on the basis on which we process, use and store your information, please refer to the council’s privacy policy.

What happens next?

Responses to this consultation will be carefully considered and changes may be made to the Plan. The Plan will be reported to a meeting of the Council’s Executive and then seek approval at Full Council later this year. Following this, the Draft Plan will be submitted for an independent examination by Planning Inspectors by the end of December 2026. The timetable for the examination will be provided by the Planning Inspectorate.