October 2026: The London Plan Must Work for Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller Communities

The Traveller Movement has submitted its response to the Mayor of London’s consultation on the Draft London Plan 2026, the document that will shape housing, infrastructure, economic development and public services across the capital until 2047. The Plan represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to address the longstanding inequalities experienced by Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller communities in London.

While we welcome the inclusion of Gypsy and Traveller accommodation within the draft Plan and recognise several positive steps forward, we believe stronger action is needed if the Plan is to deliver meaningful change. As our consultation response makes clear, policies alone are not enough. Success will be measured by whether new pitches are delivered, health inequalities are reduced, and communities gain greater access to housing, employment and public services.

A Housing Crisis Hidden in Plain Sight

One of our principal concerns relates to the evidence underpinning the Plan’s proposed pitch targets. The current targets are based on the London Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Needs Assessment (GTANA), which many community organisations and sector experts have challenged on methodological grounds. Our own research has identified significant discrepancies between local need and the figures contained within the GTANA.

We are therefore calling for a new, co-produced assessment of accommodation need, developed with meaningful community involvement and supported by improved monitoring arrangements. We believe the current targets should be treated as minimum starting points rather than definitive measures of need.

The consultation response also argues that the Plan should provide stronger protection against the loss of existing sites, ensure replacement pitches are available before families are displaced, and promote the inclusion of pitches within larger residential developments and regeneration schemes. These approaches have worked elsewhere and can help create sustainable, inclusive communities across London.

Environmental Justice Matters

Too often, Gypsy and Traveller sites are located in areas affected by poor air quality, noise pollution and other environmental hazards. The Traveller Movement believes that any expansion or intensification of existing sites must take account of environmental health and safety considerations. Where sites are unsuitable, remediation or relocation should be prioritised before additional pitches are developed.

No community should be expected to accept substandard living conditions simply because accommodation is in short supply. Environmental justice must be central to London’s future planning strategy.

Health Inequalities Cannot Be Tackled Without Data

The Draft London Plan rightly highlights the importance of reducing health inequalities. However, our recent pan-London research found that only around half of surveyed boroughs had undertaken Gypsy and Traveller Health Needs Assessments, while only half were collecting sufficiently detailed ethnicity data to make Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller communities visible within local health systems.

Without accurate data, communities remain invisible in policy making, service planning and investment decisions.

For this reason, we are calling for boroughs to undertake dedicated Health Needs Assessments and improve the collection and disaggregation of ethnicity data. Better data will help public bodies understand need, target resources effectively and reduce longstanding health inequalities.

Economic Inclusion Must Be Part of London’s Future

The Traveller Movement is also urging the Mayor to place greater emphasis on the economic inclusion of Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller communities. Despite experiencing some of the lowest rates of economic participation and some of the highest levels of educational exclusion in the country, these communities are largely absent from the Plan’s employment and skills proposals.

We are recommending that the London Plan explicitly reference Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller communities within employment and skills strategies, including targeted apprenticeships, pre-employment support, liaison officers and initiatives that recognise the importance of self-employment and the Traveller economy.

Turning Commitments into Action

Our response highlights a simple truth: progress depends on delivery. The Mayor and London boroughs need clear accountability mechanisms, stronger monitoring and practical delivery tools to ensure commitments translate into real-world outcomes. We have therefore recommended new performance indicators, stronger monitoring arrangements and greater use of planning powers and funding mechanisms to support pitch delivery and inclusion.

London has an opportunity to become a national leader in planning for Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller communities. By strengthening the Draft London Plan, the capital can help tackle housing shortages, improve health outcomes, increase economic participation and ensure that these communities are fully included in London’s future.

The Traveller Movement stands ready to work with the Greater London Authority, London boroughs and community partners to ensure that the final London Plan delivers meaningful and lasting change.

You can read our full consultation response here.