I WOULD like to reassure your readers that the East of England Regional Assembly (EERA) will not make the final decision on the location of gypsy and traveller pitches in North Herts. This decision will be made by local authorities in the development of

I WOULD like to reassure your readers that the East of England Regional Assembly (EERA) will not make the final decision on the location of gypsy and traveller pitches in North Herts.

This decision will be made by local authorities in the development of their own plans, following consultation with their local communities.

The EERA has recently finished the first of two 12-week public consultations to recommend the number, distribution and delivery of additional caravan pitches across the East of England.

During the consultation period, the assembly held eight public meetings around the region for people to put their questions to EERA planning officers and find out more about the accommodation needs of gypsies and travellers in their local area.

The assembly received more than 2,000 responses to the consultation, which have been used by EERA's regional planning panel alongside information from local authorities and independent research to propose that 1,190 additional pitches are needed in the region up until 2011.

The regional planning panel will be meeting on December 12 to recommend how the additional pitches should be distributed in each local council area.

If approved, the assembly will publish a draft planning policy in the spring which will be subject to a further 12-week public consultation and examination in public before it is finally determined by the Government in 2009.

GRAHAM NELSON

Team Leader

Regional Planning and Transportation

East of England Regional Assembly