CHORLEY Council is considering challenging an assessment that has recommended it needs to double its pitches for travellers within the borough.

The Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople’s Accommodation Assessment (GVAA) initially reported back to the council in January of last year and said five permanent pitches for travellers were needed.

However the planning inspectorate asked Arc4, who had been commissioned by Chorley, Preston and South Ribble Councils to come up with the GVAA for Central Lancashire, to look again at the issue, suggesting the number of pitches may have been underestimated.

Now the report has returned to the council and told them it actually needs to provide 11 permanent pitches to accommodate the needs of travellers over the next decade.

However the council believes a decision by the government to consult on changes to planning policy and guidance in relation to travellers could make that figure redundant.

Gary Hall, chief executive of Chorley Council, said: “There may be an argument to state that given the governments intentions, the existing guidance is out of date and no longer fit for purpose, which makes the figures that have been arrived at potentially open to challenge.

“There could also be merit in exploring whether there are local circumstances that could influence the final figure of need in Chorley.

“It is therefore intended to take a report to Council on July 21 recommending that further work be undertaken by officers to ascertain when the government’s revised guidance on travellers is likely to be issued and to explore the issue of ‘local circumstances’ that may apply to Chorley Borough.”

The council believe the figure has been arrived at due to the Linfoot family that have set up camp in Hut Lane, Heath Charnock, since 2009.

Michael Linfoot has applied for planning permission to keep two mobile homes and five touring caravans in Hut Lane for a further four years.

A decision on that application will be made later this year.