Keith Coughtrie is a specialist in Social Welfare and Public Law with particular expertise in relation to the rights of Traveller communities. Keith has acted in some of the leading cases involving Gypsies and Travellers, including a landmark planning case that has changed the planning definition of "Gypsies and Travellers." Keith has represented Gypsies and Travellers for over 15 years, and is trusted by his clients and maintains a formidable reputation. Rhiannon Craft has lived experience of vehicle dwelling and has personal connections a variety of vehicle dwellers and Travellers. She was a Co-Founder of Bristol Vehicles for Change, which supported the rights of vehicle dwellers in Bristol and assisted with the development of meanwhile sites during the pandemic. Rhiannon has now completed her PhD in Sociology, which was an ethnographic study about the lived experience of vehicle dwelling in England and Wales. She intends to become a member of the legal profession to work in this area of law.

In this special Q&A session, Keith and Rhiannon discuss a topic very close to their hearts, Gypsy and Traveller law, providing an update on the latest developments impacting Gypsies, Travellers and other people living in vehicles. They discuss key changes in planning law as well as the mechanics of enforcement processes and defences. They also discuss the wider implications of the application of the law, highlighting the social importance of the legal work being done in this area. Keith ends with a reflection on the work of Dr Keith Lomax, whose work has aided progress in this field.

Key Words/Topics

Planning law

Lisa Smith v Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Communities and Housing [2022] EWCA Civ 1391

Borough wide injunctions

Wolverhampton City Council & Others v London Gypsies and Travellers and Others [2023] UKSC 47

National Planning Policy Framework

"Grey Belt" land

Authorised sites

Unauthorised sites

Local authorities

Boulders and height barriers

Section 77 Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994

Possession proceedings

Existing enforcement measures

Mediation

Committal proceedings

Waverley Borough Council v Anthony Martin Gray [2023] EWHC 670 (KB)

Basildon Borough Council v Saunders & ORSE [2024] EWHC 2954 (KB)

Best interest for children

Nowhere else to live

Personal circumstances

Possibility for planning permission

Welfare checks

Connors V The United Kingdom (66746/01) (2005) 40 EHRR 9