Northview Caravan Site
Redbridge was one of the first London boroughs to provide a permanent caravan site for members of the Gypsy and Traveller community. The North View Caravan Site located in Forest Road, Hainault has been home to members of the Gypsy and Traveller community since the late 1960s.
The site is currently managed by the Council’s Housing Department with one of the local residents acting as warden. In 2004, North View was refurbished, there are now 17 pitches and all of the families have their own brick built sheds containing a bathroom, washing and cooking facilities
We aim to support and enable communities that are balanced, safe, inclusive and sustainable, whilst encouraging community cohesion. Our traveller sites are specifically designed to meet the needs of the local gypsy and traveller community. Therefore applicants must be a Roma, gypsy or traveller, either by ethnic group or by legal definition.
The Council has a waiting list to achieve a balance between meeting accommodation needs, managing resources and fostering an acceptable quality of life on sites in accordance with our allocation procedures and the Mobile Homes Act 1983. The Council’s Gypsy and Traveller Site Policy provides the principles for allocating these pitches in a fair and transparent manner, which includes the Council’s duty to take account of housing need whilst ensuring that the effective management of a site is fair.
Redbridge will keep a housing register for gypsy and traveller’s sites run by the Council. This register will help to inform the level of housing need for traveller’s pitches and inform future provision.
You can apply to join the register if you meet the definition of a gypsy or traveller and are assessed as eligible and meeting our qualification criteria. You can apply online on the Council’s website or you can complete an application form available from Lynton House.
In 2016, Redbridge Council carried out a Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment which provided a robust assessment of current and future accommodation needs of the Gypsy and Traveller community in Redbridge. This reflects the Council’s long term commitment to allocate proportionate and adequate resources to establish suitable sites across the Borough. The Council has committed to the continued maintenance and enlargement of the North View Caravan Site to provide up to seven additional pitches to meet identified need.
Where possible, Redbridge Council will continue to engage with persons and groups associated with the Gypsy and Traveller community in order to capture their thoughts and ideas on improving services within the Borough.
Gypsy and traveller site policy (PDF 507KB)
Gypsy and traveller assessment (PDF 1MB)
