More gipsy and traveller sites will be required in Three Rivers, according to a council leader.

Three Rivers District Council has come under fire after a planning inspector said the authority did not have a five year supply of traveller sites and a government document said this "caused interference with the families’ right to a home and a private and family life".

Secretary of State Eric Pickles threw out a controversial plan to create a 12-caravan traveller site in Green Acres, Oxhey Lane, Carpenders Park on Thursday, November 20.

Mr Pickles took over the case because it involves proposals for a gipsy and traveller site in the Greenbelt and overruled the inspector, citing concerns over the effect on the Green Belt and the potential effect on the appearance and character of the area.

However, the decision notice said: "The Secretary of State agrees there is unmet need for gypsy and traveller sites in the district and the council’s emerging plan would not meet this need in full.

"The Secretary of State agrees that there is no five year supply of gypsy and traveller sites in the district.

"He also agrees that the council has failed to facilitate the gipsy way of life and thus caused interference with the families’ right to a home and a private and family life."

But Councillor Ann Shaw, leader of Three Rivers District Council said the council is reviewing its policy on the number of traveller sites in the district after a consultation which finished on Sunday, November 14.

She said: "It will not make a significant difference [to the number of the sites], because we will not have to find a significant amount of sites.

"We have a number of temporary sites and one of the things we will be looking at is making them permanent sites."

The representative for Chorleywood South and Maple Cross added that once the current plans are approved by the government, the authority will have to start looking for more sites.

Councillor Shaw added: "We have to start looking at it again because the figure goes up for future years.

"It is not the end of the matter. It is like any of the planning policies, we review them, we submit a new document, we hope it gets accepted, then we go through it again.

"Unless there is a very significant change in Government policy, they are not going to tell us to reduce the number of sites. 

"I think we all assume that over the years, more sites will be required."

There are existing traveller sites in Bedmond Road, Bedmond, Fir Trees, Dawes Lane, Sarratt and three sites in Uxbridge Road, Mill End and two sites in Toms Lane, and Langleybury have been identified as possible permanent sites after they have been used as temporary sites. 

The appeal judge said that the council has not met its duties under the Housing Act 2004 and is in breach of the Equality Act 2010. 

Government guidelines say that housing authorities, when undertaking a review of housing needs, should consider the accommodation provision for gypsies.