Details of a bid to establish an authorised Travellers’ camp in rural Perthshire could be unveiled soon.
Perth and Kinross Council wants to set up a dedicated halting site for Gypsy and Traveller convoys.
Officers believe the move will help accommodate the families which visit the area each year, while helping to reduce the number of illegal camps which crop up across the region.
The local authority set up a site development group to assess potential locations.
Housing and health committee convener Dave Dougan said the team is close to selecting a spot, a long-list of 45 locations whittled down to “single figures.”
A new report on the project is expected to be brought before councillors in the coming weeks. The council is currently responsible for two Traveller sites, providing a total of 27 units of chalet-style accommodation.
Both sites Double Dykes near the River Almond and Bobbin Mill near Pitlochry have been upgraded in recent years with the help of funding from the Scottish Government.
The search for a new site is part of the council’s new Gypsy/Traveller strategy, which was approved last year.
The report aims to break down barriers and looking at ways of meeting the needs of the Travelling community. The strategy has involved teaching pupils about racism towards Travellers and challenging stereotypical views, such as those formed from TV shows like My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding.
In December contentious plans for a small-scale Travellers’ park in rural Kinross were rejected by councillors after scores of objections from neighbours. The retrospective proposal had initially won backing from planners, who argued it fitted with their adopted vision for the area.
The project was kicked out by members of the council’s development management committee, however, after they heard the site had a history of nuisance problems.