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Local authorities, ALMOs and RSLs who wish to provide social rented sites for Gypsies and Travellers, New Age Travellers and Travelling Show People can now bid for a share of £32million funding from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA).

The national housing and regeneration agency has opened the bidding round for the Gypsy and Traveller Site Grant 2010/2011 and will publish new guidance at www.homesandcommunities.co.uk/gypsies_travellers to help bidders apply for funding.  This document and the relevant application forms have been updated to reflect experience gained in the bidding round for 2009/2010.

Robert Napier, chairman of the Homes and Communities Agency said: "Helping to ensure that more people have a roof over their heads is a commitment the agency takes very seriously. This bidding round will see more of the Gypsy and Traveller population housed in decent accommodation on authorised sites with access to amenities and facilities, leading to an enhanced quality of life."

Details of the programme and bidding timetable, plus instructions for completing bids and next steps in the process are set out in the guidance.

The provision of sites and their delivery is part of the agency’s Single Conversation – its model for working with public and private partners to deliver local priorities. The 2009/2010 allocations have now been made and details can be found on the HCA website at www.homesandcommunities.co.uk/gypsies_travellers.  The closing date for the 2010/2011 bidding round is 4pm on 30 April 2010. 

For further media information: Gemma Thompson, HCA press office on 020 7881 1054

Note to editors:

The Homes and Communities Agency is responsible for the Gypsy and Traveller Site Grant that will fund new social rented sites as well as help pay for the refurbishment of existing social rented sites. Our 2010/2011 bidding round has now begun and full details are contained within the guidance prospectus.

Some important areas of our work include:

• increasing the supply of accommodation;
  promoting community cohesion;
• improving the quality of accommodation, and ensuring it is sustainable;
• supporting organisations such as local authorities and Registered Social Landlords, and tackling barriers to delivery;
• encouraging innovative approaches to site provision, and
• supporting skill development, to improve the development and management of sites.

The Homes and Communities Agency
The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) is the single, national housing and regeneration delivery agency for England.  Our role is to create opportunity for people to live in high quality, sustainable places. We provide funding for affordable housing, bring land back into productive use and improve quality of life by raising standards for the physical and social environment.