Nearly 80 new pitches for travellers could be created on 17 sites in South Gloucestershire as the district tries to meet Government demands for more accommodation.

A total of 53 new residential and 25 transit pitches have to be provided by 2011 on top of the sites already in use.

South Gloucestershire Council hopes to find room for some of the extra pitches by intensifying the use of existing camps.

But new land is also being considered – some areas near current sites and some in completely new locations.

The authority already has two official sites: in Highwood Lane, Patchway, and in Old Gloucester Road, Winterbourne.

There are also a number of privately owned sites throughout the district and traveller families living on them have suggested ways of meeting the target figure.

All English councils are under pressure to assess accommodation needs for Gipsies and tell the Government how they intend to meet them.

South Gloucestershire has been directed to prepare a new plan to allocate sites as a matter of urgency. An independent report last year also recommended more sites in the district.

The council is aware the provision of new pitches is likely to be controversial and its ruling Cabinet will meet next week to consider potential sites.

But it stressed no decision had been taken on those identified so far.

Sites being considered for an intensification of use are those in: Bank Road, Pilning; Bristol Road, Frampton Cotterell; Henfield Road, Coalpit Heath; Gloucester Road, Almondsbury; Berwick Lane, Easter Compton; Badminton Road, Nibley, near Yate, and two in Westerleigh Road, Westerleigh.

Sites close to existing camps are in Bank Road, Pilning, and next to Northwood Park, Winterbourne, directly north of the council- owned site in Old Gloucester Road.

New locations are in: Hall End Lane, between Wickwar and Rangeworthy; Wyckbeck Road, Patchway; Kendall Close, Yate, between the Badminton and Westerleigh business parks. Being considered solely for transit camps are: land next to the service station at Sandy Lane, Aust; Curtis Lane, Stoke Gifford; Nothwick Road, Pilning, and east of Mulgrove Farm, near Old Gloucester Road, Winterbourne.

The council now plans to consult about the proposed locations and any alternatives.

That is likely to start in November and run to the end of the year.

Sites going forward will be subject to the usual planning process.

Peter Jackson, director of planning, transport and the environment, said: "We don't have the option of not providing additional sites, as we have been required by a Government direction and a legal ruling to carry out this work.

"There is a danger that failure to follow these requirements may well lead to the Government taking over the council's local planning powers and imposing sites without consulting local people."

He said having a plan in place would also give the council greater powers to take action against illegal camps and refuse applications for sites in inappropriate areas.