Preferred Options for Sites
(15)8. Preferred Options for Consultation
Paragraph 2.11 of this document details the requirement for Warwick District to provide sites for 25 pitches within 5 years and a further 6 pitches by 2027.
(18)PO1: Meeting the Requirement for Permanent Pitches
It is the Council’s Preferred Option to meet requirement for 31 pitches (25 by 2017) at the following locations:
GT04 - Land at Harbury Lane/Fosse Way: up to 10 pitches proposedGT12 - Land north of Westham Lane, Barford: up to 8 pitches proposed
GT15 - Land east of Europa Way: up to 5 pitches proposed
GT19 - Land off Birmingham Road, Budbrooke: up to 5 pitches proposed
GTalt01- Brookside Willows, Banbury Road: up to 10 pitches proposed
Justification for PO1 :
Each of these sites has been assessed as suitable (“green” in the site assessment tables). Together they also represent a sustainable pattern of development in that:
- They are either located outside the green belt, or in the case of GT19 the site is previously developed land
- Their locations mean that the developments are located close to existing settlements which can accommodate the relatively small impact on infrastructure in a sustainable way
As the summary tables in section 7 above demonstrate (along with the full site assessments detail on the website), each of these sites has been carefully assessed against the criteria set out in para 6.1 and 6.2 above. The further details of the justification for including these sites are set out in Section 9 below, along with location maps.
There remains a risk that one or more of these sites will not be able to deliver the pitches proposed. For instance, there may be issues regarding:
- Whether existing uses can be suitably relocated to enable the site to be available
- Whether the infrastructure requirements (both on and off site) can be viably delivered
However, the site assessment tables set out in section 7 above show that there are a number of alternative options (see all site classified as green or amber) that are (or could be) suitable and could be considered in these circumstances.
(4)PO2: Meeting the requirement for Transit Pitches
The Council will continue to work with Warwickshire County Council to meet the requirement for transit pitches at temporary stopping places and will support the delivery and effective use of sites within the County
Justification for PO2
The GTAA indicated a need for 9 pitches to be provided on transit sites. It is important that these sites are provided and are used effectively so that Gypsy and Traveller communities who stay for relatively short periods of time on illegal and/or inappropriate sites can be provided with alternative accommodation much more quickly.
The District Council is supporting Warwickshire County Council to provide transitory accommodation on two temporary stopping sites within the County – one in the north and one in the south. The exact location of these sites is still to be finalised, but it is currently anticipated that these sites will be provided outside Warwick District.
(6)PO3: Criteria for assessing sites
Proposals to develop land for use as Gypsy and Traveller Sites will be assessed against the following Criteria:
- Impact on the green belt
- Impact on Landscape character
- Impact on heritage assets and the settings of heritage assets
- Impact on designated areas of nature conservation Flooding issues
- Ability of infrastructure requirements to be adequately met
- Impact on ecology
- Impact of land contamination, noise and other disturbance
- Agricultural land quality
- Impact on visual amenity including the visibility and character of the site and surrounding area
- The potential for the site to be adequately screened
- Access to the road network
- Distance to GP surgeries, schools, dentists, hospitals, shops and community facilities
- Proximity to other residential properties
- Potential for the proposal to utilise previously developed land
- Safe access to and from the site for vehicles and pedestrians
- Site topography
- Suitable size
- Availability of the site (including impact on the existing uses on the site)
- Deliverability of the site and associated infrastructure requirements
Justification for PO3
Section 7 above shows how the sites considered in this document have been assessed against a number of criteria. However, Planning Applications may be submitted to use sites for Gypsy and Traveller accommodation over and above the sites detailed in this document. In the event that this happens, the criteria set out in PO3 will be used to assess those applications.
These criteria are not only consistent with the criteria used to assess sites in this document but are also consistent with the National Policy for Gypsy and Traveller Sites.