Object
Gypsy and Traveller Site Options
Representation ID: 55532
Received: 29/07/2013
Respondent: Mr John Fraser
It's the flood compensation area for the Barford bypass and acts as catchment area for runoff. Also contains permanent central pond. Therefore, unsuitable for any form of development and has a significant flood risk. Proximity to Barford bypass would also cause noise disturbance.
Access for large vehicles likely to be unsatisfactory given high speeds and number of serious accidents in the vicinity. In addition, the site is not sustainable in terms of multi modal accessibility. No access to local community facilities (schools, doctors' surgeries etc) on foot (inadequate pedestrian crossing facilities to Barford village) or bike or by bus, placing further pressure on local highways. May also cause undue pressure on local infrastructure and services (would negatively impact on the capacity of Barford St. Peter's School, especially as the village may already have to accommodate 70-90 new dwellings) This is unsustainable and doesn't allow peaceful and integrated co-existence with the local community.
Could not be integrated into the landscape without harming the character of the local area.
Represents an unacceptable loss of farmland and rural employment, potentially rendering the site unviable. In addition cannot meet Rural Area Policies, especially RAPs 1 (New Housing), 6 (New Employment), 10 (Safeguarding Rural Roads) and 15 (Camping and caravan Sites) as development has a material adverse effect on the landscape and will harm the visual amenity.
General Observations
WDC should have identified brownfield sites within the existing urban areas of Kenilworth, Warwick and Leamington for Gypsies and Travellers. These sites would be more suitable and sustainable, and would enable better integration in to the local community. Despite such sites existing, they are all being proposed for redevelopment for more valuable uses. WDC should be requiring Gypsy and Traveller sites are delivered within the proposed major new housing developments in Kenilworth, Warwick and Leamington. This would ensure that the sites could be properly designed in a sustainable fashion and be fully integrated into a local community which will provide facilities such as a school, a doctors surgery and shops which are accessible on foot, on bike, by bus and by car.
Ecology and Environment - all of the sites have some ecological value and environmental issues which does not appear to have been assessed.
WDC should revisit its Greenbelt Policy and release sites to the north of Warwick and Leamington which would reduce the pressure to allocate land for all forms of development during the new Local Plan period to the south of the District.
WDC should consider allocating an area of land to the south of Warwick and Leamington including The Asps and Sites 5, 6, 9, 10 as Greenbelt to provide a 'buffer' to the proposed developments to the south of Warwick and Leamington and/or to extend the proposed Bishops Tachbrook Country Park as far as the Banbury Road near to Warwick Castle Park. This would ensure the villages in the south of the District retain their identity and are not 'swallowed up' by Warwick and Leamington over time.