Object
Gypsy and Traveller Site Options
Representation ID: 55639
Received: 28/07/2013
Respondent: Mrs Anne Steele
The site does not meet the Council's site requirements and therefore does not address the Issues affecting the Gypsy and Traveller community. In general, the site is remote from amenities and would place unreasonable pressure on local infrastructure and services. The proximity of major roads and existing communities to the site will create potential for noise and disturbance.
The proposed location cannot be integrated into the landscape without harming the character of the area. The potential visual impact on the approach to Warwick will damage tourist Industry and the local economy.
Businesses within the Bishop's Tachbrook Area may also suffer; Listed Buildings in Bishop's Tachbrook may be subject to possible damage; if the site is used as a place of work, there is a threat of pollution to the Tachbrook Brook; loss of good quality arable land. Overall there will be an adverse impact on important features of the natural and historic environment.
Bishop's Tachbrook Primary School & Nursery are oversubscribed. Providing the additional support required by Gypsy and Traveller children will be difficult to provide without adversely impacting all pupils without additional funding from the County Council.
Site access directly on to roads within 50 mph speeds doesn't enable safe access to the road network, especially if large caravans are turning. There are no pedestrian footpaths or public transport links. School children will have to wait for school buses on main roads or be transported to safe bus stops by car or all the way to school. This is not a sustainable solution.
The provision of utilities on the sites is questionable.
Where will the Gypsy & Traveller Community find work?
The site is likely to be operated by the Gypsy Community and not the Council so the actual numbers of people on site won't be regulated or controlled.
Please accept this as my OBJECTION TO:
Reference: Site GT02 - Land abutting the Fosse Way at its junction with the B425
For the following reasons:-
1. Convenient access to a GP surgery, school and public transport;
This site is in excess of 1.5miles from any GP surgery. The proposed site is outside of the catchment area of Harbury Surgery and the nearest surgery is the Croft Medical Centre in Sydenham which is 3.3 miles away which I understand is full. The next surgery is the Cubbington Road Surgery which is 4.7 miles distant and is not served by direct public transport so there is no convenient access to a surgery.
The position with regard to schooling is similar with Radford Primary School being almost fully subscribed and if the additional hundred houses are built in the village it will be full. This is outside of the Harbury catchment area and Harbury Primary School has had recent issues with too many children already.
The public transport whilst satisfactory is largely irrelevant as the residents are unlikely to use anything other than their own transport. There is a bus stop on the B425 however there is no pedestrian links from that to the potential site.
2. Safe access to the road network and provision for parking, turning and servicing on site;
The proposed 15 pitch site will contain up to 50 vehicles and generate hundreds of traffic movements daily. It is on the junction of two major roads and access into the traffic flow will possibly need highway improvements. It is possibly unwise to introduce even more traffic turns at this major junction and it will certainly add significantly to existing peak time delays. GT02 is sited on the junction of two main roads with high traffic flows and the Fosse Way in particular sees fast traffic despite the nearby speed camera and is a designated High Risk Route by the County Council.
3. Avoiding areas where there is the potential for noise and disturbance
This site is adjacent the Fosse Way a very busy and noisy main road.
4. Provision of utilities (running water, toilet facilities waste disposal etc);
The proposed site has no mains sewerage, drainage or gas so fails to meet the criteria. Also the electricity supply is a limited rural line and will possibly need to be upgraded to meet the very considerable increase in demand.
5. Avoiding areas where there could be an adverse impact on important, features of the natural and historic environment;
This choice of site overlooks the fact that at this point the Fosse Way, as the original Roman road built nearly 2000 years ago is known, is on its original alignment and there is likely to be considerable archaeological remains in the area which will be destroyed by the development. There was also a tollhouse at this point in the 17th and 18th centuries and remains have been found. Nearby there are traditional historic Woodlands which contain rare species so this criteria is not met.
6. Sites which can be integrated into the landscape without harming the character of the area.
The proposed site will cover 0.8 hectare (8000 m²) which is four times the size of the Exhibition Centre and if the Enfusion (consultants) recommendation to include working space is adopted this would possibly increase to 6 times the area of the Exhibition Centre. There will be a large variety of caravans and vehicles on the site so, being in the bottom of the valley, it cannot be integrated into the landscape without harming the visual appearance and character of the area.
7. Promotes peaceful and integrated co-existence between the site and the local community;
In this respect the local community forms two distinct sections. There is a very small community of some 20 houses within half a mile of the site along the Fosse Way and the far greater community in the village of Radford Semele over 1.5 miles away. It will be difficult to integrate the residents into the local Fosse Way community as with up to 120 residents on site rather than integrate they will actually absorb the local community. This does not meet the criteria of a peaceful and integrated co-existence.
8. Avoids placing undue pressure on local infrastructure and services;
The proposed site has no mains sewerage, drainage or gas so fails to meet the criteria. Also the electricity supply is a limited rural line and will possibly need to be upgraded to meet the very considerable increase in demand.