Part B - Commenting on the Gypsy and Traveller Site Options

I Errol A. Mews FRICS, Consultant Surveyor with Tayler & Fletcher represent Mr. and Mrs. Brian and Angela Smith owner and occupier of Red House Farm, Bishops Tachbrook, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, CV33 9QQ and I set out below their objections to any Gypsy and Traveller Site options on GT09, GT05 and GT10.

Mr. and Mrs. Brian and Angela Smith owner and occupier of Red House Farm occupies the majority of the land within GT09 and the farm extends to approximately 300 acres and is used extensively for suckler cow herd with calves, large breeding ewe flock and lambs with cattle being reared and fattened for market together with lambs for market.

Their objections are on the following grounds:

Farming Enterprise and Agriculture
This part of Warwickshire is predominantly livestock breeding and fattening animals with suckler cow herds and calves, breeding ewes and lambs, free range turkey breeding and pheasant rearing. GT10 has a National Guide Dog Breeding Centre. Gypsy and Traveller Sites often have many many dogs of the lurcher/greyhound type and very often those type of dogs worry sheep and cattle and free range poultry. They are also liable to provide disease in animals.

Highways and Safety Issues
GT10 has a long frontage to the M40 motorway and in this particular section there have been a number of accidents where cars and lorries have gone off the motorway and crashed through the motorway fence. GT10 has a long frontage to the B4100 main road which is extremely busy with cars going to and from Gaydon Motor Centre where Jaguar, Landrover and Aston Martin are based. GT10, GT09 and GT05 are adjacent to two half motorway junctions numbers 13 and 14, These junctions are extremely busy with all types of vehicles entering and leaving the M40 motorway with access to Leamington Spa, Warwick and elsewhere. The roads leading on to the B4100 are also potentially dangerous on the road safety angle. Gypsy Traveller Sites always have large towing caravans and anywhere along the B4100 and the adjoining roads provide a particularly dangerous hazard with slow moving vehicles entering or exiting a main road.

Services and Utilities
There is no main gas and no main drainage in the area

Rural Landscape
The area around GT10.GT09 and GT05 is basically rural and agricultural and any proposed site will be a major invasion to the openess of the countryside.and therefore will be an irreversible urbanisation of the entire area.

Ecology and Wildlife Habitat
In close proximity to GT10 is Oakley Wood which is a 110 acre site owned and/or managed by Warwick District Council. It was purchased for amenity and lifestyle living. If a Gypsy and Traveller Site was provide in the area, then the very purpose and use of Oakley Wood could be jeopardised if lurcher dogs were loose and firewood was collected for traditional Gypsy and Traveller fires on the pitches. Oakley Wood therefore would be a fire hazard.


Objections to any Gypsy and Traveller Site options on GT05 - Land at Tachbrook Hill Farm

As my client has lived in the area for over 30 years he is aware of Hill Farm which forms the majority of the land within GT05 and part GT10. My client wishes to support the objection of Brian and Angela Lewis, owner/occupiers of Hill Farm and the same remarks regarding Farming Enterprise and Agriculture, Highways and Safety Issues, Services and Utilities, Rural Landscape and Ecology and Wildlife Habitat

Objections to any Gypsy and Traveller Site Options on GT10 - Land at Tollgate House and Guide Dogs National Breeding Centre

Some of the land is owned and farmed by Brian and Angela Lewis. Some of the land is owned and occupied by Dan and Elizabeth Sheehan and some is owned and occupied by Charles and Helen hammond. My clients wish to support the objection of Brian and Angela Lewis, Dan and Elizabeth Sheehan and Charles and Helen Hammond the same remarks regarding Farming Enterprise and Agriculture, Highways and Safety Issues, Services and Utilities, Rural Landscape and Ecology and Wildlife Habitat