Object

Representation ID: 56680

Received: 28/07/2013

Respondent: Raza Shah

This site is in excess of 1.5 miles from any GP surgery but local surgeries are full.
Harbury Primary School is full. Schools in Whitnash (2+ miles away) have only limited capacity.
There is a bus stop on Harbury Lane but there is no pedestrian links from it to the potential site. Travelling community unlikely to use public transport.
The area is prone to flooding and is effectively a flood plain. The Middle Road/Fosse Way junction is often flooded and Harbury Lane flooded and impassable.
Site will generate additional traffic movements at the junction of two major roads. Highway improvements would be necessary (creating more urbanisation) but will still add to existing peak time delays so maybe unwise to introduce more traffic here. Fosse Way is a designated High Risk Route by the County Council. More than 12 Serious Accidents at this junction over the last 3 years.
The Fosse Way is a very busy main road, generating both noise and disturbance to the site as will the Birmingham to London Chiltern railway line, which is also a potential danger.
The proposed site has no mains sewerage, drainage or gas and electricity supply is a limited rural line which would need upgrading. Site is too far from the Whitnash Telephone Exchange to provide an adequate telephone or internet service and does not have a reliable mobile phone service.
Site is near the Fosse Way's original alignment so archaeological remains are likely to be destroyed by the development, especially as remains from nearby 17 century tollhouse have been found in the area. Therefore important that archaeology and heritage of the area can be recovered and safeguarded prior to any site works. Site would blight views from Grade 1 Listed Chesterton Mill ss site is visible from Chesterton Hill.
The proposed site is larger than New Windmill Football Ground and will cover 0.8 hectare (8000 m²) and could possibly increase in size. The site is at the bottom of the valley so not possible to integrate this use into the landscape without harming the visual appearance and character of the area. It could be a precedent for further ribbon development.
The villages of Harbury and Whitnash over 1.5 miles away. The very small community of houses within half a mile of the site would be absorbed by the 120 travelling community so the site will not promote peaceful and integrated co-existence.
Many businesses (including farms, fencing contractor, pony riding, a hotel, a breakers yard) that operate from this site and the surrounding area will potentially suffer if the proposed sites go ahead.
Unauthorised intrusion from the site occupiers onto the agricultural land could result in contractors not wishing to risk tractors and equipment and any crop damage and rubbish deposits could result in land ceasing to be farmed and becoming unsightly.
The proposed site will be a major invasion into the openness of the countryside and will be an irreversible urbanisation of the entire area.