Object
Gypsy and Traveller Site Options
Representation ID: 58890
Received: 23/07/2013
Respondent: Mr & Mrs Varrow
Increased population puts undue strain on the medical facilities.
Increasing population increases traffic, but Fosse Way/Harbury Lane junction already dangerous without adding more traffic and creating potential injuries or even death.
Harbury school in is not large enough without additional investment.
Given existing high unemployment rates do employment opportunities exist for those moving into the area?
Emergency services are facing cut backs. Covering additional properties will impact the services further.
Harbury sometimes loses mains water pressure. Greater demand for water will not help.
are current sewage facilities adequate or need to be improved?
Development of prime agricultural land suggests Council is not interested in the local economy or developing 'brown field' sites.
Development will increase the existing flooding on Harbury Lane and B4100 during heavy rain.
Will improvements to local infrastructure be funded by the public purse or developers?
Dear Sir/Madam,
We would like to, respectfully, raise the following points in objection to the proposed Gypsy and Traveller sites GT02, GT03 and GT04 planned to be situated near the village of Harbury.
1. An increase in population from developments of this size would put undue strain on the medical facilities in the region. Is provision to be made for additional surgeries and/or hospital facilities?
1. With population comes traffic, we believe the junction of Fosse Way and Harbury Lane would become even more dangerous than at present. Those in Harbury have long lobbied for this junction to be 'made safe' with a roundabout or traffic lights so adding more traffic without this investment causes concern about potential injuries and maybe even death.
1. Children who move to these developments will require education. The village school in Harbury is not large, what provision and/or investment is to be made to accommodate additional headcount?
1. Adults will require employment. The Midlands has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country so do sufficient opportunities exist locally, or within reasonable commuting distance, for those moving into the area?
1. Emergency services in the region are facing cut backs. Have they committed to covering additional properties without services to the whole region being impacted?
1. At present, here in Harbury, we sometimes find a decrease in, or even loss of, mains water pressure. An increase in population would no doubt result in even more instances of loss of mains water. This would not be acceptable.
1. Due to the basic functions of human beings are current sewage facilities adequate or do facilities in the area need to be improved?
1. The proposed sites appear to be on prime agricultural land and would suggest that the District Council is not interested in the local economy or the governments directive to develop 'brown field' sites.
1. Harbury Lane and the B4100 already flood during heavy rain. This risk will increase as fields which act as a soak away will be replaced by hard surfaces.
1. Where improvements to local infrastructure are required will these be funded by the public purse or developers?
These objections would exist regardless of the nature of the development as they are based on the size of the sites and the assumed numbers of individuals who would live there.
We would hope that the above are taken into consideration when making any decision about the change of use of these sites.