Object

Representation ID: 65612

Received: 02/06/2014

Respondent: Bishop's Tachbrook Parish Council

Based on the evidence provided by WDC and from the further evidence provided by BTPC's team of experts, BTPC believes that this site has significant negative factors affecting its suitability as a gypsy and traveller site. A high level summary of these are as follows below:

*This section of the Banbury Road and its junction with Mallory Road are known accident black spots including a history of fatalities. Our experts' report shows that a gypsy and traveller site here would lead to regular movements/ manoeuvres of large articulated vehicles. This would worsen road safety and lead to an even greater incidence of accidents.

*Access from Mallory Road has been deemed unsuitable (County Council assessment) and access onto the Banbury Road cannot provide adequate sight lines.

*In addition, constructing infrastructure to provide access onto Banbury Road will require the removal of a number of mature oak trees and impact on some of the most ecologically valuable features of the land.

*The site is highly visible from a long stretch of the Banbury road in both directions and also from Mallory Road. This is supported by the WCC Landscape Sensitivity, Ecology & Geological Report for the New Local Plan. This assessed the landscape sensitivity to housing development as High.

*Development will impact negatively on this important rural buffer zone and undermine the visual amenity, quality and character of the land

*The owner is not willing to sell and BTPC is against compulsory purchase of this site for the reasons stated above.

*Adverse impact on an agricultural business and

*Adverse effect on the amenity of the owner and other residents

For these reasons and based on the site analysis and detailed evidence in our expert's report conclude that this site should not be considered further as a potential site for Gypsy and Traveller housing and request that it is removed from the District Council's list of "alternative" sites.