I write to strongly oppose the decision to now include Stratford Rd as a possible location for a Gypsy and traveller site.

I moved to Stratford Road in Warwick as I would regard it as one of the "premier roads" to live on in Warwick.

After speaking to a many residents and neighbours I was surprised to hear that the potential site selected was at the end of the Stratford Road. I can also add that I was surprised that it was a recent addition to the long list of potential sites selected

I oppose the site for the following reasons

* Also surely one of the criteria that the gypsy community desire is a place where people would live i.e. not under a railway bridge, not next to a busy motorway or not next to a sewage works like the Stratford Road Site.
* This area has a high flood risk
* There is poor access to the site - Seven Trent will not be allowing access across their land
* As a payer of Council Tax like the many resident on Stratford Road, we should have been consulted long before the site was added to the list, surely surveys and consultation were taken long before the site was added. Full consultation and consideration period were given to the other sites.
* Being so close to a new housing estate Chase Meadow and Beaumont Meadow, potential new residents would be put off the idea of living there, creating less potential sales.
* We pay a large amount of council tax to fund WDC and we are always informed on how governments cuts need to be made to cover other services, surely this site would impact this limited budget as amenities need to be installed etc and the general up keep of the site would be significant.
* The Stratford Road is one of the major roads that lead into Warwick and I am surprised that WDC would not think a site would impact on the "first impression" that tourist have and potential businesses relocating to Warwick.
* Warwick has seen a steady decline of local shops unfortunately closing down but recently local restaurants such as Micatto and shops such as Hatton and Harding have help create a town where people have the desire to be and want to live and shop, a traveller community would not benefit and promote Warwick to more new business.
* The site is by a premium business park, several pubs and hotels (Holiday Inn and Hilton). The presence of a gypsy community would impact this a great deal. I have had first hand experience of the gypsy community whilst living in Oxford, several venues became off limits to the public and roads had to be closed and extra police were required for certain gypsy events.
* Without stereotyping the gypsy community residents will surely fear an increase in crime rate, insurance increases, house prices falling. The area will become an area where there will be houses that people cant sell and people not wanting to buy them. This devaluation of property prices could surely lead to a council tax review as the houses are worth less therefore WDC receiving less council tax this would also leave alot of residents in negative equity.
* Being a dog owner I know that the potential diseases from other dogs that have not been vaccinated is a great threat and would worry of possibility of my dog being stolen.


I would like to be kept fully informed on the activity surrounding this application and the process involved in any decision making.