GT04 Land at Harbury Lane, Fosse Way

I wish to object against the proposed site GT04 Land at Harbury Lane, Fosse Way for Gypsies and Travellers.
My comments and concerns are as follows:
1. Access to Local Amenities:
The nearest doctor's surgery has no capacity for the influx of new patients.
The nearest primary, junior and secondary schools are already at capacity.
2. Travel:
The site is on a High Risk travel route with more than 12 serious accidents in last 3 years.
No bus stop is available on the Fosse Way and providing one would be unsafe for road users. The Fosse Way is already busy and dangerous, especially from increased Jaguar/Land Rover traffic.
No path or pavement to walk anywhere and cycling is dangerous on busy commuter routes. Children cannot be allowed to stand on a busy road to wait for transport to school.
3. Rural Environment / Other:
The proposed site will have a visual impact from Harbury and The Fosse Way.
The proposed site has no mains gas, mains sewerage or drainage.
Damage to wildlife habitat.
It is a flood risk area often flooding at the end of Middle Road, Harbury Lane and fields.
Please take these comments into consideration.

This site fails to meet the councils Local Plan Requirements & its preferred options because-
This site is extremely isolated.
This site could flood.
The GP Surgeries in Bishops Tachbrook & Whitnash are at capacity and would be unable to cope with an influx of new patients.
The primary school in Bishops Tachbrook & Harbury is already oversubscribed & the Catholic Primary in Whitnash, St Josephs' has even had to turn away Catholics with siblings already at the school as it has such a high application rate.
Also the educational needs of many of these children will mean that should a place be found at a local school they will need additional help to catch up, and this should be provided. Is the council going to supply additional funds to help support these children's needs? Given that the parents of many of these children are unable to read & write themselves they are not in a position to help children with their own learning and this identifies yet another pressure point. As an adult not being able to read & write seriously narrows down the type of work you would be able to apply for, there are no employers within in the village of Bishops Tachbrook or Harbury therefore there is no immediate local economy for them to join with. Most villagers have to commute to work.
There are no pavements between the proposed site and the nearest village and this would be a great danger especially during peak travel hours and school run times.
There are no bus stops and no safe place for a bus stop to be put in.
Additional traffic at major road junctions would put too much strain on an already busy junction onto a road where cars are travelling at speed.
This plot does not have any Provision of Utilities
Given the proximity of 50mph roads next to this site what are the provisions for the safety and security of both people & animals? For instance a horse on the Banbury Road especially a loose one could end in fatalities.
.
It states in your Sites for Gypsies & Travellers page 9 last bullet point on section 7.4 the site should reflect the extent to which traditional lifestyles ( whereby some travellers live & work from the same location hereby omitting many travel to work journeys) can contribute to sustainability. Bishops Tachbrook & Whitnash & Harbury would not be able to offer any traditional forms of income for travellers or gypsies. Next to this statement is an image of a draught horse. We are not a horse based community so farrier's would not be able to make a living here. Also my understanding is that traditional forms of employment also include door to door sales and this would be in stark contrast to advice given by police not to buy from door to door sales people. I fail to see how our community can support the traditional lifestyle of travellers.

The proposed location is not in an area that can be integrated into the landscape without harming the character of the area which is stipulated as a Site Requirement within the WDC Consultation Document.
There is a potential visual impact on the approach to historic Warwick. This will damage the Tourist Industry which accounts for a large proportion of business transactions for both Large and Small & Medium Enterprises alike.

We would lose the much used New Windmill football ground. This is not acceptable.
Therefore a site in this location will put undue pressure on local infrastructure & services.


I picked up the council's document "Sites for Gypsies & Travellers" Local Plan helping shape the district.
How is it those 15 sites are all placed south of Warwick & Leamington? The small village of Bishops Tachbrook has 6 of these within a mile of it, 2 are on its immediate doorstep. Potentially all of these sites could be approved and the very nature of our community and how the approach to our village would look would be irrevocably changed & the effect would be devastating to our way of life. This is not acceptable nor a reasonable request for the council to make.
There is no statement from the Gypsy Council of Great Britain or any other organising body on behalf of the Gypsy & Traveller community, within your brochure/document, that they wish to join our community in Warwickshire or anywhere else. Odd that. Perhaps this is because they have no desire to permanently live here? What evidence does the council have that the gypsy & traveller community wish to use these sites as a permanently settled site with a fixed maximum number of 15 Pitches? You also do not state how many people are able to live within a pitch or who is responsible for the site. Due diligence has not taken place here. I appreciate that you state the Regional Spatial Strategy & commissioned Salford University to produce a report but you have failed to put any meaningful back up data into this document. Therefore I have to question the validity of the study as you have not put it in the information you are handing out. Where is the proof that so many sites are needed? Much needed data is missing here & the council are remiss in leaving it out.
You also state that the Gypsy & Traveller Accommodation Assessment shows a need for 31 pitches, 25 within the first five years & a further 6-8 transit pitches over the Plan period. Yet the brochure you have produced is only showing 19 of these. Why are you not identifying where all these sites will potentially be? Are you planning to use these larger identified areas to put up multiple sites? Please be clear & honest!

Your brochure has not been laid out in a way that makes for easy & understandable reading. For instance sites GT05 & GT09 in reality face each other on opposite sides of the Banbury Road yet in your document the numbers on the map are shown as far away from each other as possible and are shown in map form pages apart from each other & at different scales & angles. This also occurs for site GT06 which is opposite GT09. You are failing to make your documentation easy to read & this is inexcusable.
Also the images you are using on your front cover, page 3 & page 4 are clearly stock images of holiday camping sites. They are not permanent sites and they are certainly not Gypsy & Traveller sites. Why is the council not using real images from existing successful sites to give an honest & truthful photographic representation of how these sites will look?

I attended the public meeting at Whitnash Primary School recently regarding the Local Plan. I have never attended a public meeting before & went with the idea that WDC & our local councillors would be working for the benefit of our community. Unfortunately when I left the meeting & on reading the documents I felt very disillusioned. The lead spokesperson for the council gave a long and drawn out introduction implying that we were all prejudist against the traveller community. I found it offensive, ill advised and very condescending. Where I appreciate all the hard work & effort that council employees put in and I appreciate that the directives regarding The Gypsy & Traveller sites are coming from 10 Downing Street and not Local council I found the attitude of the councils representatives quite staggering. The gentleman representing The Highways Agency had clearly not received any training in how to speak to people. He was interrupted at one point by a lady at the back of the hall who asked a question relevant to the comment he had just made. The gentleman from the Highways agency then lost his temper and threatened not to give us any information if he was interrupted again. I found this to be highly unprofessional and suggest that that gentleman needs to learn the difference between a heckle and a pertinent question. And for the record that lady asked 3 questions, non of them were answered. I was left wondering if this was because she didn't appear to be a councillor.
I also thought I was attending a public meeting but it appeared to be that the vast majority of people who were handed the microphone were councillors. I am very glad they were there but surely this was a place for the general public to have the chance to speak and to ask some questions supported by councillors?
Many people left that meeting about halfway through as they felt their voice was not being heard by the council. I found the whole experience depressing and frustrating. The gentlemen from the council set out their stall as a "you & us" situation and they seem to of forgotten that actually we are all supposed to be on the same side! We are able to understand directives from Downing Street and we should be questioning decisions that are projected onto our lives. Surely this is democracy? That meeting felt like the council had attended just to tick the box and that what they were suggesting should just be signed off. I am truly appalled.
I look forward to receiving the answers to my questions and trust my objections have now been logged.

As a Whitnash resident I wish to object to the proposal that a traveller site is constructed at Harbury Lane, Fosse Way (GT04). The reasons for my objection are as follows:

The local amenities in this area i.e. schools and doctors' surgeries are already at capacity.

The regular movement of caravans and other vehicles on a busy road where there have already been a number of accidents would only exacerbate the situation.

Whilst in theory the idea of designated gypsy/traveller sites might seem appropriate it would remain to be seen at to whether such sites if provided would be used correctly.

Recently when travellers occupied the Redland Road playing field it effectively meant that local children had nowhere to play for the period of time when the playing field was occupied by the travellers and until such time as the clean-up process had been completed.

Dear Sirs

Proposed Sites for Gypsies and Travellers

I wish to register my objections to the proposed site GT04 Land at Harbury Lane, Fosse Way for Gypsies and Travellers. My comments and concerns are as follows:

1.Access to Local Amenities
There are no local amenities within a reasonable walking distance and there is no access to public transport on the Fosse Way. There is little capacity in local schools and health facilities.

2. Travel
The roads surrounding the proposed site can at best be described as hazardous. There have been a high number of minor and major accidents in recent years, and even with the siting of speed cameras, the road is used at high speed by a great many drivers which adds to the risk to pedestrians and cyclists incurred by the lack of pavements and bike paths.

3. Utilities
The proposed site has no mains gas, mains sewerage or drainage. Telecommunications are poor with low speed and unreliable internet access, and weak mobile signal coverage.

4. Environmental
There are a number of areas of high risk of flooding along the portion of Fosse Way and Harbury Lane in question. Land within the proposed area has flooded on a number of occasions in recent years.


I confirm I am over 17 years old. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you require any further information.

Reference: GT03 Land at Barnwell Farm

Dear Sirs

Proposed Sites for Gypsies and Travellers

I wish to register my objections to the proposed site GT03 Land at Barnwell Farm for Gypsies and Travellers. for Gypsies and Travellers. My comments and concerns are as follows:

1.Access to Local Amenities
There are no local amenities within a reasonable walking distance and there is no access to public transport on the Fosse Way. There is little capacity in local schools and health facilities.

2. Travel
The roads surrounding the proposed site can at best be described as hazardous. There have been a high number of minor and major accidents in recent years, and even with the siting of speed cameras, the road is used at high speed by a great many drivers which adds to the risk to pedestrians and cyclists incurred by the lack of pavements and bike paths.

3. Utilities
The proposed site has no mains gas, mains sewerage or drainage. Telecommunications are poor with low speed and unreliable internet access, and weak mobile signal coverage.

4. Environmental
There are a number of areas of high risk of flooding along the portion of Harbury Lane in question. Land within the proposed area has flooded on a number of occasions in recent years. I would also consider the frequent odours from the chicken farm on this proposed site to render this option inappropriate for habitation.


I confirm I am over 17 years old. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you require any further information.

My comments relate to sites GT4, GT5, GT6, GT9, GT10 and GT15.

Site GT4 - OBJECT

Convenient access to a GP surgery, school and public transport: Bishop's Tachbrook only has a branch GP surgery open mornings only Monday, Wednesday and Friday and afternoons only Tuesday and Thursday. Gypsies and travellers are known to have poorer health and higher health needs than the settled population so site GT4 would put undue pressure on an already busy surgery.

Bishop's Tachbrook primary school is a single form entry. Gypsy and traveller families are typically larger than the settled population and so a site with 5, 10 or 15 homes are likely to contain 15, 30 or 45 children. A Department for Education and Skills (2005) report, Ethnicity and Education: The Evidence on Minority Ethnic Pupils, reports that gypsy, Roman and traveller pupils are more likely to be identified as having special educational needs. Bishop's Tachbrook primary school is always at capacity and so may not be able to provide the infrastructure required to support these needs.All the sites identified which lie within Bishop's Tachbrook parish are too remote from major centres with all journeys requiring a motor vehicle.

Public transport is limited within the parish and with no pavements joining the sites to other urban areas, pedestrian access would be dangerous. Gypsies and travellers already have a lower life expectancy than the settled population so introducing them to additional known hazards would be a serious undertaking.

Avoiding areas with a high risk of flooding:The Environment Agency designates this area as being at likely risk of flooding from rivers or sea without defences. There are a number of streams criss-crossing this area. The Tach Brook runs nearby which provides additional flooding risks.

Safe access to the road network and provision for parking, turning and servicing on site: Site GT4 is on a main road with no pedestrian access making safe access to the road network dangerous.

Provision of utilities (running water, toilet facilities, waste disposal, etc): As this area is very remote from major amenities, the provision of utilities would be more problematic than for other sites.

Avoiding areas where there could be adverse impact on important features of the natural and historic environment: GT4 is close to the Chesterton Windmill site which is of local importance.

Sites which can be integrated into the landscape without harming the character of the area: GT4 is close to the Chesterton Windmill site which is of local importance.

Promotes peaceful and integrated co-existence between the site and the local community: There is very strong local opposition to siting a gypsy and traveller site in this location as evidenced by the local meeting held on 17th July 2013.

Avoids placing undue pressure on local infrastructure and services: Harbury Lane is a very busy route into Warwick and Leamington which already has queues at the Harbury Lane/Oakley Wood Road junction at peak times. There are few local services nearby and so those that do exist are likely to be put under undue pressure by a large gypsy and traveller site.

Reflects the extent to which traditional lifestyles (whereby some travellers live and work from the same location thereby omitting many travel to work journeys) can contribute to sustainability:Site GT4 has a number of streams criss-crossing the area and is very close to the Tach Brook. There is therefore a risk of contamination given that the proposed gypsy and traveller site may be used as a place of work.

 
Site GT5 - OBJECT

Convenient access to a GP surgery, school and public transport: Bishop's Tachbrook only has a branch GP surgery open mornings only Monday, Wednesday and Friday and afternoons only Tuesday and Thursday. Gypsies and travellers are known to have poorer health and higher health needs than the settled population so site GT4 would put undue pressure on an already busy surgery.

Bishop's Tachbrook primary school is a single form entry. Gypsy and traveller families are typically larger than the settled population and so a site with 5, 10 or 15 homes are likely to contain 15, 30 or 45 children. A Department for Education and Skills (2005) report, Ethnicity and Education: The Evidence on Minority Ethnic Pupils, reports that gypsy, Roma and traveller pupils are more likely to be identified as having special educational needs. Bishop's Tachbrook primary school is always at capacity and so may not be able to provide the infrastructure required to support these needs. All the sites identified which lie within Bishop's Tachbrook parish are too remote from major centres with all journeys requiring a motor vehicle.

Public transport is limited within the parish and with no pavements joining the sites to other urban areas, pedestrian access would be dangerous. Gypsies and travellers already have a lower life expectancy than the settled population so introducing them to additional known hazards would be a serious undertaking.

Safe access to the road network and provision for parking, turning and servicing on site:Site GT5 is on a main road with no pedestrian access making safe access to the road network dangerous.

Avoiding areas where there is the potential for noise and other disturbance:Site GT5 is very close to the M40 which could negatively impact on the residents' well-being through noise and traffic fumes.

Avoiding areas where there could be adverse impact on important features of the natural and historic environment:There is a strong potential visual impact on the approach to historic Warwick. There are also listed buildings on the site.

Sites which can be integrated into the landscape without harming the character of the area:There is a strong potential visual impact on the approach to historic Warwick. Tourism in Warwick is very important to the local economy and any impact would severely damage the town.

Promotes peaceful and integrated co-existence between the site and the local community:There is very strong local opposition to siting a gypsy and traveller site in this location as evidenced by the local meeting held on 17th July 2013.

Avoids placing undue pressure on local infrastructure and services:The A452 is the main route off the M40 motorway into Leamington from the south. It is such a busy and dangerous route that a 50mph speed limit was introduced in 2009. There are few local services nearby and so those that do exist are likely to be put under undue pressure by a large gypsy and traveller site.

 
Site GT6 - OBJECT

Convenient access to a GP surgery, school and public transport: Bishop's Tachbrook only has a branch GP surgery open mornings only Monday, Wednesday and Friday and afternoons only Tuesday and Thursday. Gypsies and travellers are known to have poorer health and higher health needs than the settled population so site GT4 would put undue pressure on an already busy surgery.

Bishop's Tachbrook primary school is a single form entry. Gypsy and traveller families are typically larger than the settled population and so a site with 5, 10 or 15 homes are likely to contain 15, 30 or 45 children. A Department for Education and Skills (2005) report, Ethnicity and Education: The Evidence on Minority Ethnic Pupils, reports that gypsy, Roma and traveller pupils are more likely to be identified as having special educational needs. Bishop's Tachbrook primary school is always at capacity and so may not be able to provide the infrastructure required to support these needs. All the sites identified which lie within Bishop's Tachbrook parish are too remote from major centres with all journeys requiring a motor vehicle.

Public transport is limited within the parish and with no pavements joining the sites to other urban areas, pedestrian access would be dangerous. Gypsies and travellers already have a lower life expectancy than the settled population so introducing them to additional known hazards would be a serious undertaking.

Safe access to the road network and provision for parking, turning and servicing on site:Site GT6 is on a main road with no pedestrian access making safe access to the road network dangerous. It is surrounded on three sides by very busy main roads.

Avoiding areas where there is the potential for noise and other disturbance:The traffic noise from being surrounded by three very busy main roads would be detrimental to the residents' well-being.

Provision of utilities (running water, toilet facilities, waste disposal, etc):There isonly one farm on this site and as such the provision of utilities is limited.

Avoiding areas where there could be adverse impact on important features of the natural and historic environment:Both the A425 and the A452 run alongside this site. This means the potential visual impact on the approach to historic Warwick is doubled as visitors leaving the motorway both northbound and southbound would see the site as they enter Warwick.

Sites which can be integrated into the landscape without harming the character of the area:Both the A425 and the A452 run alongside this site. This means the potential visual impact on the approach to historic Warwick is doubled as visitors leaving the motorway both northbound and southbound would see the site as they enter Warwick. Tourism in Warwick is very important to the local economy and any impact would severely damage the town. It is close to Castle Park which is an important historical area of Warwick.

Promotes peaceful and integrated co-existence between the site and the local community: There is very strong local opposition to siting a gypsy and traveller site in this location as evidenced by the local meeting held on 17th July 2013.

Avoids placing undue pressure on local infrastructure and services:The A452 and the A425 are the main routes off the M40 motorway into Leamington from the north and south. They are such busy and dangerous routes that a 50mph speed limit was introduced on both in 2009. There are few local services nearby and so those that do exist are likely to be put under undue pressure by a large gypsy and traveller site. 
Site GT9 - OBJECT

Convenient access to a GP surgery, school and public transport: Bishop's Tachbrook only has a branch GP surgery open mornings only Monday, Wednesday and Friday and afternoons only Tuesday and Thursday. Gypsies and travellers are known to have poorer health and higher health needs than the settled population so site GT4 would put undue pressure on an already busy surgery.

Bishop's Tachbrook primary school is a single form entry. Gypsy and traveller families are typically larger than the settled population and so a site with 5, 10 or 15 homes are likely to contain 15, 30 or 45 children. A Department for Education and Skills (2005) report, Ethnicity and Education: The Evidence on Minority Ethnic Pupils, reports that gypsy, Roma and traveller pupils are more likely to be identified as having special educational needs. Bishop's Tachbrook primary school is always at capacity and so may not be able to provide the infrastructure required to support these needs. All the sites identified which lie within Bishop's Tachbrook parish are too remote from major centres with all journeys requiring a motor vehicle.

Public transport is limited within the parish and with no pavements joining the sites to other urban areas, pedestrian access would be dangerous. Gypsies and travellers already have a lower life expectancy than the settled population so introducing them to additional known hazards would be a serious undertaking.

Safe access to the road network and provision for parking, turning and servicing on site:Site GT9 is on a main road with no pedestrian access making safe access to the road network dangerous. It is surrounded on all sides by very busy main roads (A452 and M40).

Avoiding areas where there is the potential for noise and other disturbance:The traffic noise from being surrounded by A452 and M40 both very busy main roads would be detrimental to the residents' well-being.

Provision of utilities (running water, toilet facilities, waste disposal, etc):The site is rural and therefore has limited access to utilities.

Avoiding areas where there could be adverse impact on important features of the natural and historic environment:There is a strong potential visual impact on the approach to historic Warwick. There are also listed buildings on the site.

Sites which can be integrated into the landscape without harming the character of the area:There is a strong potential visual impact on the approach to historic Warwick. Tourism in Warwick is very important to the local economy and any impact would severely damage the town.

Promotes peaceful and integrated co-existence between the site and the local community: There is very strong local opposition to siting a gypsy and traveller site in this location as evidenced by the local meeting held on 17th July 2013.

Avoids placing undue pressure on local infrastructure and services:The A452 is the main route off the M40 motorway into Leamington from the north and south. The M40 junctions already have large queues at peak times. The A452 is such a busy and dangerous route that a 50mph speed limit was introduced in 2009. There are few local services nearby and so those that do exist are likely to be put under undue pressure by a large gypsy and traveller site.

 
Site GT10 - OBJECT

Convenient access to a GP surgery, school and public transport: Bishop's Tachbrook only has a branch GP surgery open mornings only Monday, Wednesday and Friday and afternoons only Tuesday and Thursday. Gypsies and travellers are known to have poorer health and higher health needs than the settled population so site GT4 would put undue pressure on an already busy surgery.

Bishop's Tachbrook primary school is a single form entry. Gypsy and traveller families are typically larger than the settled population and so a site with 5, 10 or 15 homes are likely to contain 15, 30 or 45 children. A Department for Education and Skills (2005) report, Ethnicity and Education: The Evidence on Minority Ethnic Pupils, reports that gypsy, Roma and traveller pupils are more likely to be identified as having special educational needs. Bishop's Tachbrook primary school is always at capacity and so may not be able to provide the infrastructure required to support these needs. All the sites identified which lie within Bishop's Tachbrook parish are too remote from major centres with all journeys requiring a motor vehicle.

Public transport is limited within the parish and with no pavements joining the sites to other urban areas, pedestrian access would be dangerous. Gypsies and travellers already have a lower life expectancy than the settled population so introducing them to additional known hazards would be a serious undertaking.

Safe access to the road network and provision for parking, turning and servicing on site:Site GT10 is on a main road with no pedestrian access making safe access to the road network dangerous.

Avoiding areas where there is the potential for noise and other disturbance:The Guide Dogs for the Blind National Breeding Centre is on this site. The noise from dogs barking is likely to be detrimental to residents' well-being.

Provision of utilities (running water, toilet facilities, waste disposal, etc):The site is rural and therefore has limited access to utilities.

Avoiding areas where there could be adverse impact on important features of the natural and historic environment:There is a strong potential visual impact on the approach to historic Warwick. Tourism in Warwick is very important to the local economy and any impact would severely damage the town.

Sites which can be integrated into the landscape without harming the character of the area:There is a strong potential visual impact on the approach to historic Warwick. Tourism in Warwick is very important to the local economy and any impact would severely damage the town.

Promotes peaceful and integrated co-existence between the site and the local community: There is very strong local opposition to siting a gypsy and traveller site in this location as evidenced by the local meeting held on 17th July 2013.

Avoids placing undue pressure on local infrastructure and services:The Guide Dogs for the Blind National Breeding Centre is on this site. Gypsies and travellers often have dogs and the issues with cross breeding could be detrimental to the sustainability of the charity. There may also be illnesses or viruses carried by residents' dogs who have brought them from far away and which, if caught by the guide dogs, could be damaging to the charity's work.

Reflects the extent to which traditional lifestyles (whereby some travellers live and work from the same location thereby omitting many travel to work journeys) can contribute to sustainability:The potential for cross breeding or cross contamination with the guide dogs may be damaging to the charitable work undertaken at the site.
Site GT15 - OBJECT

Convenient access to a GP surgery, school and public transport: Bishop's Tachbrook only has a branch GP surgery open mornings only Monday, Wednesday and Friday and afternoons only Tuesday and Thursday. Gypsies and travellers are known to have poorer health and higher health needs than the settled population so site GT4 would put undue pressure on an already busy surgery.

Bishop's Tachbrook primary school is a single form entry. Gypsy and traveller families are typically larger than the settled population and so a site with 5, 10 or 15 homes are likely to contain 15, 30 or 45 children. A Department for Education and Skills (2005) report, Ethnicity and Education: The Evidence on Minority Ethnic Pupils, reports that gypsy, Roma and traveller pupils are more likely to be identified as having special educational needs. Bishop's Tachbrook primary school is always at capacity and so may not be able to provide the infrastructure required to support these needs. All the sites identified which lie within Bishop's Tachbrook parish are too remote from major centres with all journeys requiring a motor vehicle.

Public transport is limited within the parish and with no pavements joining the sites to other urban areas, pedestrian access would be dangerous. Gypsies and travellers already have a lower life expectancy than the settled population so introducing them to additional known hazards would be a serious undertaking.

Avoiding areas with a high risk of flooding:SiteGT15 is on the banks of the Tach Brook. The Environment Agency designates this area as being at likely risk of flooding from rivers or sea without defences. It is also close to Lower Heathcote Farm fishery lakes which pose additional flood risks.

Safe access to the road network and provision for parking, turning and servicing on site:Site GT15 is on a main road with no pedestrian access making safe access to the road network dangerous.

Avoiding areas where there is the potential for noise and other disturbance:The traffic noise from the A452 would be detrimental to the residents' well-being.

Provision of utilities (running water, toilet facilities, waste disposal, etc):The site is rural and therefore has limited access to utilities.

Avoiding areas where there could be adverse impact on important features of the natural and historic environment:There is a strong potential visual impact on the approach to historic Warwick. Tourism in Warwick is very important to the local economy and any impact would severely damage the town.

Sites which can be integrated into the landscape without harming the character of the area:There is a strong potential visual impact on the approach to historic Warwick. Tourism in Warwick is very important to the local economy and any impact would severely damage the town.

Promotes peaceful and integrated co-existence between the site and the local community: There is very strong local opposition to siting a gypsy and traveller site in this location as evidenced by the local meeting held on 17th July 2013.

Avoids placing undue pressure on local infrastructure and services:The A452 is the main route off the M40 motorway into Leamington from the north and south. The M40 junctions already have large queues at peak times. The A452 is such a busy and dangerous route that a 50mph speed limit was introduced in 2009. There are few local services nearby and so those that do exist are likely to be put under undue pressure by a large gypsy and traveller site.

Reflects the extent to which traditional lifestyles (whereby some travellers live and work from the same location thereby omitting many travel to work journeys) can contribute to sustainability:Site GT15 is on the banks of the Tach Brook. There is therefore a risk of contamination given that the proposed gypsy and traveller site may be used as a place of work.

Dear Sirs

Proposed sites for Gypsies and Travellers

I wish to object against the proposal site GT04 Land at Harbury lane, Fosse Way for Gypsies and Travellers.

My comments and concerns are as follows: -
1 Access to Local Amenities:
The nearest doctor's surgery has no capacity for the influx of new patients.
The nearest primary, junior and secondary schools are already at capacity

2 Travel
The site is on a High Risk travel route with more than 12 serious accidents in the last 3 years.
No bus stop is available on the Fosse way and providing one would be unsafe for road users. The Fosse way is already extremely busy and dangerous, especially from increased Jaguar/Land Rover traffic.
There is no path or pavement to walk anywhere - either on the Fosse way or into Harbury - and cycling is dangerous on busy commuter routes.
Children cannot be allowed on a busy road to wait for transport to school.

To make another exit/entrance onto the Fosse Way would cause extreme danger as the visibility on the Fosse at this junction is already limited and the traffic travels at great speeds. It is described as a "racetrack" and often traffic uses this area to overtake at great speeds.


3 Rural environment/Other
The proposed site will have a visual impact from Harbury and The Fosse Way.
The proposed site has no mains gas, mains sewerage or drainage.
There would be damage to wildlife habitats.

It is a flood risk area flooding at the end of Middle Road, Harbury Lane and fields and I have often seen the surrounding fields deep in flood water as the land is so low. Drainage and sewerage in this area would cause big problems especially as the land lies very low and is very flat.

There are high power electricity lines crossing over the proposed site.

There are many other issues already listed to include in my objection including local businesses, archaeology and heritage, urbanisation agriculture and rural landscape.

Is it not possible to find some brown area sites that would not take away from prime farm land and also brown area sites that would not involve the danger from speeding traffic, power lines, flooding etc to put the lives of any children and families on this site in danger?

As a local resident I wish to object t the proposed traveller site , ref GT03.

As we have seen when travellers have used the football fields off Harbury lane as a base on several recent occasions , these sites become wastelands with all kinds of rubbish and excrement abandoned without a care.

The increase in traffic in this area would not only be unsuitable but dangerous .

Where would these people use schools, Doctors etc ? All the existing ones are over capacity as it is.


This development unwanted , unneeded and completely unnecessary .

I object to site GTO3 on the following grounds:-

1..Location on Fosse Way / Harbury Lane in an area which has a history of serious accidents in recent years. Visibility at junctions is poor and, despite the presence of speed cameras, the current 50mph limit is still dangerous at the road junctions.

2..No footpaths / cycleways exist.

3..Local schools are at capacity. Education of local children will be compromised by the needs of children who will come and go at random times - evidence at Tredington village school which is local to a traveller`s site.

4.. Local doctor`s surgeries at capacity.

5.. Lack of mains services especially sewerage and drainage.

Re: Proposed plan GT03 Dear Sir ,

As a resident living close to the above proposed sight I would like to register my Objection to the development. The Fosse Way and Harbury Lane are already dangerous roads with a high volume of traffic and many traffic incidents despite the 50mph limit.The chaos caused by the Leamington Football Club Events and when the gates for the Recreation Field are locked already proves the point.

There is no footpath and cycling along these roads is at best hazardous not to mention the environmental impact to a rural area.

As a ratepayer I also have a selfish interest in the effect on the value of my property,

I hope these objections will be taken into account in your deliberatations,

Dear Sir/Madam,
Ref: Proposed site GT04

I wish to express my concern about the proposal by WDC to establish a traveller site at the above situation. It would not seem to be an appropriate site for travellers to have a permanent site for the following reasons:

1. The nearby Fosse Way is an extremely busy route, as a result of the LandRover Jaguar and Aston Martin traffic accessing the works entrance at Gaydon on the Warwick-Banbury road. It is difficult to cross the Bendigo-Mitchell cross roads at most times of the day and becomes even more of a problem when workers are driving to and from the engineering works at peak times.
There have been many casualties at the above cross-roads in recent years and a sign has been erected on all approaches to warn of the danger.
All the roads leading to the Fosse Way, from all directions, have no suitable pedestrian pavements or bus stops, which would create difficulties for anyone without transport, wishing to go to Leamington or Warwick.

2. In recent years, there has been severe flooding in fields alongside the Fosse Way, which has consequently proved impassable to many vehicles - from the Fosse Way roundabout on the Leamington-Southam road and almost up to the cross roads leading towards Leamington FC grounds.
The site referred to in the above proposal, has no access to services, including electricity and would therefore be a potential safety threat at night-time, whilst the lack of proper sanitation would pose a health problem

3. The local facilities for schooling and G.P. services are already stretched, so it might be necessary to seek education and NHS practioners in the nearby towns for any persons seeking to reside at the above site.

It would not appear from the observations I have made in this letter that it would be a suitable site on which to establish a traveller site, as there are too many obstacles to overcome to ensure that it would be an appropriate place on which to locate travellers and their families.

I hope that it might be possible to find an alternative situation for travelling families, which would not incur too much additional cost for Warwick District Council, as might be required by the above proposal, but would provide all the amenities which are clearly lacking at the above site.

Dear Sir or Madam,

Re: Proposed Gypsy and Traveller Sites near Harbury

I am writing in addition to completing a response form objecting to the proposals for sites GT02, GT03 and GT04 in which I include more detailed responses to the proposals. I have also added handwritten notes to the typed comments.

The avoidance of allocating inappropriate development within the 80% of Warwick District designated Green Belt is creating an unacceptable cumulative impact to the South of the District on the character of the area and infrastructure; there is undue pressure on our area to absorb a disproportionate number of the proposed sites. Taken individually or together the proposals would represent a fundamental change to the rural landscape. It may not be Green belt, but it is countryside nonetheless. The proposed development would completely change the character of the area, causing harm to the rural nature and increasing the perception of coalescence between settlements. I note that the Warwickshire Local Plan strategy document (i.e.; the long term development plan for the county) makes no reference to any development in the areas of the proposed traveller sites. I wish to know what then makes them become appropriate for a traveller site if not for general housing development.

In respect of all three sites, there is completely inadequate access to, and provision for, public transport, schooling and doctors' facilities to support this additional population within a reasonable distance.

In respect of GT03 and GT04, Harbury Lane is already a very busy road with a number of blind bends and adjoins a designated High Risk Route. During the 25 years I have lived in the area, I have known of many serious accidents which have occurred along Harbury Lane. I would consider that access to this road is currently unsafe from either of these sites. Similarly, in respect of GT02, I consider access to the road would be unsafe.

I strongly object to the proposals at all three sites and hope you will take due consideration in your decision making of my reasons and arguments in support of my objections.

I wish to object against the proposed site GT04 Land at Harbury Lane, Fosse Way for Gypsies and Travellers.
My comments and concerns are as follows:
1. Access to Local Amenities:
The nearest doctor's surgery has no capacity for the influx of new patients.
The nearest primary, junior and secondary schools are already at capacity.
2. Travel:
The site is on a High Risk travel route with more than 12 serious accidents in last 3 years.
No bus stop is available on the Fosse Way and providing one would be unsafe for road users. The Fosse Way is already busy and dangerous, especially from increased Jaguar/Land Rover traffic.
No path or pavement to walk anywhere and cycling is dangerous on busy commuter routes. Children cannot be allowed to stand on a busy road to wait for transport to school.
3. Rural Environment / Other:
The proposed site will have a visual impact from Harbury and The Fosse Way.
The proposed site has no mains gas, mains sewerage or drainage.
Damage to wildlife habitat.
It is a flood risk area often flooding at the end of Middle Road, Harbury Lane and fields.
Please take these comments into consideration.

Dear Ms Coldicott,
Gipsy and Traveller Sites
This email is further to the previous one that I sent to you on 6 July 2013 concerning my objections to the proposed sites GT03 and GT04. The email is one of two that I shall be sending you.
My second email, which will arrive by midday tomorrow (Wednesday 24thJune), will contain a number of questions that I would like answered concerning the site consideration process.

The following relates to my objection based on providing safe routes to school.

1)Warwickshire County Council, in their document "Changing Travel Behaviour", had the following policy objective.
Policy CTB2: School Travel Plans
"We will work with schools to develop and implement School Travel Plans to reduce car use and increase use of healthy and sustainable modes of travel for journeys to school".
I contend that the lack of a pedestrian or cycle pathway from GT03 and GT04 to Harbury means that the only safe way for children to attend Harbury school would be by vehicular use, this runs contra to the above County policy.

2)The requirement to have to use vehicular transportation also runs contra to the health of children. Professor John Ashton, the President of the Faculty of Public Health, has stated that motorised school runs should be banned to help protect the health and fitness of children. Recent statistics on childhood obesity support him in this. In the UK 33% of year 6 pupils are overweight or obese. Statistics show that for each hour of driving/day increases obesity by 6%

3)The use of vehicles also adds to pollution and congestion. According to the National Travel Survey, trips to school (school run) accounted for 16% of UK peak hour journeys, this is an increase of 60% in 15 years . Extrapolating from US statistics- where the school run is around 14% of peak hour traffic- we can calculate that the school run in the UK adds 4 billion miles to the annual distance travelled and 800 million vehicular trips. Warwick District Council's plan would increase rather than reduce vehicular movements in the Harbury area, which would increase the danger to children walking within Harbury village.

I wish to register objections to the proposed Gypsy and Traveller Sites ref GT04 on the following grounds: -

The site is more than 1.5 miles from any GP surgery. It is outside the catchment area of Harbury Surgery and the nearest is Warwick Gates Family Health Centre to which there is no convenient access and in any case I believe to be full.

The situation is similar for schools. The site is outside the catchment area of Harbury Primary which already has issues with too many children. There are schools in Whitnash (2 miles away) but with limited capacity.

There is very limited public transport.

The occupancy of the site is likely to generate hundreds of vehicle movements daily, many of which will aim to join or cross the Fosse Way.
This is a very busy road and is designated as a High Risk Route. Delays at the intersection are already a problem at peak times and the crossing is dangerous due to the high speed of traffic (despite speed cameras).

The proposed site has no mains sewerage, drainage or gas, and electricity is a limited rural line. BT considers the site too be too far from the Whitnash interchange to provide an adequate telephone service - internet connection will be poor and slow. Mobile phone services are mediocre at best.

The size of the site and number and variety of caravans and vehicles will make the site a prominent landscape feature which in no way can be regarded as integrated, and will damage the whole character of the landscape.

Dear Development Policy Manager,

This letter is a response to the Draft Gypsy and Traveller Site Options.

My comments relate to sites GT4, GT5, GT6, GT9, GT10 and GT15.

Site GT4 - OBJECT

Convenient access to a GP surgery, school and public transport: Bishop's Tachbrook only has a branch GP surgery open mornings only Monday, Wednesday and Friday and afternoons only Tuesday and Thursday. Gypsies and travellers are known to have poorer health and higher health needs than the settled population so site GT4 would put undue pressure on an already busy surgery.

Bishop's Tachbrook primary school is a single form entry. Gypsy and traveller families are typically larger than the settled population and so a site with 5, 10 or 15 homes are likely to contain 15, 30 or 45 children. A Department for Education and Skills (2005) report, Ethnicity and Education: The Evidence on Minority Ethnic Pupils, reports that gypsy, Roman and traveller pupils are more likely to be identified as having special educational needs. Bishop's Tachbrook primary school is always at capacity and so may not be able to provide the infrastructure required to support these needs. All the sites identified which lie within Bishop's Tachbrook parish are too remote from major centres with all journeys requiring a motor vehicle.

Public transport is limited within the parish and with no pavements joining the sites to other urban areas, pedestrian access would be dangerous. Gypsies and travellers already have a lower life expectancy than the settled population so introducing them to additional known hazards would be a serious undertaking.

Avoiding areas with a high risk of flooding: The Environment Agency designates this area as being at likely risk of flooding from rivers or sea without defences. There are a number of streams criss-crossing this area. The Tach Brook runs nearby which provides additional flooding risks.

Safe access to the road network and provision for parking, turning and servicing on site: Site GT4 is on a main road with no pedestrian access making safe access to the road network dangerous.

Provision of utilities (running water, toilet facilities, waste disposal, etc): As this area is very remote from major amenities, the provision of utilities would be more problematic than for other sites.

Avoiding areas where there could be adverse impact on important features of the natural and historic environment: GT4 is close to the Chesterton Windmill site which is of local importance.

Sites which can be integrated into the landscape without harming the character of the area: GT4 is close to the Chesterton Windmill site which is of local importance.

Promotes peaceful and integrated co-existence between the site and the local community: There is very strong local opposition to siting a gypsy and traveller site in this location as evidenced by the local meeting held on 17th July 2013.

Avoids placing undue pressure on local infrastructure and services: Harbury Lane is a very busy route into Warwick and Leamington which already has queues at the Harbury Lane/Oakley Wood Road junction at peak times. There are few local services nearby and so those that do exist are likely to be put under undue pressure by a large gypsy and traveller site.

Reflects the extent to which traditional lifestyles (whereby some travellers live and work from the same location thereby omitting many travel to work journeys) can contribute to sustainability: Site GT4 has a number of streams criss-crossing the area and is very close to the Tach Brook. There is therefore a risk of contamination given that the proposed gypsy and traveller site may be used as a place of work.

 
Site GT5 - OBJECT

Convenient access to a GP surgery, school and public transport: Bishop's Tachbrook only has a branch GP surgery open mornings only Monday, Wednesday and Friday and afternoons only Tuesday and Thursday. Gypsies and travellers are known to have poorer health and higher health needs than the settled population so site GT4 would put undue pressure on an already busy surgery.

Bishop's Tachbrook primary school is a single form entry. Gypsy and traveller families are typically larger than the settled population and so a site with 5, 10 or 15 homes are likely to contain 15, 30 or 45 children. A Department for Education and Skills (2005) report, Ethnicity and Education: The Evidence on Minority Ethnic Pupils, reports that gypsy, Roma and traveller pupils are more likely to be identified as having special educational needs. Bishop's Tachbrook primary school is always at capacity and so may not be able to provide the infrastructure required to support these needs. All the sites identified which lie within Bishop's Tachbrook parish are too remote from major centres with all journeys requiring a motor vehicle.

Public transport is limited within the parish and with no pavements joining the sites to other urban areas, pedestrian access would be dangerous. Gypsies and travellers already have a lower life expectancy than the settled population so introducing them to additional known hazards would be a serious undertaking.

Safe access to the road network and provision for parking, turning and servicing on site: Site GT5 is on a main road with no pedestrian access making safe access to the road network dangerous.

Avoiding areas where there is the potential for noise and other disturbance: Site GT5 is very close to the M40 which could negatively impact on the residents' well-being through noise and traffic fumes.

Avoiding areas where there could be adverse impact on important features of the natural and historic environment: There is a strong potential visual impact on the approach to historic Warwick. There are also listed buildings on the site.

Sites which can be integrated into the landscape without harming the character of the area: There is a strong potential visual impact on the approach to historic Warwick. Tourism in Warwick is very important to the local economy and any impact would severely damage the town.

Promotes peaceful and integrated co-existence between the site and the local community: There is very strong local opposition to siting a gypsy and traveller site in this location as evidenced by the local meeting held on 17th July 2013.

Avoids placing undue pressure on local infrastructure and services: The A452 is the main route off the M40 motorway into Leamington from the south. It is such a busy and dangerous route that a 50mph speed limit was introduced in 2009. There are few local services nearby and so those that do exist are likely to be put under undue pressure by a large gypsy and traveller site.

 
Site GT6 - OBJECT

Convenient access to a GP surgery, school and public transport: Bishop's Tachbrook only has a branch GP surgery open mornings only Monday, Wednesday and Friday and afternoons only Tuesday and Thursday. Gypsies and travellers are known to have poorer health and higher health needs than the settled population so site GT4 would put undue pressure on an already busy surgery.

Bishop's Tachbrook primary school is a single form entry. Gypsy and traveller families are typically larger than the settled population and so a site with 5, 10 or 15 homes are likely to contain 15, 30 or 45 children. A Department for Education and Skills (2005) report, Ethnicity and Education: The Evidence on Minority Ethnic Pupils, reports that gypsy, Roma and traveller pupils are more likely to be identified as having special educational needs. Bishop's Tachbrook primary school is always at capacity and so may not be able to provide the infrastructure required to support these needs. All the sites identified which lie within Bishop's Tachbrook parish are too remote from major centres with all journeys requiring a motor vehicle.

Public transport is limited within the parish and with no pavements joining the sites to other urban areas, pedestrian access would be dangerous. Gypsies and travellers already have a lower life expectancy than the settled population so introducing them to additional known hazards would be a serious undertaking.

Safe access to the road network and provision for parking, turning and servicing on site: Site GT6 is on a main road with no pedestrian access making safe access to the road network dangerous. It is surrounded on three sides by very busy main roads.

Avoiding areas where there is the potential for noise and other disturbance: The traffic noise from being surrounded by three very busy main roads would be detrimental to the residents' well-being.

Provision of utilities (running water, toilet facilities, waste disposal, etc): There is only one farm on this site and as such the provision of utilities is limited.

Avoiding areas where there could be adverse impact on important features of the natural and historic environment: Both the A425 and the A452 run alongside this site. This means the potential visual impact on the approach to historic Warwick is doubled as visitors leaving the motorway both northbound and southbound would see the site as they enter Warwick.

Sites which can be integrated into the landscape without harming the character of the area: Both the A425 and the A452 run alongside this site. This means the potential visual impact on the approach to historic Warwick is doubled as visitors leaving the motorway both northbound and southbound would see the site as they enter Warwick. Tourism in Warwick is very important to the local economy and any impact would severely damage the town. It is close to Castle Park which is an important historical area of Warwick.

Promotes peaceful and integrated co-existence between the site and the local community: There is very strong local opposition to siting a gypsy and traveller site in this location as evidenced by the local meeting held on 17th July 2013.

Avoids placing undue pressure on local infrastructure and services: The A452 and the A425 are the main routes off the M40 motorway into Leamington from the north and south. They are such busy and dangerous routes that a 50mph speed limit was introduced on both in 2009. There are few local services nearby and so those that do exist are likely to be put under undue pressure by a large gypsy and traveller site. 
Site GT9 - OBJECT

Convenient access to a GP surgery, school and public transport: Bishop's Tachbrook only has a branch GP surgery open mornings only Monday, Wednesday and Friday and afternoons only Tuesday and Thursday. Gypsies and travellers are known to have poorer health and higher health needs than the settled population so site GT4 would put undue pressure on an already busy surgery.

Bishop's Tachbrook primary school is a single form entry. Gypsy and traveller families are typically larger than the settled population and so a site with 5, 10 or 15 homes are likely to contain 15, 30 or 45 children. A Department for Education and Skills (2005) report, Ethnicity and Education: The Evidence on Minority Ethnic Pupils, reports that gypsy, Roma and traveller pupils are more likely to be identified as having special educational needs. Bishop's Tachbrook primary school is always at capacity and so may not be able to provide the infrastructure required to support these needs. All the sites identified which lie within Bishop's Tachbrook parish are too remote from major centres with all journeys requiring a motor vehicle.

Public transport is limited within the parish and with no pavements joining the sites to other urban areas, pedestrian access would be dangerous. Gypsies and travellers already have a lower life expectancy than the settled population so introducing them to additional known hazards would be a serious undertaking.

Safe access to the road network and provision for parking, turning and servicing on site: Site GT9 is on a main road with no pedestrian access making safe access to the road network dangerous. It is surrounded on all sides by very busy main roads (A452 and M40).

Avoiding areas where there is the potential for noise and other disturbance: The traffic noise from being surrounded by A452 and M40 both very busy main roads would be detrimental to the residents' well-being.

Provision of utilities (running water, toilet facilities, waste disposal, etc): The site is rural and therefore has limited access to utilities.

Avoiding areas where there could be adverse impact on important features of the natural and historic environment: There is a strong potential visual impact on the approach to historic Warwick. There are also listed buildings on the site.

Sites which can be integrated into the landscape without harming the character of the area: There is a strong potential visual impact on the approach to historic Warwick. Tourism in Warwick is very important to the local economy and any impact would severely damage the town.

Promotes peaceful and integrated co-existence between the site and the local community: There is very strong local opposition to siting a gypsy and traveller site in this location as evidenced by the local meeting held on 17th July 2013.

Avoids placing undue pressure on local infrastructure and services: The A452 is the main route off the M40 motorway into Leamington from the north and south. The M40 junctions already have large queues at peak times. The A452 is such a busy and dangerous route that a 50mph speed limit was introduced in 2009. There are few local services nearby and so those that do exist are likely to be put under undue pressure by a large gypsy and traveller site.

 
Site GT10 - OBJECT

Convenient access to a GP surgery, school and public transport: Bishop's Tachbrook only has a branch GP surgery open mornings only Monday, Wednesday and Friday and afternoons only Tuesday and Thursday. Gypsies and travellers are known to have poorer health and higher health needs than the settled population so site GT4 would put undue pressure on an already busy surgery.

Bishop's Tachbrook primary school is a single form entry. Gypsy and traveller families are typically larger than the settled population and so a site with 5, 10 or 15 homes are likely to contain 15, 30 or 45 children. A Department for Education and Skills (2005) report, Ethnicity and Education: The Evidence on Minority Ethnic Pupils, reports that gypsy, Roma and traveller pupils are more likely to be identified as having special educational needs. Bishop's Tachbrook primary school is always at capacity and so may not be able to provide the infrastructure required to support these needs. All the sites identified which lie within Bishop's Tachbrook parish are too remote from major centres with all journeys requiring a motor vehicle.

Public transport is limited within the parish and with no pavements joining the sites to other urban areas, pedestrian access would be dangerous. Gypsies and travellers already have a lower life expectancy than the settled population so introducing them to additional known hazards would be a serious undertaking.

Safe access to the road network and provision for parking, turning and servicing on site: Site GT10 is on a main road with no pedestrian access making safe access to the road network dangerous.

Avoiding areas where there is the potential for noise and other disturbance: The Guide Dogs for the Blind National Breeding Centre is on this site. The noise from dogs barking is likely to be detrimental to residents' well-being.

Provision of utilities (running water, toilet facilities, waste disposal, etc): The site is rural and therefore has limited access to utilities.

Avoiding areas where there could be adverse impact on important features of the natural and historic environment: There is a strong potential visual impact on the approach to historic Warwick. Tourism in Warwick is very important to the local economy and any impact would severely damage the town.

Sites which can be integrated into the landscape without harming the character of the area: There is a strong potential visual impact on the approach to historic Warwick. Tourism in Warwick is very important to the local economy and any impact would severely damage the town.

Promotes peaceful and integrated co-existence between the site and the local community: There is very strong local opposition to siting a gypsy and traveller site in this location as evidenced by the local meeting held on 17th July 2013.

Avoids placing undue pressure on local infrastructure and services: The Guide Dogs for the Blind National Breeding Centre is on this site. Gypsies and travellers often have dogs and the issues with cross breeding could be detrimental to the sustainability of the charity. There may also be illnesses or viruses carried by residents' dogs who have brought them from far away and which, if caught by the guide dogs, could be damaging to the charity's work.

Reflects the extent to which traditional lifestyles (whereby some travellers live and work from the same location thereby omitting many travel to work journeys) can contribute to sustainability: The potential for cross breeding or cross contamination with the guide dogs may be damaging to the charitable work undertaken at the site.
Site GT15 - OBJECT

Convenient access to a GP surgery, school and public transport: Bishop's Tachbrook only has a branch GP surgery open mornings only Monday, Wednesday and Friday and afternoons only Tuesday and Thursday. Gypsies and travellers are known to have poorer health and higher health needs than the settled population so site GT4 would put undue pressure on an already busy surgery.

Bishop's Tachbrook primary school is a single form entry. Gypsy and traveller families are typically larger than the settled population and so a site with 5, 10 or 15 homes are likely to contain 15, 30 or 45 children. A Department for Education and Skills (2005) report, Ethnicity and Education: The Evidence on Minority Ethnic Pupils, reports that gypsy, Roma and traveller pupils are more likely to be identified as having special educational needs. Bishop's Tachbrook primary school is always at capacity and so may not be able to provide the infrastructure required to support these needs. All the sites identified which lie within Bishop's Tachbrook parish are too remote from major centres with all journeys requiring a motor vehicle.

Public transport is limited within the parish and with no pavements joining the sites to other urban areas, pedestrian access would be dangerous. Gypsies and travellers already have a lower life expectancy than the settled population so introducing them to additional known hazards would be a serious undertaking.

Avoiding areas with a high risk of flooding: Site GT15 is on the banks of the Tach Brook. The Environment Agency designates this area as being at likely risk of flooding from rivers or sea without defences. It is also close to Lower Heathcote Farm fishery lakes which pose additional flood risks.

Safe access to the road network and provision for parking, turning and servicing on site: Site GT15 is on a main road with no pedestrian access making safe access to the road network dangerous.

Avoiding areas where there is the potential for noise and other disturbance: The traffic noise from the A452 would be detrimental to the residents' well-being.

Provision of utilities (running water, toilet facilities, waste disposal, etc): The site is rural and therefore has limited access to utilities.

Avoiding areas where there could be adverse impact on important features of the natural and historic environment: There is a strong potential visual impact on the approach to historic Warwick. Tourism in Warwick is very important to the local economy and any impact would severely damage the town.

Sites which can be integrated into the landscape without harming the character of the area: There is a strong potential visual impact on the approach to historic Warwick. Tourism in Warwick is very important to the local economy and any impact would severely damage the town.

Promotes peaceful and integrated co-existence between the site and the local community: There is very strong local opposition to siting a gypsy and traveller site in this location as evidenced by the local meeting held on 17th July 2013.

Avoids placing undue pressure on local infrastructure and services: The A452 is the main route off the M40 motorway into Leamington from the north and south. The M40 junctions already have large queues at peak times. The A452 is such a busy and dangerous route that a 50mph speed limit was introduced in 2009. There are few local services nearby and so those that do exist are likely to be put under undue pressure by a large gypsy and traveller site.

Reflects the extent to which traditional lifestyles (whereby some travellers live and work from the same location thereby omitting many travel to work journeys) can contribute to sustainability: Site GT15 is on the banks of the Tach Brook. There is therefore a risk of contamination given that the proposed gypsy and traveller site may be used as a place of work.

see attached

I wish to register my objection to the traveller sites across South Warwickshire as I believe that the local community will be seriously impacted due to the excess cars, caravans etc

see attached

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Site GT04
We write to object strongly to the proposed use of this land as a Gypsy and Traveller Site. There is no need to repeat all the arguments ably summarised by Warwick District Council - lack of suitable health and educational facilities, problems with road traffic and utilities, severe damage to the local economy, environmental impact, etc. - showing why the site is totally unsuitable for this purpose.

To Development Policy Manager:

I have recently received a paper copy of the public consultation document and needed additional time to understand the document and its implications. As advised by Lorna Coldicott, Senior Planner I am responding within the week commencing 29 July.

Firstly, I would respond that to limit my objection to your already set criteria does not allow for other mitigating circumstances which lead to this objection and therefore I will include the following which directly relate to my objection of sites GT03 and GT04:

That the area of search for consultation is disproportionately centred around the South of Warwick District, in particular Whitnash/Bishops Tachbrook and that also the larger sites are disproportionately centred around these areas. In addition, there is currently a planning application by Richborough Estates outstanding for a development on land very close to GT03 which should be taken into consideration in terms of all of the criteria outlined by yourselves as being of significance.

Another issue which is not addressed by your criteria is that which relates to 'pitch' sizes. Nowhere in the consultation document can I find any reference to expected or limited occupancy numbers or measured land allocated per pitch which would then give meaning to your obtuse 'potential no. of pitches figure' of being 15 for each of GT03 and GT04. Or indeed which land falls into the various categories you give for 'consideration and comment'. Without a full disclosure of this information it is very difficult to raise objection with any hope of accuracy. This then directs any consultation towards subjectivity and opinion or at the very least limits your respondents to general statements. However, I will work with what is available at the present time.

Addressing the 'Policy Criteria' in relation to GT03:

1. GP surgery, school and public transport; the local GP surgeries are already at capacity. The local Primary schools are over-subscribed as is the Secondary school given as being for this priority area.

2. I am not aware of any flooding to this area.

3. Safe Access: accessing this site from the Golf Lane area means using a track - clearly identified on the ordnance survey map as such which is only partially tarmaced, full of pot-holes and has a very steep incline from the Fieldgate Lane/Golf Lane bend. It is also a designated public footpath. In addition, Golf Lane itself has already seen the imposition of a bus route and has to cope with school traffic, additional traffic for a large nursing home which requires the necessary use of emergency vehicular access and the Golf Club itself which has regular functions and events which increase traffic. There already exists a development of static homes adjacent to the proposed site which operates a business from the site trading as 'Pro-surfacing Ltd' and which uses large plant machinery to carry out its trade adding further pressure to traffic use on Golf Lane. Therefore, this track cannot be considered a 'safe access' to the road network.

4. Avoiding areas where there is the potential for noise and other disturbance: without the full facts relating to occupancy levels any response would be subjective.

5. Provision of utilities: permanent and therefore sanitary provision of water services would be cost-prohibitive due to the site's topography. Equally, environmental issues regarding fuel provision, types and building construction should be of consideration in line with local and national initiatives regarding 'new homes'; gypsy and traveller status should not preclude these.

6 & 7. Promotes peaceful and integrated co-existence... Evidence: as recently as Thursday 11th July gypsies occupying land set 'woodland on fire' and left an area 'rubbish-strewn' in the Whitnash and Myton Fields areas (Leamington Observer, week 29, Thursday July 18th 2013, p1). Having lived near the Ryton site where elaborate static homes replete with porticoes and Grecian columns have an adverse impact on the natural environment with no restraint placed upon such building and directly experienced the negative impact this site has had it is not difficult to object to such sites near to the community in which I live. My children attended Bilton School (which was subject to repeat encampments) where dogs were encouraged by their owners to run at the school fencing to intimidate the students and who were also spat at and sworn at to the point where the school Leadership team banned students from using the school field. Gypsy and traveller sites do not want to integrate into the landscape nor the local community regardless of the notion of 'permanency' which has equal cultural meaning to both a settled community and formerly transient community but which are discrete and apposite to each other. Ryton is a clear example of this.

8. Avoids placing undue pressure on local infrastructure and services: in relation to increased traffic, consideration should be given to the types of traffic which will place undue pressure on these. Large static homes require specialist transportation and installation which cannot be easily effected in any numbers via a steep farm track. In addition, the roads surrounding Golf Lane have traffic issues, double-parking and Golf Lane is now surrounded by speed humps which do not provide traffic calming measures but encourage erratic driving methods. To try and negotiate the surrounding roads and indeed the sharp bend at the top of Golf Lane/Whitnash Road with attendant speed humps would be dangerous. In addition, the already reduced services in terms of rubbish disposal to a fortnightly collection would be put under further pressure. The ongoing alliance between West Mercia and Warwickshire police has already led to large numbers of redundancies to police and support staff in an effort to meet budgetary constraints.

9. Traditional lifestyles: this is not peculiar to a traveller community; many people, from all professions, work from their home address including those with 'remote' offices or in craft industries. Therefore, sustainability in terms of location without specific examples of what constitutes 'traditional lifestyles' again would be subjective.

My objections to GT04 are equally relevant given the proximity of the sites with the exception of improved road access from Harbury Lane.

In closing, I would suggest that the required numbers of pitches to allow identified numbers of Gypsy and Traveller's permanent settlements are not 'bunched' into one area. Surely, the best scenario of this enforced situation is to spread integration and therefore avoid ghettos or creating undue disharmony in happy, 'settled' communities.

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Dear Sirs,

I wish to register my objection to the proposed site GT04 at Harbury Lane , Fosse Way, for Gypsies and Travellers.

My comments and concerns are as follows:

1. Access to local amenities.
It is my understanding that the nearest Doctor's surgery has no capacity for the influx of new patients and that the nearest primary,junior and secondary schools are already at capacity. This follows on from recent and current new build development in Harbury, in addition to existing demand from the existing communities

2.Travel
The site is definitely on a High Risk travel route with more than 12 serious accidents in the last 3 years, including 1 around 2 weeks ago. No bus stop is available on the Fosse Way and providing one would , in my opinion, be extremely unsafe for road users. The Fosse Way is already a very busy and dangerous road, especially with increased Jaguar/Land Rover traffic during core periods and indeed otherwise. I truly cannot see how the risks associated with this site make it a realistic option to be considered

No path or pavement exists to enable walking anywhere , and cycling is dangerous on the busy commuter roads. Surely children cannot be expected or allowed to stand on a dangerous road to wait for transport to school.?

3. Rural Environment/ Other
The proposed site will clearly have a visual impact from Harbury and The Fosse Way The proposed site currently has no mains gas, mains sewerage or drainage There will potentially be significant potential for damage to wildlife habitat It is a flood risk area often flooding at the end of Middle Road, Harbury Lane and fields .

see attached

Reference: GT03 Land at Barnwell Farm

Dear Sirs
Proposed sites for Gypsies and Travellers
My wife and I wish to object against the proposed site GT04 Land at Harbury Lane, Fosse Way for Gypsies and Travellers.

Our comments are as follows:
1 Access to local Amenities
The nearest doctor's surgery has no capacity for the influx of new patients.
The nearest primary, junior and secondary schools are already at capacity.

2 Travel
The site is on a high risk travel route with more than 12 serious accidents in the last 3 years.
No bus stop is available on the Fosse Way and providing one would be unsafe for road users
The Fosse Way is already a busy and dangerous road, especially from increased Jaguar/land Rover traffic
No path or pavement to walk anywhere and cycling is dangerous on a busy commuter routes.
Children cannot be allowed to stand on a busy road to wait for transport to school.

3 Rural Environments/Other
The proposed site will have a negative visual impact from Harbury and The Fosse Way
The proposed site has no mains gas, mains sewerage or drainage.
Damage to wildlife habitat
It is a flood risk area often flooding at the end of Middle Road, Harbury Lane and Fields


Please do not hesitate to contact me if you require verification of our objection.