Map 1

I am truly shocked and saddened to discover that there is a Gypsy & Traveller site planned for the Stratford road in Warwick. My Husband and I recently bought a Taylor Wimpey house and moved into Beaumont Meadow with our young Son in May this year. At no point were we made aware of this proposed development and had we known about it, we may have decided not to purchase at all. We were however, aware of the proposed site over on Harbury Lane at the football ground and this was one of the reasons that we moved away from Warwick Gates.
I would like to know if there is anything that we can do to prevent the Stratford Road site from being selected and voice a very strong objection to the proposal.

I am writing to express my objections to the consideration of the permanent Gipsy and Traveller sites adjacent to the Stratford Road, near the present Severn Trent sewage works within the Warwick area.
Several areas around Warwick have already undergone significant development over the past decade, one such example being the Chase Meadow estate which has already placed a burden on the local infrastructure and amenities. Current and future development will place an even greater burden on the local schools, doctors, roads and recreational / social facilities; this would only be exacerbated by the locating of Gypsy and Traveller sites in close proximity.
Further to this the locating of Gypsy and Traveller sites will have a huge negative impact on the town of Warwick, especially tourism and the many local businesses that rely upon this. You only have to look at the example set by many shop / restaurant owners who close early when there is an influx of Gypsies and Travellers for the Bank Holiday race meeting.
Moreover, I am left feeling rather frustrated that an additional site has been added to the proposed list of sites at this late stage.
I do hope that the views of the Warwick population are continued to be considered seriously during this process and that common sense prevails and that the historical town of Warwick can continue to be the wonderful place it is to live and raise families

I am writing to voice my concerns and objections to the proposed Gypsy and Traveller Site at Stratford Road Longbridge Warwick

The proposed site adjoins the Sewage Treatment plant and there is often a pungent smell permeating across to Lodge Crescent where I live, to actually house people on site and expect them to live with a permanent smell on a daily basis seems inhuman.

The proposal for the site plus light industry would further add to the volume of traffic along the Stratford Road this is a problem already the road is no longer adequate to cope with such congestion
I do not think that this proposal has been given adequate forethought
I do not think it honest that this site was suddenly announced and not on the original sites proposed as per the local plan

How appropriate that you are now looking at a site near the Severn Trent sewage works..... Because the handling of this matter stinks.
I thought that Paul Daniels was good! But you've managed to produce a whopping rabbit out of your hat.
At least with Paul Daniels, you know that something fishy is going on. But I had hoped for better from you.
It's sleight of hand and misdirection mixed up together.
It does not bode well for any future assurances by you.
More fool me for thinking otherwise.
Still, as they say, there's a lot of suckers out there. There must be, otherwise you'd not act like this.
"Formal Consultation" my foot!

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

I moved to Stratford Road, Warwick in July 2014, regarding it as one of the most sought after roads to live on in Warwick. During the purchase of the property 8 bids were made from over 30 potential buyers, the house selling in only one day, I was successful in purchasing the property having to pay some £30,000 above asking price. I was happy to do this as I saw this place as my final home and as a very desirable place to live.

After speaking to my local residents and neighbours I was very surprised and concerned to hear that the potential site selected was at the end of the Stratford Road, less than a mile to my property. I can also add that I was surprised that it was a recent late addition to the long list of potential sites selected. Many residents remain completely unaware of this plan.

I strongly oppose the site for the following reasons
1. As a payer of Council Tax like the many resident on Stratford Road, we should of 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.
2. 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. Taylor Wimpey I believe will be building a new phase of houses, I can see their marketing flags marking out the next phase. Please ask the question of whether they will continue to build and how would these houses sell? surely they will remain empty like the development in Leamington Spa by the Waterside, then having to sell them at rock bottom pricing, thus bringing down local house prices.
3. Local residents pay a large amount of council tax to fund WDC and 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. I have had first hand experience of the gypsy community whilst living in Warwick previously, I run for leisure and I have been heckled and intimidated with them and their dogs whilst running round the race course. I would certainly not feel safe running anymore or walking my dogs in the local areas. I would surely have to consider selling my property
7. 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 a lot of residents (including myself who purchased at a premium) in negative equity.
8. 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. Without wanting to stereotype, they do tend to allow their dogs to run off the lead, and as a way of intimidation as experienced personally on the race course.

I would like to be kept fully informed on the activity surrounding this application and the process involved in any decision making. Like many residents, should this planning be approved I will be surely placing my property on the housing market.

Please note I do not wish my contact details (name or email) to be displayed on the planning website.

I am writing to express my objections to the consideration of the permanent Gipsy and Traveller sites adjacent to the Stratford Road, near the present Severn Trent sewage works within the Warwick area.

Several areas around Warwick have already undergone significant development over the past decade, one such example being the Chase Meadow estate which has already placed a burden on the local infrastructure and amenities. Current and future development will place an even greater burden on the local schools, doctors, roads and recreational / social facilities; this would only be exacerbated by the locating of Gypsy and Traveller sites in close proximity.

Further to this the locating of Gypsy and Traveller sites will have a huge negative impact on the town of Warwick, especially tourism and the many local businesses that rely upon this. You only have to look at the example set by many shop / restaurant owners who close early when there is an influx of Gypsies and Travellers for the Bank Holiday race meeting.

Moreover, I am left feeling rather frustrated that an additional site has been added to the proposed list of sites at this late stage.

I do hope that the views of the Warwick population are continued to be considered seriously during this process and that common sense prevails and that the historical town of Warwick can continue to be the wonderful place it is to live and raise families.

I am writing to express my objections to the consideration of the permanent Gipsy and Traveller sites adjacent to the Stratford Road, near the present Severn Trent sewage works within the Warwick area.

Several areas around Warwick have already undergone significant development over the past decade, one such example being the Chase Meadow estate which has already placed a burden on the local infrastructure and amenities. Current and future development will place an even greater burden on the local schools, doctors, roads and recreational / social facilities; this would only be exacerbated by the locating of Gypsy and Traveller sites in close proximity.

Further to this the locating of Gypsy and Traveller sites will have a huge negative impact on the town of Warwick, especially tourism and the many local businesses that rely upon this. You only have to look at the example set by many shop / restaurant owners who close early when there is an influx of Gypsies and Travellers for the Bank Holiday race meeting.

Moreover, I am left feeling rather frustrated that an additional site has been added to the proposed list of sites at this late stage.

I do hope that the views of the Warwick population are continued to be considered seriously during this process and that common sense prevails and that the historical town of Warwick can continue to be the wonderful place it is to live and raise families

I have learned of Warwick District Council's proposal to place a permanent Gypsy site adjacent to the Stratford Road near the Severn Trent sewage works and, whilst on the one hand I think for them to be near the sewage works is appropriate, I do not feel that a site on the main Tourist route into the town is a good location. Even if you screen the site with hedges and trees coach passengers will see over and as quite often at weekends the traffic is queuing from Longbridge island all the way to the castle people would have plenty of opportunity to see the unsightly mess generally associated with travellers.

I have find out that another site has been proposed which is off Stratford Road. It is rather ironic that a plot of land owned by the district is now available just when Taylor Wimpey has sold all those new houses and therefore when a purchase my house a few month this was not mention by my solicitor or Taylor Wimpey. Is it a coincidence???
Anyway I've moved in Warinford Close a few month ago and I have experience the problem cause by the travellers over Easter, about 20 caravans moved by Aylsford school and we have experience a number of problems during those 2 weeks;
* I have to drive my daughter to school due to safety concern
* Dogs guarding the path
* Kids running on the road and staying on the road as you drive
* Litter on the patch way
* Travellers kid playing by the new pond and throwing the safety ring (they saw me but didn't care, those people have no respect for the law)
* They cut through the school fence.
* On they left the site, it took a whole day to clear up
I wouldn't feel safe going for a walk in the evening as I am currently doing.

Theft will increase, two hotels close to the site with some lovely cars and a new estate......dinner on a plate

Those people do not integrate! Let not kid ourselves. What have seen over the 2 weeks they were by Aylesford School is enough for me to put my house on the market. We felt intimidated, the police try to stop them to park but fell to do so.

Also what a great image for Warwick, first thing before you drive to Warwick is a travellers/gipsy camp.

This traveller camp is about 1/2 mile, that is far too close.

I just wanted to express my concern over the propsed traveller site adjacent to Stratford Rd. I live on Chase Meadow and there were some travellers who parked on the estate within the last year and left a lot of trash and toilet waste when they were told to leave. On Chase Meadow we pay a lot of extra rent to live in a nice location and it worries me that this would be destroyed should the traveller site go ahead at this location.

I am writing to object to the proposed travellers site on the Stratford Road. I have recently moved in to a new house built by Taylor Wimpey. When local searches were made this new proposed traveller site was not on the potential site list or on the short list. We will be one of the closest houses to the proposed traveller site ( 0.3 miles) as we over look the open land near the Stratford Road. Shortly after we moved in travellers set up on Tapping Way. They were a public nuisance. They left piles of rubbish all along the road, they intimidated residents, the children ran all over the open space in front of us, broke Aylesford School fence so they could play football on their land, climbed up peoples' fences, they threw stones at the swans and birds on the ponds and unhooked the life buoys on the ponds. Clearly they DO NOT want to part of a community. Therefore putting a travellers site so close to Chase Meadow would NOT promote a peaceful and integrated co existence between the site and the local community.
The area is also prone to flooding and is in between the M40 and the Stratford Road.
Stratford Road is the main entrance into the historic town of Warwick. Do the council really think it would be a good idea to put a traveller site on this main road? What impression would visitors get? Warwick would lose business as our two main hotels would be next to the site. Would people feel safe to park their cars there? Or walk into Warwick to visit our beautiful town. Putting a travellers site so close to Warwick would have a detrimental effect on business.
An odour assessment needs to be made as several times a week there is a really bad odour that comes from the water sewage plant. It is usually in the evenings. We need to close all our windows because the smell is so bad. If we had known about it before we may have not moved to our house. The proposed site would even closer to the sewage plant.
I urge the council to consider all my points. How would you feel if you had just bought a new house knowing that you were not near a proposed site and now find out that there could be one very close to your house?
In the council literature it says that travellers do not want to be part of a community yet you are proposing a site right next to one!

I wish to convey my disapproval and protest at the proposed site for a permanent gypsy site in Stratford Road. Warwick is not a suitable place and the mess they leave is unacceptable as previously seen in Tappings Way in Chase Meadow.
There is enough new development off the Stratford Road as it is. Doctors appointments and school places are full at the moment and any additional influx of people over and above that allowed for at Chase Meadow will result in severe inconvenience to the existing population in the south west of Warwick.

Im writing to you to express my views on the proposed gypsy and traveller site on the the Stratford Road in Warwick..and my view is is that after living in this house for 40 years i would have to seriously consider moving!! The last time we were invaded by these people i had a £300 Mongoose bicycle stolen from my property and to be honest we didnt feel safe leaving the house unattended. After all the land available to Warwick District Council why would you even consider putting this site on a highly desirable road with respectable, hard working people? It would lower the tone, and probably house prices too!! I ask you 1 question...
would you like a gypsy site on your doorstep????
NO YOU WOULD NOT!!!!!

I understand that this option has not been through the consultation process and does not appear on your development plan. This location therefore should not be discussed at any future planning meetings until it is properly incorporated into the plan and subjected to the normal consultation process. I also request that residents are given an explanation how this option was generated, given it was not in the original assumptions.

It appears that this process is not being followed, therefore I object to the proposal to locate a traveller / gypsy site accessed from Stratford Road, Warwick.

My objections are:

1. The Stratford Road is the main access for visitors to Warwick and the Castle. As such a site will give a poor impression of the town to these visitors, with the potential to reduce visitor numbers and revenue to the town, both in the medium and longer term.

2. Experience of similar other sites (e.g. in Worcester, adjacent to Worcester Rugby Club) is that the residents have little regard for the environment, creating considerable pollution with a potential negative effect on both the local environment and the inhabitants of the town.

I strongly urge you to re-consider the proposal to make the permanent site on the Stratford Road.
This site is too close for comfort to a large area of business and residential properties and within easy walking distance of the town centre.
The last time travellers camped on the Stratford Road, they left behind a disgusting mess of litter and general debris - which was an eyesore on one of the major routes into the town - and was cleared by yourselves, I believe?

Is there any reason that the caravan site that was under development on the Warwick/Banbury Road could not be utilised? Presumably some work on infrastructure has already been carried out and this might ease the burden of cost on taxpayers.

Unfortunately many of the Travellers contribute very little to the local community - frequently taking more than they bring - and they have 'a bad press'. As individuals they are probably very nice people, but as a group they have not been good neighbours.

I trust that our local councillors will attempt to safeguard the interests of their voters.

Have any of you witnessed the site of any Gypsy/traveller site, which they regularly occupy around our district, after they have left? I am sure you cannot fail to be aware of the total disregard in which they hold our beautiful county, exemplified by the dumping of piles of rubbish which is presumably cleared at our cost by Council services. The behaviour of these people when seen also regularly falls short of how we would expect "normal people" to live.

Sadly, it is also a fact that crime is regularly reported to increase with the presence of our traveller friends.

I think you will be hard pressed to find anyone who supports the idea of blighting Warwick with a traveller site on one of its main entry routes (apart from planners and politicians who I suspect don't live anywhere near the proposed site).

Our local area has been the victim of a hideous housing growth over the past 15-20 years, which has already changed its face beyond recognition (and despite views to the contrary, not all of it has been positive!). We are about to have the equivalent of another Warwick (population wise), dumped on our district in the unbelievably ridiculous plan for our area.

If we add the above site to our Town, this will be the final "nail in its coffin".

No, no, 1,000 times no. This must not be allowed to happen.

I write to voice my objection to the proposal to site a Traveller site adjacent to Stratford Road in Warwick. I believe this is in entirely the wrong place for a travellers site and it will prove to be a "blot" on Warwick's landscape, detracting from the area and ultimately blighting our lovely town.

Stratford Road is the main thoroughfare into Warwick and having a Gypsy and Traveller encampment at the entrace to our historic town will not encourage visitors and tourists to our area and will present entirely the wrong impression of Warwick. We want to encourage visitors and tourists to stay in the area, feeling safe and secure and believing that they will enjoy our town, rather than noting the presence of a traveller site and the negative implications that general (rightly or wrongly) are associated with such sites. We are a historic town and need to encourage visitors to ensure that the town thrives.

Our family has also had experience of travellers and gypsys coming into an area and none of this experience has been good. My experience is that traveller sites increase crime rates in an area, cause an exceptional amount of ill feeling in an area, children in local schools cause disruption and other difficulties and there is a general decline in areas where these travellers put down roots. I cannot support this proposal.

I am upset that this site has suddenly been shortlisted without any previous discussion and opportunity for residents and local representatives to pass comment. This is simply not acceptable and comes accross as completely underhanded. It is also unclear what such bodies such as the local police and shopkeepers think of this proposal, but we are being given limited time to find out and discuss the proposal in a reasonable manner.

Please register my strenuous objection and that of my husband. We will fight against this proposal.

I am writing on behalf of my family, who live on the Stratford Road, to declare my disappointment with Warwick District Council in respect of the traveller / gypsy site.

I have seen no formal communication from the Council on this matter and it is only thanks to local residents that we are aware of this proposed development, perhaps the Council were hoping no-one would notice.

As I am sure you are aware the Stratford Road has been home to several illegal travelling gypsy sites, who have left the fields and surrounding areas in what can only be described as a disgusting and in humane state.

My 9 year old daughter almost picked up human faeces, when a ball she was playing with landed in a great bit pile of something very disgusting, only thanks to my husband did she not pick the ball up.

I am interested to know, as a full paying Council Tax member of the community, if the same taxes, rates and amenities will be bestowed on the traveller site?
I understand there are proposals for 15 pitches, will these be permanent or passing pitches?
What restrictions will be imposed on them, if as per the previous Stratford Road experience with travellers is anything to go by, there will need to be rules around how the site can be used?

Some understanding as to why the Council are even having to consider such as site would be interesting to know.

Obviously from a purely selfish point of view I am also concerned about the negative effect such a site will have on the value of my property.

We oppose the building of this site on the Stratford Road Warwick. We have lived on Stratford road for eight years and have first-hand experience
Of what living by travellers does to your everyday life and on how it affects the surrounding area.

We have been made aware that it has been proposed to place a Gypsy and traveller site with 15 pitches adjacent to the Stratford Road near Severn Trent. So we would like to voice our concerns on this matter.

As local residents we are quite concerned about this proposal. We cannot understand what positives this will bring to our town? It is going to bring Warwick down and bring a few problems with it. We were disgusted with how the gypsy treated Warwick the last time they stayed here, rubbish was strewn all over the place, and they left faeces all over the pathways! The police were up and down a few times wasting their time trying to sort them out. It was awful and really not a sight we wanted our children to see.
This is a lovely historic town full of beauty, it attracts a lot of tourists and with chase meadow also up and rising, it has become a popular place to live, work and raise children. If they came here and respected our town we would feel different and a lot more confident about the proposal, but so far we have not felt they have shown much respect for the area and environment.

I'm writing to you regards a communication we've received about a potential traveller gypsy site on Stratford road, Warwick. We've been advised of these plans by a letter from the Chase Meadow resident association, no official communication has been received from Warwick District Council about this.

We currently live on Stratford road, the main road into Warwick, where in the summer the road is continually busy with traffic going to the Castle and town. We have a continuous new development for property at the end of the road and now the Council want to put a gypsy site at the end of our road?!

As this road is the main road into Warwick, the town and castle do the Council think it is appropriate to have cars queuing up to get into one of the UK's top attractions past a gypsy site, is this going to be good for the ecommerce of Warwick town?

Surely there has to be some consultation with the residents? Or do our views not count until this has been passed by the council?

Would it not make more sense to put the site in one of the other proposed locations, where they do not get the influx of traffic that we do, have the strain on schools and other local services that we do due to the continued housing development at the bottom of Statford road.

I look forward to your assistance in this matter.

I'm in the process of buying a new house in Chase Meadow through Bellway developers. I currently live in Warwick with my young family. We have saved for a number of years to make this dream move to only recently find out about a travellers site planned for the Stratford Road. This has come into play from what we understand very late in the day. Are you able to share more details? What are the timescales you are working towards re your decision making process? What is the criteria you are basing your decision on?

I have to stress my disappointment with this proposed move. We had opportunities to move outside of the Leamington and Warwick area but for a whole host of reasons opted to stay in Warwick due to the caring neighbourhood, local facilities and picturesque nature of the town.

I feel such a move will damage this part of Warwick which is the main entry into the town from the main motorways. I'm also concerned over schooling and my children's welfare having had a previous bad experience with travellers in the Whitnash area through my parents.

Chase Meadow is a family oriented area from what we understand. How can such a move be safe for young children?

It is too late for us now with the deposit paid but rest assured others like me will opt to move to other towns and locations if the decision to proceed is given the green light.

I work 4 days a week in London and therefore moves such as this will force local people out of their home towns.

I would strongly encourage you to consider this move before granting permission. This is not a welcome development for the community.

I am contacting you regarding the proposed gypsy and traveller site adjacent to Stratford Rd, Warwick.

As a concerned resident of Foxes Way, Warwick, I strongly object to these proposals having witnessed the mess and obstruction caused to the area earlier this year when the travelling community pitched up in the proposed location. Not only did this cause an inconvenience for the local residents, more importantly, it spoilt the main route for tourists coming in from the M40 to visit the town which I am sure you would agree that this is not the 1st impression Historic Warwick would like to display to visitors who are coming to invest in our area.

I do hope that these objections and concerns expressed by myself and other local residents are taken seriously by the members of the planning office.

Thank you for your reply and excuses about why all of a sudden the Warwick site has been left as 'the last man standing' even though the proposed area is on a flood plain, is next to a motorway (hence noisy) and is next to a sewage works (so is frequently smelly). I trust that as the site fails on all three criteria it will NOT be selected.

Also, as another constraint, it even trumps Barford, there is a Motorway access! It will be telling if Warwick site is STILL picked even though it fails ALL criteria!!

What prosals i have seen appear to be ok but Why do all proposed sights appear to be outside town areas and in the country and miles from anywhere . Why can not sights be in towns on brown field sights , near public amenities such as doctors, hospitals, schools, etc.it would be easier for councils to provide services, collect rubbish and provide policing.has anyone asked these people where they would like to be sighted and explain the advantages of being near town services. I can think of a number of sights that would be ideal

see attached

May I suggest that when you identify what you may consider a suitable site which fronts a main or arterial road that you first consult the highways department,by doing that you could save a lot of peoples time and money.(the site currently proposed on Europa Way opposite the police compound is a classic example)

I would like to express my opposition to the Gypsy and Traveller site that is being considered for Stratford Road in Warwick. The reasons for my opposition to these plans are as follows;

(1) I believe that any traveller settlement in the local area will significantly degrade the quality of the local environment and affect local businesses.

(2) I also believe that a traveller site will also affect local house prices i.e cause a drop in local house prices.

(3) I believe that crime rates are likely to go up with gysies and travellers moving into the area.

(4) I believe that there will be less likelihood of investment in the area if there is a traveller site in the area.

The objections to the Stratford Road Site are

1. The road is busy & would be made more dangerous by the commercial vehicle traffic to & from the proposed site.

2.Because of the Road Traffic, the site would be hazardous to the traveller's children.

I am writing in regards to the Plans for a Gypsy Traveller site on the Stratford Road, Warwick.

From my point of view, this plan seems to not be well communicated and possibly undemocratic. There has been no communication with the public and was not even in the original plans. The short notice is not based on a fair process.

I am currently a resident of Chase Meadow, and we also rent a property on chase meadow. We are very worried Warwick will become an undesirable area to live. Though this is my own opinion, Chase Meadow and Warwick are extremely desirable areas, and this WILL have a major impact on the local area.

The proposed location is not in an area that can be integrated into the landscape without harming the areas character, leaving a 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 Businesses, with a further threat to Warwick Town, along with possible damage to listed buildings. There is also a threat of pollution to the Warwick area with the Site being located in close proximity.

From the traveller point of view the sites location is terrible place to live. On one side of the site is the M40, on the other side is the Severn Trent sewage works. I have also learnt that the site is on a Zone 3 flood zone. These facts alone would need a considerable amount of investment. The provision of utilities on the sites is questionable with running water, toilet facilities, and sewage being bare necessities.

Overall there will be an adverse impact on important features of the natural and historic environment. Accesses from the sites are directly onto roads within the national speed limit zones. There is one pedestrian footpath. Therefore, there is no safe access to the road network. This is dangerous for large caravans to be turning in and out of the sites along with putting other road user's safety at risk. There will also be a huge impact on our local schools that are already at the maximum. 15 sites with a potential of 2 children at each pitch equals 30 extra children needing education.
There is a concern that although the number of Pitches upon the Sites is to be regulated, the actual numbers of people on the Pitches cannot be regulated or controlled. There is a further concern that the Sites are likely to be operated by the Gypsy Community and not Warwick District Council.
Finally, in your plans you state that Severn Trent are happy to sell the land for the purposes of a Traveller camp, but this isn't in line with what Severn Trent are saying themselves. I would be grateful if this land sale could be clarified.
I hope to here you feedback on this matter at your earliest convenience.