Testun llawn:
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.