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Response to Warwick District Council (WDC) consultation on proposed Gypsy and Travellers Site
Ref: GT02 (Warwickshire Exhibition Centre) land abutting the Fosse Way at its junction with A425.
OJECTION TO PROPOSAL
Having studied WDC's criteria, I wish to submit my objection to the above proposal for the following reasons:-
1. The use of this proposed site will have a detrimental economic effect with the resulting closure of the Warwickshire Exhibition Centre , which has been steadily gowing in popularity over the last few year. This would give rise to job losses and have a negative knock-on effect on other local business. Presently the Warwickshire Exhibition centre is set for healthy expansion, the loss of which will be detrimental to the area.
2. The location of this site does not provide safe access to the road networks for tralers, cyclists or pedestrians seeking to use the bus service on the A425 e.g. children travelling to school. The Fosse Way adjacent to this land is a known high risk crash site, with many warning signs erected to this effect for motorists. The manoeuvring of large towing vehicles close to the junction would be a major hazard for those wishing to use the site. There is no footpath available to proceed safely to the bus stop. Similarly, the A425 has no footpath and is an extremely busy and fast main road. Being resident on the A425 I have cause to cross this road on a regular basis in order to access the local shops and bus service - even being within the 30mph limit this is an extremely dangerous exercise as much of the traffic does not adhere to the speed restrictions, with the speed limit at the Fosse Way junction being considerably higher, the risk to safety is even greater .
3. There is no footpath leading to any of the surrounding villages where the nearest shops are located and certainly no street lighting along long stretches of the road - all serious safety issues for site residents/users.
4. In respect of the WDC criteria for convenient access to services, the nearest school at Radford Semele is apparently close to capacity and the nearest GP is approximately 5 miles away without direct bus access and therefore does not meet this criteria either.
5. The location of this site does not lend itself to be absorbed within the landscape, situated at a low point - it will be very noticeable over some distance on the approach from Ufton - hedgerows will not be able to screen this given the contours of the land.
6. As this site is recorded on the Council's Archaeological register, there is potential that the proposed development will have an adverse impact on this historic environment.
Any/all of the above contribute to making Site GT02 unsuitable for the purposes outlined under the criteria set out by WDC.