Testun llawn:
As a Chase Meadow resident, I wish to object to the selection of land off Hampton Road (GT11) as a possible permanent travellers' site.
Planning Policy for Traveller Sites requires them to be sited so as to promote peaceful and integrated co-existence between the site and the local community. It is very unlikely this will be achieved with one in such close proximity to the Chase Meadow estate, which has voiced strong opposition.
I am concerned that the local infrastructure such as the schools and doctors surgeries would not able to support a larger (12-pitch) site, as is required by the Planning Policy for Traveller Sites.
I understand that part of the site is on a flood plain. There have been long-standing holdups to developments at Chase Meadow such as the adoption of the roads and a commencement on the Community Centre, because of Severn Trent concerns over the flooding risk in the area. The introduction of extensive areas of hard standing on or near the flood plain could have adverse effects on the estate. Any further hard standing (creating run-off) within the area is likely to exacerbate the current issues with potential flooding.
From a Council representative's reply to a question I asked at the WDC Public Meeting at Aylesford School on 15th July 2013, I understand that once planning permissionf or a site is granted, the site owners and tenants can apply for permission for business uses; which is highly likely. The possibility that this could become a site for a range of Traveller business activities would be extremely detrimental to the quality of life on adjacent parts of the Church Meadow estate immediately the other side of Hampton Road, and would constitute very bad Planning. Major potential concerns are noise, smoke, pollution of ground water and streams.