Testun llawn:
Dear Sir or Madam,
1. I write to object to the proposals to allocate sites for Gypsies and Travellers set out in the Gypsy and Traveller Site Options document (June 2013). In particular options GT19 (land adjacent to Shell Petrol Filling Station, Birmingham Road, Budbrooke, Warwick) and GT14 (Kite's Nest Lane Beausale).
2. The Preferred Option (PO7) to help meet the needs of Gypsies and Travellers set out in Warwick District Council's Local Plan Preferred Options document (May 2012) sets out the criteria to be used to bring forward sites for Gypsies and Travellers:
* Convenient access to a GP surgery, school, and public transport;
* Avoiding areas with a high risk of flooding;
* Safe access to the road network and provision for parking, turning and servicing on site;
* Avoiding areas where there is the potential for noise and other disturbance;
* Provision of utilities (running water, toilet facilities, waste disposal, etc);
* Avoiding areas where there could be adverse impact on important features of the natural and historic environment; and,
* Sites which can be integrated into the landscape without harming the character of the Area.
3. Para 8.5 of the Sites for Gypsies and Travellers document (June 2013) states ..."The Council has considered where the most sustainable sites for this purpose would be given the criteria listed". However, no evidence that the sites satisfactorily meet these criteria is given. I do not consider, therefore, that this is a fair, transparent and accessible consultation.
4. I do not consider that the options offer convenient access to a GP's surgery, school nor public transport and I have concerns over the safe access to the road network particularly in relation to option GT19 given the additional trips and type of trips/movements that would be generated by this option.
5. Policy B: Planning for Traveller Sites, para 11(f) of Planning Policy for Traveller sites (March 2012) states that Local Planning Authorities should ensure that traveller sites are sustainable economically, socially and environmentally and that Local Planning Authorities should, ensure that their policies avoid placing undue pressure on local infrastructure and services.
6. Warwickshire is experiencing a significant growth in pupil numbers and demand for places is currently outweighing availability. Notably, in 2012, there was a consultation on proposals to increase the Published Admission Number (PAN) of The Ferncumbe CE Primary School from and to re-allocate the Hatton Park development across the priority areas for Budbrooke Primary School and The Ferncumbe CE primary School to help the Local Authority to meet its statutory duty to ensure a sufficiency of places. Without these changes, children from the Hatton Park development could have to travel some considerable distance to secure a school place and a large number of 'in-area' children will be unable to secure admission to their priority school.
7. I consider that the options will, therefore, place undue pressure on local infrastructure and services - particularly local schools and the road network and particularly when there is an additional 70-90 additional dwellings on Hatton Park proposed in Warwick District Council's Revised Development Strategy (June 2013).