BASE HEADER

I am writing in response to the proposed Gypsy and Traveller sites in the parish of Bishops Tachbrook.


6/20 of the proposed sites are situated in and around our beautifully peaceful village. A village which has very few resources among which are a church, a small grocers shop, a hairdressers a sports and social club and a small primary school. We have a mobile library and a mobile chip shop on occasions.


Due to our limited resources within the village most locals commute outside of the village to work. This begs the question as to where the gypsy and travelling community are going to find work locally?

The school is almost always over subscribed. It's a single form entry and is always at full capacity. We question that the school has enough resources to cope with additional pupils from the Gypsy & Traveller community if they are allowed to set up camp within our village. The school relies on help from parents who give up their time to come in and help teachers and read with pupils. With over 81% of gypsy and traveller children's parents being illiterate I question who will provide the extra support that the children will need if their own parents are unable to provide that support.

Local Secondary schools are also over subscribed, leaving us with concerns that there will not be adequate provision for the current population of the parish.

The local doctor's surgery again is very small and only open for five half days and as it's already difficult to get an appointment I question how additional families would fare and again this would put the surgery under undue pressure.

As there would currently be no sewage, water, electricity or gas to the proposed sites the cost to connect them up will be huge, as well as putting the existing services under strain they will not be of sufficient size to take the extra load.


As my family live near the fields at the top of the village where there are Bats I feel concerned that any plans to build or site travellers would deter the bats from their natural habitat.

There is also a very limited public transport option.

GT03 is very remote and not in reach of major amenities.

GT04 again is very remote.

GT05 has access onto a very busy road, with cars travelling at speed. This would be dangerous to introduce caravans turning into the site, and pedestrian access is dangerous. I would argue that to even build a footpath alongside that road would be dangerous and there is no footpath to reach any facilities. This site would also have a negative visual impact on the approach to historic Warwick and therefore effect local business dependent on tourists in a negative way. There are also listed buildings on that site in need of protection.

GT06 very remote and again no pedestrian access.

GT09 has no pedestrian access and again a negative visual impact onto visitors to Warwick.

GT10 is close to the Blind National Breeding Centre and I would question the risk of disease from un vaccinated pets and animals belonging to the gypsies.

GT15 is on the banks of the Tachbrook. As most travellers seem to be able to earn an income on site I would question that the proposed site could cause a chance of pollution to the brook which is unacceptable.

In general all these sites have no adequate bus stops, and are on busy roads.
No path or pavement to walk anywhere and cycling is dangerous on busy commuter routes.
Children cannot be allowed to stand on a busy road to wait for transport to school.
Whilst I appreciate that the council is under an obligation to provide some permanent pitches I strongly feel that the sites chosen are unsuitable.

The sites would provide undue strain on local resources that are already stretched to capacity. At a recent meeting a fellow villager asked a planning officer where the occupiers of the proposed thousands of new build homes would work - an answer could not be given.

Please do not hesitate to contact either myself or my husband should you require any further verification of our objections.