BASE HEADER

I object to the proposed Gypsy and Traveller Site at GT02 on the following grounds:-

1. LOCAL ECONOMY
As part of the process to originally identify sites, Warwick District Council, in conjunction with Enfusion undertook a review of potential Gypsy and Traveller sites in Warwickshire. During this exercise, Enfusion conducted an appraisal of 16 key Sustainability metrics (SAs) which formed the basis of their guidance. Despite having conducted a formal assessment of 20 possible sites, the review of GT02 was barely 65% complete. Of the 16 required SA metrics, GT02 had four SA metrics that were left blank. Despite the fact that GT02 is occupied by a number of trading businesses that, along with the Warwickshire Exhibition Centre, contribute, both directly and indirectly, to the local economy, the SA metric for 'Economy' was left incomplete. This demonstrated a lack of due diligence by both Warwickshire District Council and Enfusion. As a consequence, the exhibition centre produced a study to quantify the Economic Impact that the Gypsy and Traveller proposal would have on the GT02 site.
The Economic SA metric alone provides enough reason for it to make the whole site inappropriate for a Gypsy & Traveller site. During the past number of years the UK economy has suffered recession and this has had a knock on effect in the local economy. High streets across the nation have seen organisations such as Blockbuster, Woolworths, HMV and Republic enter in to administration. Leamington Spa has seen a noticeable impact on its retail sector and many national and local companies have had to cease trading. Now almost 40 businesses have signed a petition suggesting the inevitable closure of the exhibition centre will cause a major impact on the local economy.
Warwickshire Exhibition Centre provides a significant direct and indirect contribution to the local economy. Having conducted an impact assessment of this contribution, the Warwickshire Exhibition Centre believes that it contributed more than £2million to the local economy in 2013, and more than £20million to the local economy in the four year period, 2013-2017. If Warwick District Council were to compulsorily purchase the land required at the Exhibition Centre, it would put the organisation go out of business. This would have a significant impact on the Exhibition Centre's employees, the directly supporting businesses and the wider Warwickshire Economy.
As a local businessman, I would strongly urge councillors to pay significant attention to these economic factors.


2. CONVENIENT ACCESS TO GP SURGERY, SCHOOL AND PUBLIC TRANSPORT.
The Practice Manager of the Croft Medical Centre has said there is no capacity to take on additional patients. Therefore, this confirms that the nearest practice - the Croft - which is 3 miles away, is already running at capacity and would not be in a position to cater for, what would up to 100 new patients, from the proposed 15 pitch gypsy and traveller site . There is no direct bus route to any of the other local practices which are over 5 miles away
Concerning public transport, there are two bus stops in the vicinity of the GT02 site. The first is on the Southam Road and the second is on the roundabout on the Fosse Way. These are positioned on the narrow grass verge. I requested a site visit from Peter Garrison from WCC Highways Department to assess the viability of the GT02 site for use by the gypsy and traveller community. He looked at both areas and his immediate thoughts were that the site was not viable and would not have the highway department's support at a prima facie level.
Mr Garrison went on to say that the site was not sustainable when assessing it on bus links, cycle paths, footway links and general amenities. It was suggested that a pavement would need to be built all the way to Radford and that this would have to be lit and maintained and would also introduce urbanisation into the countryside.
There is a speed camera positioned on the Fosse Way opposite the proposed site, there are also signs advising us of it being a 'High Risk Crash Route', '12 Casualties over 2 miles in 3 years', 'Think Bike'. These enforce the fact that both the Fosse Way (60 mph Speed Limit) and Southam Road (50 mph Speed Limit) are both busy, dangerous road.
Therefore, based on Peter Garrison's observations, information from Roger Harding and personal experience, I would comment that the two bus stops are not suitable for regular use and, it would require a lit path or pavement structure from the roundabout, on both sides of the road, all the way to the village, to make this area safe for pedestrians. Peter Garrison advised that the verge area was too narrow for this in several areas.
3. FLOODING
We own the land immediately above the proposed Site GT02. Last year, (2012) we experienced flooding as a large amount of surface water collected on the fields above. This 'overflow' happened on several occasions.
This volume of water caused extensive pooling of surface water in our four paddocks (situated above the GT02 site). This resulted in an outbreak of Liver Fluke in the
horses that use those paddocks. If concrete, hard standing areas were placed on the land below this, it could cause the back-up of excess water to increase, as the natural draining process would be interrupted and could result in more ill-health in our animals.


4. PROVISION OF UTILITIES (RUNNING WATER, TOILET FACILITIES WASTE DISPOSAL ETC.)
There would be no mains gas to the proposed site. Our property only uses oil or LPG gas. All the surrounding properties are serviced by individual septic tanks. There is no mains sewage system.
A large septic tank - notoriously problematic - while an obvious solution would cause ponding of effluent, given the principals of septic tank operation is such that fluids theoretically drain into surrounding land while solid waste collects to be either anaerobically broken down or removed from the site by a waste disposal contractor. The ponding of effluent from either one large septic tank or a series of smaller ones would present health concerns to both residents on that immediate site, livestock and nearby population.
Additionally, the mains power supply would need to be upgraded because it apparently has no further capacity and could not cope with a further addition of 12 'properties'.
5. AVOIDING AREAS WHERE THERE COULD BE AN ADVERSE IMPACT ON IMPORTANT FEATURES OF THE NATURAL AND HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT.

The proposed GT02 site is adjacent to an historic wood, owned and managed by ourselves. This covers 12 acres of land and in January this year a survey was carried out by Richard Finch, a Contractor for the Forest Commission (Site Survey 42856 - Parlour Spinney) to collect data for the National Forestry Inventory.

He informed us of a badger set in the wood, along with the presents of bats and a honey buzzard nest, with a breeding family located there. There are also owls, sparrow hawks, woodpeckers and a variety of deer naturalised in the wood. Mr Finch advised me that the badgers were protected and that it was against the law to develop 30m from their set. He also informed us that by placing any additional lighting on the land below the wood would affect the commuting route of the bats as they fly from the Warwickshire Exhibition site to the wood.

There are also two natural pond areas, one on the lower edge of the wood and one on the road edge, adjacent to proposed site. These contain various reptiles including adders, grass snakes, frogs, toads, aquatic insects and newts.

There are also sporting shoots that take place around the wood area on a regular basis, which obviously poses a danger to anyone inhabiting the surrounding land.

The Fosse Way, at this junction is the site of a Toll Station and is also a significant Roman Road. Roman potter has been found on the site and the record of this is below.

6. SITES WHICH CAN BE INTEGRATED INTO THE LANDSCAPE WITHOUT HARMING THE CHARACTER OF THE AREA
The GT02 site is located in a large valley, it will be visible from three routes leading to it. The valley is the southern gateway to Leamington and is a spectacular landscape and is a magnificent rural vista at the periphery of the major historic town of Royal Leamington Spa.
7. PROMOTES PEACEFUL AND INTEGRATED CO-EXISTENCE BETWEEN THE SITE AND THE LOCAL COMMUNITY
The proposed site GT02 is situated in an isolated, rural location, with a small hamlet of properties nearby. The addition of a site housing 15 pitches would increase the population by over 100%. This is not so much integrating with the existing community, as the existing community integrating with the 'new' community.