BASE HEADER

Objections to the Proposed Gypsies & Travellers Site (G&TS) on the Birmingham Road (GT19)

I have carefully considered the information made available and have identified a range of objections, both in terms of principles and details, as below.

The Green Belt
The proposed site is on Green Belt land. However, absolutely no Exceptional Circumstances whatsoever are provided to justify these potential contraventions of both the FPPF, and central government policy. In particular simply to assert that an unmet demand exists certainly does not constitute an Exceptional Circumstance or any justification for a development on the Green Belt. Therefore the WDC ought to revise and reissue its case for the proposed G&T19 site.

The Local Plan
There is absolutely no mention of the G&TSs in the Local Plan. However the Local Plan is stated by the WDC to be unsound without a commitment to meeting the G&T need (Section 6.1, Report to Executive of WDC of 12/2/12014). Therefore the Local Plan, and the consultations for both the G&TSs and the proposed development of new housing, appear unfit for purpose and ought to be revised and reissued.

The Consultation Process
(i) The consultation process for the G&TS is being carried out by the WDC entirely without anymention of, or reference to, the consultation process for the proposed development of 70-90 houses in the field opposite. The combined effects of both proposed developments have to be taken into account in the planning process because both affect important local infrastructures such as roads, especially the B1477, and schools etc. Failure to do so risks a major planning failure and waste of taxpayers money which will dwarf the succession of roadworks carried out in the centre of Warwick.

(ii) The consultation process is being carried out extremely rapidly with residents being given only a few weeks notice despite, earlier in the year having been told by a Council Official at a consultation meeting that the G&TS 'will not happen'. This haste is entirely undemocratic and contrary to the rights of residents under the Localism Bill, especially as they have no knowledge of planning procedures and have to do all the work required in their spare time, unlike the Planning Officials who are paid to do their jobs full time. Also the short consultation process is completely unnecessary considering that the WDC state that even if permission is gained then the time scale for the provision of the G&TS is as long as 5 (five) years! Consequently the brevity of consultation process throws into question whether residents of are being allowed fair and proper consultation.

(iii) No information has been sent to residents by Hatton Parish Council, and so an essential element in the democratic process, renewed and strengthened by the very recent Localism Bill of 2011, has been omitted from the consultation process. Therefore the consultation process should be repeated with this time ensuring that the HPC carrying out its full role in local government.

Costs
No consideration has been given to the cost to the taxpayer involved in the provision of just 5 G&T pitches on this 0.25 acre site.

Compulsory Purchase
The WDC has agreed to use taxpayers money to carry out compulsory purchase to obtain land for G&TSs, contrary to the requirement of central government. Therefore given the possible response of central government and the consequences to local tax payers, the WDC should seek a mandate from its ratepayers before embarking on such an expensive and hazardous policy.

The Detailed Rational for the Designation of Oaklands Farm as a G&TS
(i) There is an incompatibility between the acknowledgement in the WDC document that the proposed G&TS is Grade 3 agricultural land (that is classed as 'best and most desirable' and should be protected from development), and its designation as previously developed land for the purposed of selecting those potential G&TSs that are most suitable. This incompatibility needs to be resolved.

(ii) The statement used as a justification for the designation of Oaklands Farm as a G&TS 'The area has an urban feel to it' is purely subjective and unprofessional, and so has absolutely no place in an evidence and facts-based decision making process, and only serves to betray the interests of the WDC, which it can be assumed have also been applied to other areas of the consultation and planning process.

(iii) In general it does appear that standards and criteria are being applied selectively by the Planners, whereas a systematic evidence-based assessment and decision making process is what is required and expected by the taxpayers who fund this service.


(iv) As regards the Nine Selection Criteria used by the WDC in reaching its decision

1. The proposed G&TS will add to the stress and strain on the local infrastructure, particularly if combined with the proposed development of 70-90 additional houses in the fields opposite to it, over the A4177, that is prone to flooding, already creates rush hour congestion, and has been the sit of two recent RTA fatalities. In addition the local school if full.

2. As above the A4177 is subject to flooding very close to the proposed G&T site.

3. It is wrong to make any statement concerning the level of traffic turning in and out of the proposed G&T site simply because it is completely unknown what businesses will be carried out from the proposed G&T site, and so how much road traffic could be generated by it. Also a planning application concerning storing caravans at Oaklands Farm was recently rejected by WDC, which is clearly completely incompatible with the designation of Oaklands Farm as a proposed G&T site.

6. A key argument used by the WDC for the rejection of Site 2 for the site of the proposed additional 70-90 houses was its proximity to the canal. Therefore the same criteria must be used as an argument to reject Oaklands Farm as a proposed G&T site involving permanently sited caravans.

7. The proposed G&TS will be visible from the road through an intermittent hedge, since the road is at a higher level.

8. The proposed GT19 G&TS puts the businesses of the owner of Oaklands Farm at risk, with obvious negative consequences including the taxpayer being required to pay compensation. In addition the proposed G&TS would separate and dominate the longstanding community of 14 homes that was recognised to exist by the previous Inspector. In addition the owner of this site has not agreed to sell the site to the WDC for us as a G&T site, contrary to what has been stated in the Local Plan documentation.

9. As stated above (# 1) the proposed G&TS will add to the stress and strain on the local infrastructure, particularly if combined with the proposed development of 70-90 additional houses in the fields opposite to it, over the A4177, that is anyway prone to flooding, already creates rush hour congestion, and has been the sit of two recent RTA fatalities. In addition the local school if full.