BASE HEADER

I write to voice my objection to the proposal to site a Traveller site adjacent to Stratford Road in Warwick. I believe this is in entirely the wrong place for a travellers site and it will prove to be a "blot" on Warwick's landscape, detracting from the area and ultimately blighting our lovely town.

Stratford Road is the main thoroughfare into Warwick and having a Gypsy and Traveller encampment at the entrace to our historic town will not encourage visitors and tourists to our area and will present entirely the wrong impression of Warwick. We want to encourage visitors and tourists to stay in the area, feeling safe and secure and believing that they will enjoy our town, rather than noting the presence of a traveller site and the negative implications that general (rightly or wrongly) are associated with such sites. We are a historic town and need to encourage visitors to ensure that the town thrives.

Our family has also had experience of travellers and gypsys coming into an area and none of this experience has been good. My experience is that traveller sites increase crime rates in an area, cause an exceptional amount of ill feeling in an area, children in local schools cause disruption and other difficulties and there is a general decline in areas where these travellers put down roots. I cannot support this proposal.

I am upset that this site has suddenly been shortlisted without any previous discussion and opportunity for residents and local representatives to pass comment. This is simply not acceptable and comes accross as completely underhanded. It is also unclear what such bodies such as the local police and shopkeepers think of this proposal, but we are being given limited time to find out and discuss the proposal in a reasonable manner.

Please register my strenuous objection and that of my husband. We will fight against this proposal.