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GT02 Land abutting the Fosse Way close to A425 junction
Representation ID: 64318
Received: 05/05/2014
Respondent: RAID
During first Consultation 701 objections submitted.
Would like number of original objections noted at this stage.
Objections almost exclusively rejected GT02 based on criteria sited by WDC.
Residents/business owners objected on grounds of damage to local economy.
Resultant closure of exhibition centre with impact on other local businesses.
Councillors have, since suggested business impact be recognised as new criteria: not apparent how this can be introduced unless further consultation undertaken. Want to place on record that GT02 will lead to closure of 'unique' business impacting local economy with loss of jobs and reduction in discretionary spend.
News stories featured potential closure of EC and resulting impact giving credibility to strength of argument.
OBJECTION TO GT02 - PROPOSED GYPSY AND TRAVELLER SITE
On behalf of FOSSE WAY RAID - Residents Against Inappropriate Development, I would like it to be noted that during the first Consultation Period, ending July 2013, a total of 701 objections were submitted.
A meeting of local residents held in June 2013 to discuss the proposal of the GT02 site resulted in 450 people attending, again showing the support for the campaign against the proposed site.
We have been advised by Lorna Coldicott that it was not necessary to resubmit this quantity of objections again during Consultation Period 2, but obviously we would like the number of original objections to be noted at this stage.
These objections ranged in their scope but almost exclusively rejected the GT02 site based on the criteria which have been sited by WDC in the consultation process. Additionally, residents and business owners - including the owner of the Warwickshire Exhibition Centre - strongly objected on the grounds of damage to the local economy as a consequence of the development of GT02. The thrust of their objections were that with the development of GT02, the closure of the exhibition centre would follow with a significant, precipitous impact on other local businesses.
While it is clear that councillors have, since the July 2013 initial consultation, suggested that business impact be recognised as a new criteria, it is not apparent how this criteria can be introduced into the new consultation unless a further consultation is undertaken. Therefore, we want to place on record that the development of GT02 will lead to the closure of a 'unique' business which will impact the local economy with a loss of jobs and a reduction in discretionary spend in the area.
The GT02 site has raised public awareness in general to the WDC process for the development of Gypsy and Traveller sites. The news agencies including the Leamington Courier, local radio and ITV Central News have all featured the story of the potential closure of the Exhibition Centre and resulting impact on the local economy, therefore adding credibility to the strength of the argument.
We would respectfully request that this information be made available to your process as part of the Consultation Period 2.
