Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Development Plan Document

Disagree

Formal objection to 15 pitch traveller site at The Meadow, ME17 3JB As a close neighbour to the above proposed traveller site I would like to object and attach my Formal Objection to this letter and email. Firstly, I would like to ask why you should think that it is necessary to add a further fifteen pitches to this area when the existing traveller sites in the area are half empty as follows: 1) The traveller site next to the Finches Caravan Site appears to have been extended to the size of a football pitch as shown on these two pictures: A) Picture of an extended site on land formerly belonging to Mr Schroeder and the Finches Caravan site with a substantial hard standing that I estimate to be the size of a football pitch with all the trees felled: (See Attached) B) A satellite image showing the caravan site before the site was extended into land formerly owned by Mr Schroeder at the Finches Caravan site: I must say that this is a pure estimate of what I think the traveller site has been extended by after I looked at the site that backs onto XXXX property to the west of the extended area and onto land formerly owned by Mr Schroeder and the camping site: (See attached) When you add the blue area that is a site approximately equivalent to a football pitch and more than adequate for the fifteen required traveller sites that the council is looking for. C) The existing traveller site that borders Chartway Street and Pitt Road to the east of the proposed Meadow site is actually half empty and can easily accommodate at least four more traveller pitches and should be added to the Council’s proposed list. 2) Secondly, I and my family have lived at XXXXX since 1987. When we moved here there were no gypsies or travellers anywhere nearby. It was only when Mr Schroeder bought the land now known as the Finches Caravan site which, at the time, included all the traveller sites shown above to the west of the caravan site that he sold that land to travellers in the nineties and attracted them to the area. When we purchased the house surrounded by fields the house was in Council Tax Band F. With the gypsies nearby we appealed Tax Band F and had it reduced to Tax Band E. If The Meadow site goes ahead and more travellers are in the area I am sure all the local houses will be reduced by at least one band because of the number of extra gypsy sites now in the local area that have been added since Mr Schroeder sold his land on Chartway Street circa thirty years ago. 3) I have to ask this question, why is it necessary for the council to encourage more gypsy traveller sites in this semi-rural area when a site can be built in a rural area that will not devalue local properties. Obviously, there would be a necessity for improved infrastructure which would be covered by the four million pounds being allocated to The Meadow site and recovered by the sale or rent charged to the occupiers. I am sure there would be land available for the project without decreasing the income for Maidstone Council on all the houses that will seek to have their property Tax Band’s reduced significantly.