Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Development Plan Document

Disagree

I wish to raise my concerns re site reference CT45 (008)The Lodge. I have great concerns regarding the possibility of the above site in Water Lane Bearsted to be used as a site for Gypsy,Traveller &Travelling Show People as abase. These are 1). This is an area of outstanding natural beauty and prime agricultural land. It should be kept as such.The public footpaths across this area give the residents such joy and the fact it is farmed is also a big bonus when you consider our farmland is gradually being taken for housing.We need every bit to provide crops, milk, meat etc to stay as self sufficient as we can. 2)Access.- Water Lane is a very narrow lane with a railway bridge.This lane gets its name from the fact water flows down it in large quantities when it rains causing flooding especially at its junction with the Street.Not only is this lane narrow but the roads through the old village of Bearsted are as well. Especially from Sutton Street through the Street and onwards to Ware Street and Bearsted rd.Much of it is just one lane as residents have to park their cars on the road outside their homes .It gets very difficult to transverse especially when tractors, haulage Lorrie’s delivering to various sites, lost lorry drivers, even coaches etc have to use it.It is totally unsuitable for Travellers large fairground vehicles including their caravans.Goodness knows what they would do the road surface which seems to be very fragile 3)The calmative impact on local schools, Doctors, ( it’s hard enough already to see an Dr in person)infrastructure etc. 4) The environment and ecology of the area. There are several important oak trees which have preservation orders on the property which need to be upheld. We have a lot of wild life in the area, foxes, badgers, hedgehogs, owls , hares and numerous species of birds they need safe habitats. What about sanitation on the site, waste disposal, etc. 5) What effect will it have on local house prices. This just a such an inappropriate location for the gypsy and travelling communities which I fear will cause much anguish amongst residents and make the former unwelcomed especially as their culture is very different.