Reject the Plan

What’s Wrong With the Plan

Lack of consultation from district council

Lack of democracy: Affected Parishes notified only when plans are published and provided with no opportunity to contribute or comment on how to improve the heart of the Forest of Dean.

Whilst Councillors assure us that 3 or more possible settlement options are under consideration, thus far, all evidence points clearly towards one ‘preferred option’ named throughout documentation as Churcham, with no proof of economic, traffic, and environmental analysis of any other site under consideration.
We are left challenging one option that appears a ‘done deal’ rather than considering and commenting on several proposals.

Covid-19: Inability to meet, discuss and inform during the 8-week consultation period.

In a District in which 25% of Parishioners are aged 65+, the reliance on internet and digital methods of communicating and consulting, forced upon us due to the timing of this consultation period during the pandemic, serves to isolate, exclude and marginalise the views and comments of a large proportion of the District

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Economic Impacts

Settlement on the boundary of Forest of Dean and Tewkesbury Districts will feed into Gloucester and Cheltenham, and starve the Forest of Dean District of investment and footfall.

Any development or investment – whether housing, businesses or infrastructure – in Forest towns and on brownfield land deemed economically unviable by Council’s Economic Viability Assessment – a death knell to our Forest communities.

Will businesses be attracted to invest in towns and villages which the local council does not appear to deem worthy of investment.

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Social Impacts

Development of a new town of 4,000+ houses will not be in keeping with the scale and character of existing local communities.

Viability assessments point towards a deliberate dismissal of the potential and value of Forest of Dean towns and communities, whose future, growth and prosperity are being disregarded in favour of housing developers’ profits – does this sit well with you?

Can development that ignores Forest towns and villages be justified against the subsequent lack of support for young people who seek to build their lives here?

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Environmental Impacts

Flood risk: Churcham is the lowest-lying point in the Forest of Dean District.

Land Plan proposal to build on swathes of Green land contradicts Local Plan Issues and Options Document (https://www.fdean.gov.uk/media/metf0tlh/issue-and-options-document.pdf) where it states “Previously developed land- make best use of ; Policies to support and bring forward previously developed land”

Light pollution

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Impacts to Wildlife & Animals

Settlement of 4,000+ houses just metres from the RSPB Highnam Woods Reserve will inflict unsustainable levels of light pollution and disturbance on protected species.

Development on greenfield land will necessitate destruction of habitats that cannot be replicated elsewhere.

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Infrastructure

This proposal will require extensive infrastructure that will impose irrevocable changes to the landscape stretching within and beyond Highnam, Minsterworth and Churcham

Transportation

Questionable viability of a cycle lane to compensate for the influx of 8,000+ cars on the A40/A48 if the development of a new settlement in Churcham goes ahead – would you cycle your children to school and or commute to work along the A40 on a wet, dark winter’s morning and evening?

Creation of a Park and Ride will simply serve to carry those in a settlement on the cusp of the Forest of Dean out of the District, into Gloucester. No provision has been made to induce prospective communities to engage with, and invest in, Forest business.

‘transport hub?’

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Flooding

Flooding is a strong possibility in areas.

Flooding Gallery

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Lyn Callow

3 years ago

I think this plan is just ludicrous, how can you possibly want to build homes on an area that is underwater for at least 6 months of the year, not to mention the environmental impact. The road infrastructure … well, that is a nightmare now ! Where are the supposed inhabitants going to get to see a GP / Dentist / School ??? This really has not been though through. The forest needs investment in the towns we have, not a new town.

Jacqueline Edey

3 years ago

I am so angry its total greed and damaging for our childrens future. We do not want to see the FOD turned into a concrete jungle akin to Bradley Stoke near Bristol.

Read the Six Parish Report on The Local Plan "Preferred Option" ... Click here

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