Your views on local government re-organisation and devolution

Come and make your views known about what our district needs in response to the government’s massive increase in the housing figures.  This dictates what the Forest of Dean District Council has to plan to build.  For instance, over1000 new houses are proposed to be built  in the town within the next twenty years.

(If you are thinking "I did this already last year," I am sorry to say that this new consultation is needed because the government is demanding an 82% uplift in our housing target numbers.) Please come (again) and state your views on the revised proposals. 

Here is a list of all the remaining sessions across the district:

• 28 February 2026 – Huntley Village Hall, North Road, Huntley, GL19 3DU (9:00am - 12noon) 
• 02 March 2026 - Redmarley Village Hall, Redmarley, GL19 3HS (3:30pm - 6:30pm)
• 04 March 2026 - Coleford District Council Offices, High Street, Coleford, Glos, GL16 8HG (3:00pm – 6:00pm)

The big difference this time is that two new settlements (villages) are proposed at Churcham and at Glynchbrook (at junction 2 of the M50) as well as an increase in the number of houses that other proposed sites will need to take, like Newent.

The new settlements will grow to 2,000 houses at Churcham (and Tewkesbury Borough Council is likely to add 2,500 more on adjacent land), and at Glynchbrook, where the number required is 3,500 houses.

We don't think these numbers or locations are feasible or sustainable. Affordable homes can be demanded by planners but developers can wriggle out of those obligations far, far too often in a planning system which is not fit for purpose.

Another very sore point is the lack of in-depth consultation and round-table discussion with your elected members by the cabinet member who leads on planning. We need to look at alternative options - different sites (some might come up in this year's call for sites -the SHELAA) or a much more robust plea for a reduced target from government due to our land constraints, for instance.

This is why a vote of no confidence was lodged at the FoDDC Full Council meeting on 19th February, It was defeated by one vote but the Leader must take note of the serious situation that led to this high-level expression of distrust in the making of this draft plan.

This was never going to be an easy task. For fifty years, successive governments have not built enough homes. But it cannot be solved by indiscriminate allocation of housing targets. We need homes that are fit for the future not a hastily put together building programme that means houses are likely to be built in the wrong places without the necessary infrastructure or employment opportunities, leaving a terrible legacy for our children. 

If you can't get to the drop-in session, please have a look at the plans (it is a long document but search for the section for your area and the new settlements to save time). You can email or send a letter instead of filling in the questionnaire.

As a council and planning authority, we need to think again!