ALL three main market towns in the Forest have become the focus as potential development sites for new superstores.

The biggest is the announcement of plans for a 30,000 square foot foodstore in Cinderford, about three times the size of the town's Dockham Road Co-op.

Patrick Stones, a former Tesco employee who now runs Trilogy Developments says: "We are very pleased to be launching a consultation for a new foodstore at Steam Mills Road in Cinderford and welcome people's views.

"We believe that Cinderford needs healthy competition between foodstore operators and our proposals would provide the choice that local people really expect and need when they do their weekly shop.

"Our plan also presents ideas for improvements to the wider area such as employment land and additional homes as well as upgrading the minor roads behind the site, new cycle routes and car parking."

A spokesman for Trilogy, which specialises in developing retail sites told the Review if outline planning permission is granted, negotiations will take place with major stores like Tesco, Sainsbury, Asda and Morrisons.

He said no preferred operator has been chosen and they are talking to "all parties".

He said the foodstore will measure around 30,000 square feet on the Eddie Combes site behind the Total Garage on Steam Mills Road abutting Valley Road. It will be a food store, but the community will be sought opinions about opportunities for housing, employment areas and road improvements.

Cllr Graham Morgan welcomed the news saying: "I would totally support it. It looks like a good plan and will feed in to the much needed regeneration of the town.

"I know people argue we should support the footfall in the centre of the town, but it is just not there. It has already gone. The footfall is not there.

"It will be nice to have some competition. I don't want to do any damage to the Co-op. But you need to have more than one option in a town. You've got to give people the chance to choose."

Meantime, Clive Bath's P & D Builders Ltd are inviting residents to have their say on the proposed 10,000 square foot Tesco store on Lords Hill, Coleford.

The proposed store, which may replace the current small Tesco in the town, will have an 87 space carpark, improved pedestrian links to the town centre and is prioritising 60 new jobs for locals.

Developer Clive Bath, who owns Pyart Court, says: "There is no doubt that Coleford has a vibrant high street but a large number of people are doing their main food shopping outside the town and it is likely other trade is being lost to other centres such as Lydney.

"We are confident that our proposals for a new foodstore and free carpark in the town centre will encourage more people to shop locally as well as encourage linked trips to the high street – boosting footfall. In addition the proposed scheme will breathe new life into a disused site and generate a large number of new jobs."

In Lydney – the Forest's fastest growing town – unconfirmed rumours persist of interest in a foodstore on Highbury Hill to the north of the town, competing with Tuffins, the Co-op and Tesco.

•A public exhibition of plans for a superstore in Cinderford will be held this Friday (April 8) at the Oaklands Function Room, Foxes Bridge Road, Forest Vale Industrial Estate, Cinderford, from 3pm to 7pm and on Saturday (April 9) from 10.30am to 3.30pm.

•A public exhibition of plans for the Tesco store in Coleford will be held at the town council offices from 1pm to 7pm on Friday April 15 and 10am to 2pm on Saturday April 16.