CLLR Graham Morgan's letter was simply a smoke screen covering the dangers that exist in the Northern Quarter plans.
Writing as chairman of the Cinderford Regeneration Board, he resorts to rubbishing those who strive to safeguard the Forest and protect wildlife in the Northern Quarter (NQ).
We are aware that contractors and developers are queuing up for work but surely there is safer land for housing elsewhere, without risking lives by building on what would become an exposed lethal and toxic landfill site were it subjected to development?
Around the perimeter of the NQ, there are at least two 'consented discharge points' where effluent, chemical and industrial waste has been deposited over the years.
The NQ already has four landfills of toxic waste and mining spoil that will continue to leech out for years to come.
Graham does not appear to have a clue about the dangers lurking within the waterlogged strata of these old mine workings.
We observed the drilling operations and obtained evidence of blow-backs when a rig became immersed in water and mud.
Also on the site we encountered such a stench from erupting mud that my clothes became contaminated and I was unable to go into my house before changing on my return home. Two teams of workmen took weeks to bag and clear the site and barriers were erected to keep the public out.
I have been informed by the council, probably via the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), that representatives will not be given access to either the drill cores or contaminated bags that were taken away. In my opinion the whole project should be fully investigated with a public enquiry to examine both the dangers and the millions that have been spent prior to planning permission being obtained. Natural England has already indicated that protected wildlife habitats have been violated and there is a case to answer.
How many more millions will be wasted on the process of sealing against gas emissions alone?
Consider the cost of the complex specifications issued by the HCA. These include drilling down through multiple layers of waterlogged coal seams of the upper coal series and the installation of underground geo-grid structures requiring a series of drilled holes around each geo-grid.
The worked-out voids at lower levels will be under extreme water pressure.
First, they pump down what could be hundreds of tons of gravel into the outer series of holes to form a barrier around the geo-grid. Then, they pump in grout to fill the coal seam void. Later, the process starts to really get serious as the whole 'key-hole surgery' is repeated. There could be hundreds of infusions to seal and anchor a single geo-grid. I will not attempt to estimate the number of geo-grids required under the whole site.
Suffice to say that the so-called £100 million inward investment the council and HCA keep reporting in the media will be required to fund the costs of the foundations alone.
The millions wasted on the NQ to date would already have rebuilt Five Acres College twice over and this, a beautiful location twice the size as allocated at Northern.
Graham's apparent blind faith in the HCA's mitigation plans is typical of the Labour and Conservative attitude that has prevailed throughout the NQ project.
They appear to have no concept of the issues involved yet they seem likely to rubber stamp the project through the planning committee without blinking an eyelid.
Will the planning committee take the ultimate responsibility if they decide to allow dwellings, hotel and a college on this potentially lethal site? I doubt whether anyone else will be around if your dream goes pear-shaped. In the future are they prepared to take responsibility for families living above the jaws of a contaminated, gas-filled. open-cast landfill development?
Ten thousand people have signed a petition demanding a national debate on the risks of toxic gas leeching from waterlogged landfill.
It is almost impossible and unbelievably costly to even attempt to seal off gas emissions around the Northern Quarter because no matter how many geo-grids they seal, gas under water pressure will leech out over the whole surface and potentially enter buildings.
The Northern Quarter has four contaminated landfill areas under water pressure from the high water table. Finally, I say to Graham in particular as regeneration chairman, get out of this ludicrous project while you are able and recognise the truth about the inherent dangers of the NQ plan.