A ‘PROTEST picnic’ was held in the centre of Coleford on Saturday in a show of support for a town garden on a site earmarked for development.
The Forest Council wants to develop the former Lawnstone House site to include business units, three homes and a block of flats but the proposal has met with widespread anger.
It is also being seen as a test of the council’s commitment to the public’s involvement in the planning process through Neighbourhood Development Plans (NDPs).
The proposals were drawn up before the current administration led by the Forest First group took control of the council.
The council says the brief for the site is to help regenerate the town centre, provide new public space and generate income to pay for services and that there will be further consultation.
The NDP steering group has written an open letter to the council – published in this week’s Review – with questions about the proposed development.
Speaking to the Review at the protest on Saturday, steering group member Diana Gash said: “We’ve had at least 50 people come today and say how concerned they are – there is huge support for this town garden.
“We have been consulting for three to four years, asking people what they want. They want a town garden and this is earmarked on our project list.
“We have identified many sites around the parish for three-bedroom homes but they want to put houses with private gardens on what is the last possibility for a public garden in the town centre.”
Fellow steering group member Roger Drury said the council should also produce a plan for a garden so people could weigh up the two approaches.
He said: “The garden has been proposed for a number of years – where are the plans and, if there aren’t any, we would like to see some developed so people can have two approaches to how this land could be used.”
The protesters say the two-week consultation period, which ended last Friday (September 15), was not long enough.
Mrs Gash said the council should listen to the views of people as expressed through the NDP.
She said: “The NDP was sold to me in the early stages as ordinary, local people having a say in the future development of where they live.
“That is why a group of people have come forward and worked hard in various ways but the initial proposals (from the council) have not taken into account the evidence collected.”
Mr Drury added: “It’s a real test for the council – either they are going to take the NDPs seriously or what’s the point?”
The council’s Cabinet member for development, Cllr Richard Leppington, (UKIP, Bream), said: “ While the council acknowledges the emerging NDP, its associated consultations and desire to retain the area as an open green space, this needs to be balanced against the council’s role as guardians of the public purse and the need to generate income to provide services for the district as a whole.
“For this reason we remain committed to satisfying our brief and to providing a high-quality development on the Lawnstone site.
“However, we hope that the NDP group will constrictively engage in the process and that we can deliver something which they will find acceptable.
“The initial designs were revealed on August 30 and have been open to a public consultation.
“All comments received as part of this process are currently being reviewed and will help inform the final design.
“There will be a further round of consultation in late October and a third round as part of the planning application process.
“The council considers that this is sufficient time to enable those who wish to engage to put forward their views.
“We welcome all feedback and comments throughout this process and these can be emailed to LawnstoneSquare
@fdean.gov.uk.
“Additionally, the council has produced some frequently asked questions which are available on our website and are being regularly updated to reflect the responses received to date.”