‘We all know what we are doing at the moment is building houses for people who live in Bristol, Gloucester, Cheltenham and Cardiff to travel to work in those places’
Forest of Dean councillors have raised concerns new homes are being built in the district for commuters from Bristol and Cardiff(Image: Getty/PAUL GILLIS/Western Daily Press)
Another Gloucestershire council will write to the Government over its “ridiculous” housing targets amid concerns the new homes are for Bristol and Cardiff commuters and not locals.
Forest of Dean District Council will protest to the Government over their revised 13,200-home target they are expected to achieve by 2043.
The authority agreed last week to go out to consultation on the local plan – the blueprint for development in the district.
However, there are serious concerns a potential population increase of more than 40 per cent will have devastating consequences on the statutory Forest of Dean as well as the Wye Valley and Malvern Hills and national landscapes.
Councillors agreed to challenge the Government’s housing figures and will follow in the Cotswold District Council’s footsteps whose leaders have also blasted the “moronic” targets.
Councillor Philip Burford (I, Hartpury and Redmarley) proposed a motion to defer going out to consultation until the council has written challenging the government’ targets for housing in the Forest of Dean.
Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire
(Image: © SOUTH WEST NEWS SERVICE)
He told the meeting on July 24 that the housing targets would provide housing for an increase in population of around 40 per cent by 2043.
“We don’t believe that this is in any sense a sustainable way forward,” he said.
He said councils up and down the country have the same problem and many have written to the Government challenging the housing targets. “Most of them are stating the special characteristics of their areas,” he said.
“We have sites of special scientific interest in the Wye Valley, Malvern Hills and Walmore Common. We have Ramsar Sites (wetlands of international importance), we have special areas of conservation.
Councillor Philip Burford proposed a motion to defer going out to consultation until the council has written challenging the government’ targets for housing in the Forest of Dean at the meeting on July 24, 2025(Image: Carmelo Garcia)
“We have locally valued landscapes and that’s before we even start thinking about mentioning the statutory Forest.
“And don’t forget the vale of Gloucester and all of our best and most versatile farmland.”
Councillor Ian Whitburn (I, Coleford) said the council needs to make a statement.
“We should refuse to do this plan until we get some help from the Government to lower these figures,” he said.
“We need more social housing, we need loads of it. If there was any money in this for social housing that would be good – but there isn’t.
Councillor Ian Whitburn
“We all know what we are doing at the moment is building houses for people who live in Bristol, people who live in Gloucester, Cheltenham and Cardiff to travel to work in those places.
“You try getting in and out of Bristol and coming through Cheltenham at night and in the mornings and the same in Gloucester.
“We’ve got no jobs in the Forest for these people, so that’s going to be more travel.
“Which, I would suggest, is against Green policy because people aren’t going to be cycling to Bristol.
“There’s only one train station, they are not going to be going on the train. They are going to be driving.
“It’s going to be terrible for us here in the Forest. We are going to lose loads of farmland.
Green Party councillor Adrian Birch is the leader of Forest of Dean District Council
“As much as we need houses for local people, these will be four bedroom detached homes people can make a lot of money on.
“These are not going to be social housing, unfortunately.”
Council leader Adrian Birch (G, Tidenham) said he agreed with the points made.
He suggested they make a strong representation to the Government over their “ludicrous” housing targets while proceeding with the consultation on the local plan.
“We need to get this local plan approved by the time this district ceases to exist,” he said.
“Any delay at this stage could be catastrophic to that programme.
“I know it is not ideal and there will be significant debate to be had in weeks and months to come.
“I think it would be disingenuous to our residents not to undertake the consultation in the timescale we’ve set.
“By all means, let’s make whatever representations we can but it would be foolish of us not to proceed on the basis of the original paper because we owe it to our public to do so.
“We need their voice as much as we need yours.”
The council voted to continue with the local plan consultation which will start on July 31.
Council chiefs also agreed to write to the Government objecting to the housing targets.