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CINDERFORD NORTHERN QUARTER PUBLIC
CONSULTATION
I submit this
objection to the proposals for the Northern
Quarter of Cinderford,
on behalf of Dean Forest Voice. (DFV)
1. Our
objection is based on the intention to develop a significant parcel
of Forest Waste Land.
2. Since the proposals
to develop this particular area of land came to our attention in
2003 we have been critical of them - not for what they proposed for
the area - but because it infringed on large areas of Forest Waste.
3. The term 'Forest
Waste' is used to describe all land within the Statutory Forest of
Dean (SFoD) that is not legally enclosed, (1908 Forestry Act) so
that this open land (Waste of the Forest) is available to Commoners
for pasture , and they hold this land in joint occupation with the
Crown (invested in the Forestry Commission) (FC)
4. The Forestry Act,
1981 controls the disposal of any designated SFoD land and only
permits the exchange of small areas of it where the FC deem it is
not required, or unsuitable for forestry or related uses. This
provision is exclusive to the SFoD. The same Act also imposes a
general duty, which is translated into the FC's 'Mission Statements'
as follows:'Protect and expand Britain's forests and woodlands
and increase their value to society and the environment' Taking
these two requirements on their own it is difficult to see how any
justification can be made for taking SFoD land on a scale suggested
for the Cinderford Northern Quarter.
5. Under the terms of
the Forestry Act 1967 only small areas of land can be exchanged for
more suitable land where the Minister can demonstrate the land is
not required for forestry use. The ability of the FC to dispose of
Forest Land is laid down by the Forestry Act 1981 which by S1 does
not apply to the Forest of Dean, so that if forestry land in the
Forest of Dean can be disposed of at all; then it can only be
disposed of under the terms of the aforementioned 1967 Act.
6 Discussions between
DFV and FC have revealed FC's doubt as to there being a parcel of
land large enough, and available to exchange, for the area to be
taken up by the Northern Quarter proposals. It would however, they
say, be a condition of them conceding the land.
7. These points were
argued by DFV and others at the Public Inquiry into the District
Local Plan 2003 . At the Inquiry the Inspector recommended the
inclusion of Policy RFBE.9 and in so doing accepted that the facts
as presented were right.
8. Policy RFBE.9 of
the 2005 District Local Plan (still in force) seeks to identify and
protect Forest Waste from development and for that purpose the
boundary of the SFoD is now shown on all relevant Planning Maps.
9 DFV do not wish to
get into arguments about housing or educational establishments etc,
our policy is to protect the SFoD which includes Forest Waste. This
argument represents the basis of our objection to development in the
Cinderford Northern Quarter.
Keith Morgan
Dean Forest Voice
4 Wilkes Meadow,
Broadwell, Coleford, GL16 7DT
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