Over the last couple of weeks I have been unable to ignore the volume of articles and letters sent in with regard to the Planning Department at the Forest of Dean District Council.

I have found myself nodding along to each point raised about how people are feeling despondent at the system. It seems worthless these days for anyone to try to oppose a planning application.

I have spent hour upon hour over months trying to stop a planning application that is going to affect me, but to no avail. It was passed in January and I am waiting for the bulldozers to turn up one day out of the blue to start work.

I truly put this down to applications being submitted by large companies. Reading the paper about how the building in Coleford seems to be pressing ahead despite concern over contaminated land proves my point even more.

We have battled against the planning opposite us for so long, we have tried every angle to make the committee and Highways Agency realise that what has been proposed is horrendous and extremely unsafe to us but they do not appear to listen.

I spoke at their committee meeting and received support from some councillors but still, it was passed. I have complained about the situation and the organisation of the meeting and have stated that I sum up the whole planning application process as 'pointless'.

I do not understand why we are given the opportunity to oppose planning when clearly, no one wants to listen. It is very much a case of 'if it ticks the boxes, it gets through'. I was told this was the case as otherwise it would go to appeal, the proposer would more than likely win and then the council would have to pay compensation to the company.

How wrong is it these days for that to be a reason for planning to be approved. Not to worry about the residents being affected, not to worry about safety being compromised or peoples lives being negatively impacted – it ticked the box so it is through!

In the meeting I attended I spoke about how my children's safety will be affected by an unnecessary junction being built opposite my house but this didn't appear relevant. However the pitch of a porch roof needing to be adjusted slightly was relevant and was demanded to be changed.

If it wasn't upsetting me so much, I would call it a laughable experience as it was just a waste of taxpayers' money filling the time. Whilst I agree and applaud everyone who tries to battle against these big companies and their applications, my honest opinion is that we are just wasting our time. We don't matter it seems.

I guess the answer to the age old question of "Does size matter?" In this case is yes!

– Name and address supplied.