FINAL approval has been given to build 49 homes that will transform an eyesore site on the edge of Cinderford.

The plan for the former Englehard’s complex off Valley Road was submitted in 2020 and received outline permission two years later.

Last week, Forest district councillors approved “reserved matters” around appearance, landscaping, layout and scale of the proposal by Cinderford-based Bell Homes.

There were last-minute changes to the plan to overcome concerns about the width of part of the access road and to provide a pavement on part of the development.

Gloucestershire County Council’s highways department had asked for more analysis to ensure refuse vehicles could pass parked cars and turning circles to be increased so bin lorries were not overhanging pavements.

Planning officer Hannah Ramsey said the applicants had completed a lot of work in a short time to make the changes and as a result there no objections to the proposal.

The changes to the “shared surface” means the plan reverted to the original proposal by the applicant to have a pavement.

The estate will be a mix of one bedroom flats, two bedroom semi-detached and terraced houses, some two and three bedroom bungalows, three bedroom semi-detached houses, and four bedrooms attached houses.

There's will be a row of houses running onto Valley Road with low stone walls and front gardens.

The remaining homes will primarily front onto the internal access road.

The estate will not include any “affordable” housing because of “vacant building credit”.

Vacant Building Credit is a type of financial credit, equivalent to the existing gross floorspace of any empty buildings on previously used land being brought back into use or

demolished for re-development.

The figure is deducted from the calculation of contributions to affordable housing.

“The calculation was undertaken at the outline stage, and it was considered that no affordable housing could be requested on this site due to the amount of floor space that's there already by those vacant buildings.”

The proposal was passed unanimously by the Forest Council’s development control committee.

Cllr Julia Gooch (Progressive Independents, Newent and Taynton) said: “It's positive to see that there are some bungalows.

“Disappointing on the play areas, because I do think we need to be mindful of children (who) need space to play.

“But the best part, I think, is the fact that it's tidying up such a eyesore.

Committee vice-chair Cllr Gill Moseley said she was pleased the lack of a pavement had been addressed.

She also welcomed the fact that the changes meant the road would now be “adopted” with the county council taking responsibility for maintenance.

She said: “I'm really pleased that the lack of pavement, has been amended, and the adoption of the road has also been enabled, because this can lead to all sorts of problems later on in the life of the estate.

“I'm very pleased to see that we've got the ability for refuse collection vehicles to be going nearer to what are some of the bungalows.”