I ATTENDED a meeting organised by Forest Voice and Dean Natural Alliance.

I went because the Review said that Jonathan Porritt was speaking and he is a wonderful voice on sustainable development and sustainable human numbers.

I was only able to attend half of the meeting and people are working really hard to stand up for the Forest.

However, we are always on the defensive – no to closing hospitals and libraries, parking charges, wind turbines and a new college site.

It makes us look very negative and non-cooperative.

In the next 16 to 20 years we have to fit another 10 million people into our country – that's equivalent to 10 Birminghams.

No doubt we are going to get some of those people here and right now we do not have the facilities to support them.

The schools, doctors and roads to Gloucester are packed already. How much more can they take?

We have one of the best areas in the country, full of natural resources that we can work with for sustainable development that can bring prosperity to the Forest but so far we have had to say no, none.

So what do we say yes to?

Jonathan said that communities are getting ahead on this and we should. We have to provide jobs so our lads have a future.

I know not all ideas are popular but we can't live in the past.

The world is changing and we have to move with it or get left behind.

Some of the ideas mentioned were tourism, more local produce, someone even mentioned a local university.

So I ask the people who have written in saying no to write in with what they would say yes to.

As Jonathan said you can't say no without suggesting an alternative.

We need to be more of a positive, proactive community and be seen to be taking the initiative in order to move forward and become a successful place.

– C Davis, Broadwell.