PLANS to place the ownership of the Five Acres complex into the hands of the local community are in progress, with West Dean Parish Council taking on the initiative – although problems still remain.

Cllr Tim Gwilliam said: “After several years of consultation with the communities of Berry Hill, Christchurch and Edge in developing a Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP), West Dean Parish Council is delighted that its plans for the sports centre, playing fields, theatre and college buildings at the Five Acres College site to return to local community ownership are now becoming achievable.

“The matter of land ownership has always been a frustration and a barrier to the development of the parish council’s and the community’s vision for the site. Recent imaginative plans for the transfer of ownership of the site, presented by the land owners, the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) and the Forest of Dean District Council may have unlocked the vast potential of this area. Should the proposals and negotiations bear fruit,  West Dean Parish Council, working in partnership with Forest of Dean District Council and the community, will be empowered to create the sustainable and viable hub for sport, leisure and culture that the community not only deserves but has aspired to in both open discussions and through extensive public consultations.

“There is still much work and negotiating to do and also a key element will be public consultation just as it always has been for West Dean Parish Council and the NDP for the area.

“However, after meeting with community representatives, including the influential local community group Five Acres Not for Sale (FANS) and their representatives, West Dean Parish Council believe that there is now a way forward.

“We welcome the opportunities that may arise and will continue to strive to work with the communities, the district council and the HCA to create a destination for tourists and visitors, a major economic regeneration project for the area and also a social and recreational hub for the local community for the people of West Dean and the wider Forest.”

More information, and links to related sites, can be found on the West Dean Parish Council website.