PLANS have to be in place for the Five Acres site before any relocation of Gloucestershire College, say campaigners.

The results of an inquiry by a Forest Council committee into Five Acres were widely welcomed but concerns were expressed over comments by committee chair Cllr Phillip Burford that redevelopment is "a marathon not sprint".

The results of the inquiry by the council's strategic overview and scrutiny committee were discussed on Monday evening at Lakers School and recommendations to the Cabinet agreed.

It includes working with the community and the Homes and Communities Agency to come up with future uses that local people want.

It is also recommended that the council sets up a Coleford Area Regeneration Board which would involve all interested local groups and that consideration is also given to continued leisure facilities on the site.

The Cabinet will also be asked to facilitate discussions from potential providers of sixth form education to ensure that post-16 education is retained in the central Forest.

Councillor Burford said: "The business of redeveloping the site at Five Acres is a marathon, not a sprint.

"There might be a view that the council was slow off the mark but the most important thing in redeveloping is not how quickly you are off the mark but how successful you are in completing the project."

Councillor Tim Gwill­iam – who was elected to represent Berry Hill after campaigning on the issue – said the report was "very positive".

He added: "This has to be a sprint. With the college potentially moving by 2015, we need to be moving."

Jamie Elsmore, chair of FANS, said the council "should not go for the easy option of housing."

He said: "If you want to create jobs you need to embrace the local community, embrace tourism and embrace the young people of the Forest.

"We are committed as a community to achieving something unique for this site."