IN his letter of May 3 Graham Morgan asks for answers concerning wildlife on the Northern Quarter. His letter, unfortunately, seeks also to undermine the veracity of a report by mine surveyor, Paul Morgan – a man who has first-hand experience of Northern and nearby Waterloo.

Paul's report highlights the fact that the railway and ecclesiastical authorities ensured that no extraction of coal could take place under railway lines and churches. His report of the waterlogged shafts and workings throughout the Northern Quarter further warns of future problems such as the recent collapse of the Duck Colliery. These are not only lethal but incredibly expensive considerations which should be heeded by those who wish to squander taxpayers' money developing 175 houses, a hotel, a new college and office blocks.

I do not know whether Graham had sight of an accompanying Gaveller's map depicting an estimated 170 bell pits and shafts throughout the Northern Quarter, but when the underwriters and insurance companies tender for their share of taxpayers' money they, I believe, will be studying a qualified surveyor's report.

While I understand and indeed applaud Graham, the man who has empathy for tadpoles at Crabtree Hill, it does not give the councillor and chairman of Cinderford Regeneration Board the right to pour concrete over 57 acres of designated wildlife sites and beautiful scenery in Gloucestershire.

I believe if he steps back a little, he will see that this spine road represents a heart-breaking concept to many Foresters. The Northern Quarter proposals are being organised essentially through exempt papers, with eventual disclosures being drip-fed to the public. We must challenge these proposals to stop those hellbent on establishing a precedent which can only lead to the destruction of our public and Royal Forest.

In all these deliberations concerning the Northern Quarter, the public is being excluded from meaningful consultation, with many of their elected councillors completing U-turns which would be the envy of both MP Mark Harper and Minister Caroline Spelman.

Indeed MP Mark Harper and Co are currently back on course to privatise and sell off our forests, ie Somerset County Council selling 1,500 acres of the Quantocks at giveaway price to the Forestry Commission. Later and highly predictably these woodlands will be capitalised and privatised with the Forestry Commission and our assets sold to the highest bidder. Yes, Harper and Spelman are the most efficient operators in Parliament and in collusion with local government they are enacting the Localism Bill to sell off our land, our rights and our freedoms. Indeed, via MP Mark's announcements in a newspaper column (February 16) he commends his marionettes in Shire Hall for providing £10 million for the Northern Quarter spine road, although in reality this will hardly pay for the concrete to fill holes in the grounds. Yes, Mark is a little more astute at fooling the public than when he attempted last year to sell off the Forest – but he continues with his quest of privatising everything we hold and cherish in the Dean.

MP Mark Harper has not changed one iota from the man who nearly destroyed our forest last year – other than recruting the district and county cabinet systems to sell off public land and therefore progressing his career in Parliament.

If Graham does decide to turn his back on this coalition of greed, and come aboard, he may rediscover a more meaningful way of regenerating Cinderford, ie by returning the railway or the Brain's tram roads to run alongside the beautiful Steam Mills lakes. This would leave this idyllic jewel in the crown for the people of Cinderford, Steam Mills and visitors to enjoy forever.

Finally a quote for all those bent on selling off our Forest – Benjamin Franklin's "People willing to trade their freedom for temporary security deserve neither and will lose both."

– Andrew Gardiner, Ruardean.