NO disrespect to the gentleman pictured on the recent front-cover feature ("A Slagging for the Critics", Review, w/e Dec 2.), but I am not impressed or persuaded by his description of those who oppose the Northern Arc project as "mistaken and misguided". These epithets belong more properly to those who are pushing for the scheme, and who would have us believe there is no natural beauty in the site and no threat to its wildlife and plants.

The proposals envisage more than just a new road, "a few houses" and a college, though these in themselves will be ecologically damaging enough. The road will smash through valuable woodland habitat and endanger the survival of countless small amphibians, reptiles, mammals and invertebrates, as well as serving as a venue for late-night antisocial behaviour and speeding.

The "few houses" amount to up to 175 in fact, with a new population of at least 500 and probably more, all thrust in amongst any surviving grassland, pond or woodland habitats, with no guarantee that these will continue to be respected or safeguarded.

The college is envisaged as catering for 1,000 plus students and staff, with large amounts of hardstanding to provide for the parking needs of these and the residents of the new-build housing. New office and other employment-related buildings will be allowed to rise to a maximum of three and in one case four storeys, which, added to the intention to build the college and other edifices in two half-moon enclaves surrounding the present angling pond, will add to the claustrophobic, urbanised aura that will replace the current open, uncluttered and visually pleasing aspect the tree-framed pond currently enjoys.

A hotel, bar, visitors' centre, biomass plant and other provisions will complete the transformation of the site from its present-day status of post-industrial eyesore recolonised and beautified by nature and its replacement by an ugly, overpopulated and noisy mini-township.

Contrary to what the gentleman would have us believe, the Northern Arc site of today is hardly "land which is little more than slag heaps and certainly not beautiful". Some of us well remember the opencast years of yesterday. In fact, the gentleman may be interested to know that I have some small personal knowledge of the site even prior to the 1968 year-date he cites.

In my later years at Bilson Primary my pals and I often went pond-dipping there during the summer holidays and long summer evenings. (The newts were onsite even in those days, though not quite as rare or endangered as today.) I have vivid memories of falling into a Somme-like morass of glutinous yellow-grey mud up to my waist and being pulled out in the nick of time, only to have to face the long, dripping trudge home and the inevitable parental rollicking.

But the point is that the 1960s are half a century ago, and things have moved on since then, for the better. Nature has turned the site into a very acceptable venue for walking the dog, fishing, wildlife-watching or simply seeking some peace and quiet and spiritual replenishment. It's a valuable amenity area now.

Trying to make out that it's a wasteland of unprepossessing slag, stone and mud is disingenuous. During the leafy days of spring, summer and early autumn the site is as attractive as Cannop or Soudley ponds or, indeed, the Linear Park ponds. The large number of animal and plant species identified as living on the site and in many cases facing eviction or death from the proposed development should be compelling evidence of the scale and success of the Arc's natural regeneration. If "all those involved" in the planned development really were "keenly aware of the wildlife issues", as claimed, they would simply have rejected the site and looked elsewhere.

The gentleman may care to reflect that his dismissive description of Northern Arc as "not a picturesque paradise" could in any case have equally and justly been applied to the Linear Park area during the Victorian and early 20th century period. That too was "virtually wasteland" – in fact, judging from the old photos, no "virtually" about it at all. But that area too has now been restored to a more natural aspect, has it not? Where's the difference?

Similar concerns surround the gentleman's attempt to talk up the proposed project as enabling "the Forest as a whole" to "win". His trumpeting that the Forestry Commission will gain the Linear Park and Church Bank in exchange for handing over the Arc site is clearly meant to thrill the soul. In fact, it chills my blood to the marrow, for this a poisoned chalice if ever I saw one.

Has the gentleman learnt nothing from the threats to the UK's public woodlands over the last year? The FC is far, far from being safe, snug and secure, even now, and is likely to face the spectre of its dissolution and the selling-off of its land assets to private buyers for years to come. We might as well be truthful here, and say that this threat would continue even if there was a change of government – certainly, in the unlikely event of Brown having won the last election it would

be Labour, just as much as the Tories/Coalition now, that would be striving to privatise the Commission, in order to bring the deficit down and disembarrass itself of having responsibility for semi-public quangoes.

And if such a dire eventuality becomes real – whatever the political colour of the party in government – then the Linear Park and other areas will be sold to private buyers. I can see Church Bank becoming a very tempting target for developers – should be possible to get more than "a few houses" up there, and who cares about the lizards, slow-worms, butterflies, moths, birds, shrubs, thickets and trees already there and which will perish under the bulldozers? Or the people who will lose the chance to walk their dogs there and enjoy the stunning views across the Forest basin?

Better to keep such areas out of FC hands, I'd have thought. Even if it's not privatised, the Commission could just as easily decide to transfer these areas to private ownership anyway, in return for new land elsewhere. Just like what's happening with the Northern Arc...

And, of course, if the Arc project goes ahead, then a planning precedent will have been set and

theoretically it will become possible to develop other former industrial sites that are now beauty spots and public amenities. Lightmoor, Cannop, Soudley, Woorgreen – they're all feasible successors to Northern Arc in the mass urbanisation stakes. Such consequences should be carefully thought-through before any development plans are drawn up, but round here these days the headless chicken posture seems to predominate.

Perhaps someone could cast around and find some genuinely brownfield land suitable for this monstrosity? At Newham Bottom, perhaps? Or Redmarley? Or even Dymock?

"Stinging attack"? I've had zits that gave me more trouble...

– Andrew Stephens, Cinderford