A SPECIAL meeting of Newland Parish Council was being held on Tuesday evening this week to discuss plans for historic Newland House, which was gutted by fire last April.

The meeting was called after the parish council applied to Forest of Dean District Council planners for an extension for public comment on the plans to rebuild the house.

"Plans for the demolition and construction of a new building to overlook the churchyard were submitted to the planning department between December 12 and December 20, 2012. The initial final date for the receipt of public comment was January 4. Such was the window of opportunity for public comment," states a flyer advertising the parish meeting.

"The parish council has successfully applied for the date to be put back to January 18. The plans really need to be seen by everyone with an interest in the character of Newland's conservation area and the future welfare of the village and its residents."

While the Review understands there is some opposition to the rebuilding plans, comments on the scheme are on the whole favourable.

Local History Society member and a trustee of Newland Church Averil Kear said she was quite pleased with the plans which saw a building in the same style as the original using the same building stone and roofing.

"Some of the building at one side is even set back from the original which I'm very happy about," she said.

The house site is owned by investment fund manager and old Etonian Richard Pease, 53, who was in the process of renovating it when the building caught fire.

Mr Pease is understood to have bought the mansion in spring 2011 for £2.1 million.

The L-shaped property, set in around 15 acres, was built in the 17th century and lavishly extended in the 1740s by then owner John Probyn.

In 1813, Edmund Probyn sold the estate to author P J Ducarel, who employed architect John Maddox to carry out alterations. Further changes were made in 1846 and in 1930 the interior fittings, except the staircase, were removed and sold.

One complete room was shipped to America after being sold to the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

The plans lodged by Mr Pease's agent can be found on the Forest of Dean District Council website planning section under reference numbers DF1649 or P1705/12/ FUL, or search under Newland House.