FOREST conservationists have launched a legal challenge against the district council decision to approve the plans for the controversial Northern Quarter development.

The claim was lodged by Forest of Dean Friends of the Earth in the High Court in London on April 4.

The Friends, supported by up to 10 other groups, say the chosen site is Statutory Forest and part of the larger Cinderford Linear Park key wildlife site - a site recognised by Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, Butterfly Conservation and other wildlife experts as being important habitat.

It is, says Dr Colin Studholme, of Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, a site long recognised as important to the bat Area of Special Conservation.

The claim raises issues of EU law under the Habitats Directive and the Strategic Environmental Impact Directive.

Mary Newton, from Forest of Dean Friends of the Earth, said: "We have launched this legal challenge because the council failed to carry out its duties in relation to the EU site and EU protected species when deciding on long term land use policies for the site."

Specialist environmental solicitors have been appointed to put the claim.

Bat expert David Priddis says that although the council has pledged to do further studies, the work should have been carried out before the whole plan was approved.