FOREST councillors have agreed to exchange land it owns at Cinderford Linear Park with the Forestry Commission.

The council's Cabinet agreed the exchange – which is needed as part of the Northern Quarter development – after hearing the outcome of a "statutory notification exercise".

Of the 164 responses, 140 were objections and 24 supported the proposed disposal.

The Cabinet was told the objections "were largely orchestrated" by the Dean Natural Alliance (DNA) which opposes the development of the Northern Quarter near Cinderford.

The evening before the Cabinet meeting, the DNA held a public meeting at the Trinity Church Hall in Drybrook.

Paul Morgan, the last surveyor at the Northern United pit which is central to the development, spoke of his concerns about the site saying it was "perhaps the worst possible site" for a major development.

DNA chairman Simon Glover said: "The District Council have said that the site needs to be developed for employment yet there are derelict empty employment sites around Cinderford.

"There are alternatives to destroying a valuable wildlife site such as the Northern Quarter.

"If successful, this proposed major development will set a precedent enabling the Forest of Dean and our national public forests to be used as cheap building land for urban development in the future."

The report to the Cabinet indicated where the responses had come from in cases where it was possible.

It identified 14 objections and 22 letters of support from Cinderford, 26 objections and no support from other places in the Forest, 31 objections and one of support from outside the Forest and 69 objections and one of support where an address was not given.

It is understood approximately nine hectares of Forestry Commission land is needed to allow development and in return up to 34 hectares of district council-owned land will transfer to the Commission ownership.

If the land exchange goes ahead, the Commission would agree a right of access on foot under the Countryside Rights of Way Act2000 (CROW).

Patrick Molyneux, Leader of the Forest Council added:  "This is an important step forward in the regeneration project.  We feel that we have good solid support for the project from residents, as we only received a small number of objections and a large majority of these were orchestrated by one body and the main points of objection were factually incorrect. 

"On this basis we feel the land exchange should continue and will work towards delivering the Northern Quarter regeneration project."