MEASURES to protect wildlife at the Northern Quarter development have been announced.

David Warburton, head of area for the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) said: "Maintaining healthy populations of protected species in the Forest of Dean is extremely important. We're doing everything we can to protect wildlife and are absolutely committed to ensuring that the development meets all environmental and sustainability obligations."

The measures include building two new bat roosts, further small night roosts for bats, bird and dormouse boxes, log, brash and rubble piles for a variety of species - including newts and invertebrates, enhanced and newly-planted areas of broad-leaved woodland, scrub and grassland, and two road underpasses and two brook crossings to allow animals to move between habitats across the Northern Quarter area.

The bat roosts will replace the derelict buildings on the former Northern United colliery site and Lydney firm, Apex Architecture is expected to start work in the summer. Work on the rest of this site, and construction of the northern section of the new 'spine' access road, will begin once experts from Natural England are satisfied the bats are substantially using the new roosts.

Richard Jones, director of Apex Architecture said: "Ecology is absolutely vital for this sort of project. We are increasingly being asked to cater for the needs of a variety of animals, particularly in the Forest of Dean area.

"The two new bat roosts for the Northern Quarter are specifically designed for use by Lesser Horseshoe bats, but the design will also allow for other bat species to use them. We're following strict ecological methods, to help us design and complete the job. I'm sure what we learn here will be useful for other projects in the future."

Councillor Tim Holder, vice-chair of the Cinderford Regeneration Board, added: "Developing this prime site involves caring for a complex and diverse eco-system in an important location for all protected species. Independent environmental consultants are monitoring the project to make sure that the regeneration takes all the necessary ecological factors into account."

The proposed Northern Quarter regeneration will unlock more than £100m in investment to redevelop the former coalfield site and bring more than 1,000 jobs to the district.

The judicial reviews of the Council's Core Strategy and the Area Action Plan, Masterplan and Design Code for the Cinderford Northern Quarter, sought by Forest of Dean Friends of the Earth, have recently failed in the High Court and Court of Appeal.

•THE district council is advertising the proposed disposal of public open space in Cinderford – including Cinderford Linear Park. 

This follows Cabinet approval in January which agrees the proposed terms of the exchange between the council and Forestry Commission. 

Members of the public have until May 14 to comment on the proposed disposal which will be reported back to Cabinet on June 12 for consideration. Should the Cabinet confirm that the exchange will proceed the Commission will seek approval to conclude the exchange.

One third of the Area Action Plan (AAP) site is proposed for development. This works out at 26 hectares proposed for development of the 84 hectares making up the AAP area. 

The council and Forestry Commission are working to finalise the exact amount of land to be exchanged but it will be approximately nine hectares of Commission land needed for the 26 hectare Cinderford Northern Quarter site identified for development. In return a proportion of approximately 34 hectares of district council owned land will transfer to Forestry Commission ownership.

There will be no loss of statutory forest owned by the Forestry Commission. If the land exchange goes ahead, the Commission would agree to dedicate all land not currently designated as public open space and to formulise a right of access on foot under the Countryside Rights of Way 2000 (CROW).        The advert and plan for the proposed public open space land disposal are available to view at the district council's offices in Coleford.