THE Forest of Dean District Council plans for the Steam Mills area are on public display for "final community consultation." What is not made clear is that the Cinderford Linear Park actually extends  North, around the Steam Mills lake and East over to the A4151 in Steam Mills.

This area, which is one quarter of the Linear Park, will be lost to the public as open space for walking and recreation when built over with a spine road, a college, hotel, housing etc What remains of the Linear Park on the plan will  be blighted by the road and all this development.

Anyone who values the present Cinderford Linear Park and does not want to lose so much of it may wish to see these plans at the council offices and make their views known to the Forest of Dean District Council.

– Derek Foster, Newnham.