THE 'threat' of large scale intrusion into the statutory Forest would have the potential to turn the area into an unwanted theme park, fear members of the pressure group, Dean Forest Voice.

The group has called a public meeting to be held at Forest Hills Golf Club, Coleford, next Wednesday to discuss issues surrounding planning in the Forest.

Invitations have been sent to the Forestry Commission, district council, tourism organisations and the Countryside Agency.

DFV spokesman Mike Jones said the District Plan and tourism strategy would be central to the debate.

"The pithead development proposals could bring about a fundamental change in planning policy and we feel sure that is not what local people want.

"It is our view that now is the time to make a stand. People do not want large scale intrusion into the Forest. It is a serious attempt to change planning policy and open the door for the Forest to become a theme park," he said.

•The economic development, tourism and industrial estates service provided by Forest of Dean District Council is good, but has uncertain prospects for improvement, according to an independent report released by the Audit Commission this week.

An inspection team gave the service two stars.

Peter Wylie, director, Southern Region Best Value Inspection, said: "Regeneration is crucial to the Forest of Dean's future economic development. Our inspection found the council has struck up some good working partnerships which benefit local people, businesses and tourism. But, unless effort is directed towards mapping out clear aims and priorities for the service, prospects for improvement will remain uncertain."

The inspection report highlights a number of key strengths:

•Customers praised staff for their expertise and flexibility

•The council has a good track record of developing partnerships on a local community level so that regeneration projects, such as town centre improvements, have some input from local people

•The council has been successful in getting external funding for regeneration.

However, inspectors also found weaknesses:

•The council has not yet clarified what it really means by its high-level aims, such as 'a thriving local economy' or a 'secure economic future'

•The provision of information and publicity needs to be improved significantly

To help the service improve, inspectors made a number of recommendations, including:

•Improve regeneration of the area by agreeing priorities

•Improve the performance of the service by working more closely with other organisations such as the Regional Development Agency.

The economic development service has five full-time staff and had a net budget in 2000/01 of about £345,000. Tourism is part of the leisure and planning service. It has two full-time staff and had a net budget for 2000/01 of around £135,000. The council's own holdings of industrial land and premises are quite small. Estimated net income to the council in 2001/02 is about £13,500 on a turnover of £145,000.

Copies of the report are available from Forest of Dean District Council or on the Best Value website at http://www.bestvalueinspections.gov.uk">www.bestvalueinspections.gov.uk