FOREST district councillors are to form a group to develop a renewable energy policy. They will determine sensitive items such as how close wind turbines should be allowed to houses and also consider landscape and amenity values.

The group is being formed by Conservative council leader Peter Amos who has asked Cllr Patrick Moleneux, exective member for planning, to take the plan forward.

The group will include Cllr Alan Preest who made the suggestion to Cllr Amos at last week's full council meeting.

Cllr Preest said he believed the group would be "potentially, a brilliant safeguarding initiative for the whole Forest."

The move has calmed the fears of the Lydney and West Dean Windfarm Action Group who were concerned at suggestions for a wind farm on high ground at Horage, north of Lydney. They presented a petition signed by over 400 people which called for the plan to be dropped and for the proposers, the Lydney Area in Partnership group, to be more open and transparent.

In a statement the Action Group said they hoped the Partnership would recognise the strength of local opposition to the Horage proposal and agree to discuss their schemes with the public. "We were very disappointed at the lack of openness and willingness to let people know what is going on," they said.

Jane Turley, who presented the petition to Cllr Amos, said: "We are delighted with the outcome and the supportive response by the council to everyone who has signed the petition. They understand that developing renewable energy is important but there are complex issues involved. Win turbines are not the only solution nowand any options must be sensitive to the landscape and local people.

"The people of the Forest expect to have more say in how the Forest is developed and it is especially important now to have local powers to protect the Forest and its communities."