A CAR blocks the road on Tuesday at Hampshire Gardens, Coleford, where Black Horse groundworkers are trying to move heavy machinery onto land where developers Bloor plan to build 100 homes.

The vehicle belongs to resident Karen Washington, who says her sewer along with the drainage for the other residents in Hampshire Gardens is not strong enough to take the weight of the machinery.

And she says the developers are trying to 'bulldoze' their way to the site over the wishes of the mainly elderly people who have made Hampshire Gardens their home. She further accuses the Forest of Dean District Council of 'ticking boxes' on conditions on which planning was granted for the new homes following two public inquiries. These have not been fully met yet she says – especially proper investigation of heavy metal concentrations on the site and suspected unstable ancient tunnelling beneath the ground.

The Angel Farm homes site was originally a Persimmon development and although these developers agreed to look into all matters raised in planning objections they have since sold on to Bloor, who Mrs Washington accuses of "bully" tactics.

"They are trying to get onto the land at any cost," she said on behalf of the Angel Farm Action Committee which has been the main objector to the homes in the 10-year history of planning applications for the site.

"The conditions were vital to ensure the safe development of Angel Farm, and yet the Planning Authority accepted consults from their experts on a form that carried the consultees name and a tick box system of 'no comment' or 'no objection' without any justification for their actions. A serious contamination report was ignored by the Scientific Officer, and the Planning Control Committee were advised to give it no weight or credence.

"Last Tuesday I witnessed a travesty when the Planning Control Committee voted almost unanimously to discharge these safeguard conditions.

"At this meeting Councilor Norman Stephens admitted that although placing Angel Farm on the District Plan was an error, he felt that if a grounds­well of objections had been raised previously, as was now, it would not have been included in the allocation of the District Plan.

"I take great objection to this statement as it is patently untrue. I and many others have endlessly and tirelessly, over many years, objected to this application and spent hours writing letters and emails, dating back to 2000."

On Tuesday Mrs Washington and fellow residents pledged they would fight on to make sure all aspects of safety were fully met.

Bloor Homes were asked for comment on the situation but had not replied at the time the Review went to press.

Cllr Terry Glastonbury, chairman of the Forest council's Development Control Committee, said: "Members have considered a number of submissions on this site over many years. In reaching a decision members of the committee considered the application and looked very carefully at the conditions the developers had applied to be discharged.

"Investigations have been carried out to ensure the land is not a danger to human health, and no unacceptable risks have been identified. The report which we are said to have ignored has been fully considered but does not meet the requirements of technical guidance.

"The suspected ancient tunnelling has also been investigated. Although councillors agreed to partially discharge the condition relating to this, the developers are still required to carry out remedial work in some areas of the site to address any problems. The proposed remediation is acceptable to the council.

"The council's Building Control team will be monitoring the development of this site. Like the residents we are also keen to see this site developed in a safe way which will bring much-needed new homes to Coleford."