A MASSIVE fight is being launched to defeat plans to hold the Severn Revels on a quiet farm site near Hewelsfield this summer.
The battle is being organised by Hewelsfield and Brockweir parish councillors who, this week, accused the district council of rushing through final approval of a £17,000 grant for the "pop concert" without consulting neighbouring parishes or listening to protests.
"It appears neither the Crown Agents, the Forest Commission or the county council will allow the Severn Revels on their land but it is OK to stuff the residents of Hewelsfield," they say.
In a statement the parish councillors say the Hewelsfield site is seven miles from the nearest town in the Forest but that the £17,000 was allocated in order to "culturally and economically regenerate the Forest of Dean". Clearly, they say, the site cannot meet that objective.
The statement goes on: "A meeting of the policy and resources committee on Thursday is expected to rubber stamp the £17,000 grant. Then the entertainment licence application is to be considered at a meeting of the housing management and licensing sub committee on Thursday, March 23.
"At a meeting of the Severn Revels 2000 Steering Group on Monday it was obvious that there were major concerns of the police and fire departments still to be resolved, despite these concerns having been raised six months ago. The impression was 'let's get a conditional entertainment's licence through, then the fuss will be over and we can sort out security, safety, drug problems and protection of neighbouring farms in the quiet confines of the council offices.' There was even confusion as to whether the revels was run by the charity, Dean Arts, or a limited liability company. So, if the company goes bust, who pays the creditors?
"The Joint Advisory Council of the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty at its meeting on March 13 considered it had no power to intervene in the AONB being used as a site for the three day and night revel.
"Although Diana Organ is on record as saying she supports the principle of the Severn Revels, she has hardly had the opportunity to comment on whether she thinks the Hewelsfield site is suitable. What point is there in Special Status for the Forest of Dean and the Wye Valley if planning and licensing committees can make nonsense of supposedly protected conservation areas and no public consultation?"