THIS is how the Rainbow Valley project could take shape – and those steering its progress are confident they have a strong case.

The creators of the drawing, Hunts Associates of Cirencester, were behind the concepts leading to the vastly successful Eden Project in Cornwall and spokesman Martin Jones said he thought Rainbow Valley deserved to succeed.

The drawings formed part of a presentation put to all interested parties at a meeting in the Forest of Dean District Council Chamber last week at which it was agreed to enter a new chapter with plans for the Drybrook Quarry.

Its eventual impact on not only the immediate area but the whole Forest will be huge, says Mike Matthews, the lawyer and planning expert chosen to spearhead the campaign in its next phase.

"I'm full of enthusiasm for the venture," said Mr Matthews, who works in Gloucester and is chairman of the Forest of Dean Business and Professional Association.

Together with the originators of the project he was now getting down to the brass tacks of drawing up a business plan to test all aspects of its viability, looking past the "sparkly lights" to the nuts and bolts of making a plan that was acceptable to quarry owners The Hanson Group, the local community and business community, planners at parish, district and county levels, and grant-aid bodies who might be needed for the "large sums" of money needed for construction.

However although the investment would be big the returns could be immense also, with spin offs in many directions.

It was important to move very carefully at this stage with a view to showing everybody just how important the project is and hopefully bringing them on board.

And he said doubters might consider that the quarry would always have commercial uses once it was worked out and these might not be so attractive as the Rainbow Valley.

The innovative drawings, which at this stage are among a number of options being considered, show a 'spider web' biome roof over the attractions with interfaces to the existing tourism infrastructure and a planned 'park and ride' facility.