ST BRIAVELS Parish Council wishes to protest strongly about the proposed extensive housing building programme throughout the Forest.
It is clear that the proposed development will place an unsustainable burden on the local road infrastructure. The A48, which is already scarcely 'fit for purpose' for the volume of traffic it has to handle, especially at rush hour on the approaches to Chepstow and Gloucester, will have to manage the burden of many more commuters, and existing road users will thus face increased misery every day.
For residents in the St Briavels and surrounding areas, the situation will be even worse. The local road network is poor. The road link to Lydney is single track for part of the way. The proposed Stow Quarry link road, emerging on the B4228 just outside the village will increase local lorry traffic.
There are concerns around the Forest about the capacity of local sewerage services. Unless there are serious remedial works to address this problem, then any proposed housing expansion will put unacceptable pressure on a service which is already working at the limit of its capacity.
There appears to be no 'joined up thinking' to consider the impact of proposed planning developments on all local services and amenities. Planners have a responsibility to consider all aspects of such a major project, and to reassure local communities that the quality of their lives will not be compromised.
No such reassurances have yet been received. We would welcome some public consultation. – Dave Kent, Clerk, St Briavels Parish Council