OFFICIALS working on plans for massive new waste facilities say they would seek Forest views if Sharpness is the site for a waste-to-power generator scheme.
Local people in Sharpness, a mile and a half across estuary sand flats from Lydney and other settlements on the West bank of the Severn, have already voiced objections.
However the county council's manager of local plans and development control, Tim Holton, said it was by no means certain Sharpness would be picked even though it appeared to be favoured by British Railways, Railtrack, the Regional Development Agency and the Department of the Environment.
"It may well appear to many bodies that this is an elegant solution, but all aspects of waste plans will have to be considered at the official consultations in the autumn."
He said the county had identified five more sites, three outside Gloucester and two not far from Cheltenham, for future waste control needs which did not necessarily have to incorporate an incinerator or power generation facilities.
"We are not ruling this out however. We wanted it to be included because we want to open the debate and see how people feel about it. We want to be as open as possible on all the options," he said.
"They might for example be a giant recycling site. And we would certainly seek views from communities other than Sharpness which might have an interest."
Although Forest of Dean District Council planners and environmental watchdogs have not yet been approached on the issue they say they would expect to be consulted if Sharpness is a likely choice.
Spokesman Paul Symonds said: " We recognise that the influence this would have is much wider than Sharpness alone."
Ease of road, rail, river and canal access was aired as one of the biggest advantages the Sharpness site would offer following the "unofficial" consultations carried out by Gloucestershire County Council.