THE House of Commons has been told that local people feel the sale of Chepstow Park Wood "has been secretive and underhand and conducted in a way that was unacceptable for a public body".
Monmouth MP Huw Edwards has called for a debate in the House on the sale of Forestry Commission land following widespread concern over the impending sale and development plans which could include a holiday village.
Against this the Forestry Commission, which owns the freehold of the land, is claiming that it is advertising the sale as a means of drawing "expressions of interest" from prospective developers.
Mr Edwards raised the issue in the Commons in Questions to the Leader, Margaret Beckett.
He had earlier tabled a Commons motion "that the House deplores the decision of Forest Enterprise Wales to instruct agents to sell the freehold of Chepstow Park Wood in the Wye valley Are of Outstanding Natural Beauty."
The motion continued: "There is considerable concern about the manner in which this process has been conducted – the failure to advertise the sale locally, the failure to consult or even notify local authorities or other bodies, the brief period for receipt of offers (closing last Friday) and the sealed bid system of sale."
Margaret Beckett told the House the Government had a moratorium on the sale of forests and urged Mr Edwards to raise the issue in a debate on agriculture later this week.
Mr Edwards said he is still waiting for a reply to a series of questions which he has put directly to the director of Forest Enterprise Wales and a request to suspend the sale of the wood until there has been public consultation to determine what is in the public interest.
It is believed parts of the woods, which have drives and trails popular with people from Chepstow and surrounding settlements, were bequested to the Forestry Commission to protect them as public amenities for local people.
A public meeting over the sale plan was being held this week at Itton, between Chepstow and the woods.