A COMMUNITY group’s bid to transform a Parkend building left derelict for decades have moved one step closer to fruition.

Forest of Dean District Council’s cabinet approved plans to convert the building into a community asset to be presented to the full council.

However, councillors questioned the viability of the group of villagers’ scheme and shared concerns over how their vision will be financed.

A former sweet shop and house which abuts the village’s memorial hall has been left abandoned for over 20 years, and the district council plan to use a Compulsory Purchase Order to get the ball rolling.

“The issues relating to the building are longstanding and in the absence of any intervention by the council are likely to continue unresolved in the future,” said Councillor Richard Leppington (UKIP, Bream).

James Felton, a legal officer for the district council, said he had been ’impressed greatly’ by the group and had ’no reason to doubt’ the community group’s ability to revive a building that was left boarded up after squatters moved in.

The Parkend property still belongs to the estate of Mrs Sheward. However her estate is subject to a dispute, the papers of which are logged with the High Court in London.

It should be noted that the family donated the Parkend Memorial Hall to the village in 1918.