OPEN letter to the Development Control Committee of the Forest of Dean District Council.

As a member of the Angel Farm Action Committee I would like to take this opportunity to thank councillors for their decision to defer the revised Angel Farm planning application last Tuesday, January 11.

It was with great insight that they realised that further investigation and information was required, prior to any conclusions being reached.

This was in spite of pressure from the developer's spokesman warning of a timescale issue with the affordable housing provision.

The application in our opinion had drifted from what had been agreed by the appeal inspector in 2008, and he had considered these matters in great detail.

The proposed application was in many ways of a poorer quality, had many faults including a lack of vital information and was therefore not worthy of acceptance.

It is therefore heartening that so far, common sense has prevailed, and their cautionary approach has prevented a resounding and unmitigated disastrous outcome.

Mrs Karen Washington (For the AFAC)

Coleford