WHITECROFT residents are to hold a public meeting on Saturday and set-up a Steering Committee about a development which would almost double the number of houses in their village.

An action group has been established after a planning application, which has gone to the Forest of Dean District Council and has come from a company called Whitecroft Properties Ltd, was discussed and rejected by West Dean Parish Council two weeks ago.

The public meeting is being held at Whitecroft Memorial Hall on Saturday and starts at 10am.

The application is for 91 houses and commercial offices, covering 2,500 square feet, on the former Whitecroft Pin Factory.

While the action group is not ‘adverse’ in principle to the development, they want to keep it within context of the ‘small village’.

The West Dean Council planning meeting was held in front of local residents who were invited to give their opinions.

FULL STORY IN THIS WEEK’S FORESTER