VILLAGERS across the county border turned out in force at a council meeting to voice their opposition to plans for a new 3,000-home town near Redmarley.

It was standing room only at the village hall as parish councillors gathered to discuss their response to the latest blueprint for development in the Forest of Dean district.

The local authority is currently consulting on its local plan and among the options is one or more new towns to help meet their shortfall of 13,200 homes needed by 2043.

The public packed out the hall with people lining the walls and entrances with some having to listen and watch the meeting from outside.

Parish chairman Jeff Wheeler said: “I haven’t seen anything like it in the 40 years I’ve been in the village.”

Cllr Joshua Wheeler said that despite two previous local plan consultations rejecting similar proposals this new proposal for an area that would be known as Glynchbrook, would be developed to provide a new town the size of Newent and could affect the infrastructure of Ross-on-Wye.

Hartpury and Redmarley District Councillor Philip Burford asked residents of what they thought of the idea to meet this need for new building settlements with practically everyone raised their hands in opposition.

He suggested that residents should go to the Forest of Dean District Council’s website and give reasons such as building in areas with better transport links, the bigger towns and villages which have services.

Cllr Clayton Williams said: “I’m against what is happening with Glynchbrook. It’s too many houses in one place. We don’t need it.

“The Government says we need houses. Our infrastructure isn’t right here.

“As in Ledbury, there are 2,000 or 3,000 houses that have been built and now they are facing an additional 3,000 houses. The voices of Redmarley will hopefully be heard and it will stop it.”