A review of a £100m project to regenerate part of Gloucestershire which could bring hundreds of jobs is planned.
Civic chiefs in the Forest of Dean want to host meetings to review the Cinderford Northern Quarter regeneration project.
The redevelopment had originally been planned to bring 1,200 jobs, 195 homes and a new college campus.
The first stage of the project, which includes the first phase of a new road and a new campus for Gloucestershire College, was completed in 2018 but construction work for the second phase has not yet begun.
The Forest of Dean District Council currently has plans to alter one of the planning conditions which currently restricts development of the site until the spine road, which would link Broadmoor Road to the A4136, once completed.
And now proposals are being discussed to disband a scrutiny task group which was reviewing the project.
Instead, the council would host public meetings to review and debate the current council policy for the site.
Task group chairman, Forest of Dean District Councillor Nicky Packer said she supports an evidence-based review into the viability and suitability of the scheme.
“It needs to take place in public, so that it is balanced and it needs to look at all the evidence, not just cherry pick what supports any particular view,” she said.
Vice-chairman and fellow district councillor Jackie Fraser said she is also supportive of this approach.
She said the task group had not been able to meet for the past year.
“Some on the task group have refused to engage at all and then have claimed that their views aren’t represented.
“Hopefully a public inquiry would undertake a thorough scrutiny of the current Cinderford Northern Quarter policies and find a better way forward.”
Cllr Packer said the task group’s focus has always been about looking forward but also about precious council funds not being wasted.
Council leader Tim Gwillian said the local authority will be undertaking a full and comprehensive review into its policies around the Cinderford Northern Quarter.
“This piece of work is aimed at ensuring our policies are as relevant today as they may have been some years ago,” he said.
“It is also the correct time to review the policy in relation to our new local plan.
“I have contacted all relevant partners and informed them of this review and that I have suspended all new administrative activity on the Northern Quarter with immediate effect (work already engaged will be completed).
“I have asked the chairman of the strategic overview and scrutiny committee if he and his committee will consider conducting this important piece of work and reporting back to cabinet and full council their findings.
“In the interest of openness and transparency, and also to give everyone full confidence in the outcome of the review, I have requested that this vitally important step is carried out in public.
“This is a very emotive subject for some.
“By using this opportunity to review the council’s policies on the Cinderford Northern Quarter in public we have an opportunity to ensure that the outcome is robust and effective and provides the basis for a well evidenced new local plan.”
