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A Ruardean farmhouse is the first home in Gloucestershire to receive free energy-saving measures under the latest phase of the government-backed Home Upgrade Grant (HUG), which is being delivered locally by energy efficiency advice service Warm and Well.

The construction of the new leisure, enterprise and education facility at Five Acres in Berry Hill has taken a significant step forward, with planning now submitted, enabling residents and members of the wider Forest community to view and comment on the plans on the Council’s planning portal, under reference P1435_23_FUL.

With an estimated 15.8 million pumpkins expected to be thrown away in the UK following this year’s Halloween festivities, Forest of Dean District Council is encouraging residents to compost or recycle their jack-o’-lanterns to cut waste and help reduce the environmental impact on the planet.

Four neighbouring local authorities West Oxfordshire District Council, Cotswold District Council, Forest of Dean District Council, and Cheltenham Borough Council are set to take greater control of council services.

Two Forest of Dean residents, Stacey McDermott and Jon McDermott pleaded Guilty to offences in relation to the Animal Welfare Act 2006 on Monday 16th October 2023 at Cheltenham Magistrates Court.

The Forest of Dean District Council is to receive a £250,000 grant from the charity Thirty Percy, to fund two new part-time members of staff for two years, and to procure a carbon reduction pathways report, all of which will enable the council make further progress towards its net zero goals. 

Residents in the Forest of Dean are being asked to keep their eyes peeled and hunt out hidden recycling to celebrate this year’s national Recycle Week campaign and boost recycling rates across the district.

The Forest of Dean draft Local Plan is proposed to be updated following consultation with residents. The latest version of the plan will take into account feedback from residents and also include lower housing numbers than it previously did, before going back out to consultation in Spring 2024.

Forest of Dean District Council and partners including the Centre for Sustainable Energy and Warm and Well are working with local residents to establish the Forest Community Energy, a community forum and group set-up to help Forest residents, reduce energy bills for businesses, protect the environment and reduce carbon footprints.

Forest of Dean District Council is supporting emerging new government legislation which will increase the council tax payments on empty and second homes, with the aim of increasing the number of homes available for local people in the area.

A brand-new fund is giving primary school children in the Forest of Dean the chance to learn about the environment and take forward their ideas for how best to protect it.

Forest of Dean District Councillors and staff were recently invited to visit DEEP and given the opportunity to view the exciting plans for the Forest of Dean and the work carried out so far at the pioneering underwater research and development base at Dayhouse Quarry, Tidenham.