THE SKY is the limit for the Forest of Dean when a ‘once in a lifetime’ economic initiative is launched next week that could bring billions of pounds to regions along the M4 corridor.

A Western Powerhouse, connecting both sides of the England and Wales border and involving major cities like Bristol and Cardiff, is being launched at the House of Lords next Wednesday with the publication of a report outlining the case for its’ creation.

And right in the heart of it will be the Forest of Dean with potential funding for business projects here which could dwarf anything seen before.

The Western Powerhouse Report has been commissioned by Bristol, Cardiff and Newport City Councils and headed by the chair of the UK 2070 Commission, Lord Kerslake.

Government ministers, MPs, senior civil servants and regional business and political leaders will be in Parliament to hear Lord Kerslake outline a vision for the long-term strategy for the West of Britain and a powerhouse stretching from Taunton in the south to Gloucester in the north and from Swindon to Swansea.

A Northern Powerhouse serves the county’s in the top half of England, while the Midlands Engine, designed to exploit the infamous HS2 railway and amalgamating local government and business across that region, has been launched.

A Commission statement said: “The economic map of Britain is being reshaped by devolution and the emergence of regional powerhouses. A crucial missing piece of the jigsaw is the West of Britain along the M4.”

Forest of Dean District Council leader Cllr Tim Gwilliam will be attending the launch of the Western Powerhouse Report in the House of Lords on Monday afternoon and has revealed he has already had talks with Bristol’s Elected Mayor Marvin Rees earlier this year about working on the project.

Cllr Gwilliam enthused: “We want the Forest of Dean to be at the very centre of this. We are the gateway between two countries and we see this as a huge opportunity.

“I had a conversation with Marvin Rees going back to February or March asking if the Forest of Dean would be interested in this? We said of course.”