THE Forest of Dean District Council remains committed to delivering the regeneration of the Five Acres site, despite the challenges faced so far and is working hard to get the project back within budget so that construction can begin.

Cabinet Member for Economy Cllr Johnathan Lane said: “We know that there is a lot of interest in the redevelopment of Five Acres, and we want to underline our commitment to delivering the best possible facilities within the agreed budget.

“We had hoped by now to have agreed a works contract with our contractor; however, this has not been possible to date, and we will now be requesting more time from the government to conclude this work.

“The council will continue to work with all partners to review proposed amendments and changes that may need to be actioned to bring the project back within budget so that we can begin the construction phase.

“We will continue to provide updates and communications during this review process and will be working together with all parties, including the residents of the Forest of Dean to ensure that this project is delivered successfully.”

Forest of Dean District Council officers are working on a review process which involves scrutinising all aspects of the design plans and exploring where changes can be made to help reduce costs and deliver the project within budget.