SOME 94 per cent of the people/local residents approve of an Aldi store being built in Coleford, including me.

I voted for this being a committee member of the planning committee – unfortunately, due to a relatively new decision in planning law, no new retail developments are allowed to be built outside of town if there is sufficient space for them to be built in town.

Because of this, both council, and a leading supermarket (we all know who it is, but I am not allowed to mention their name) are opposed to Aldi building on their proposed site at the end of Tufthorn Avenue.

If the committee had voted for this application by Aldi, then the 'other' supermarket would almost have certainly appealed and probably won an appeal against our decision.

Costs, totalling several thousand pounds could be awarded and paid by our council. Therefore the majority voted against the Aldi proposal (me excluded) – the council finding it easier and cheaper not to take this gamble against being fined.

– Cllr Martin Hill (UKIP), Forest of Dean District Council, Coleford East.