Five Acres redevelopment site
On 17 December 2021, the Council completed the purchase of the Five Acres site from Homes England for £1 in line with Full Council approval in July 2021, with the ambition to redevelop the site to create a new Council owned destination leisure facility to add to existing facilities, improve the health and wellbeing of Forest residents, and to increase the numbers of visitors coming to the area.
The Council will partner with adjacent land owner West Dean Parish Council and the Football Foundation to deliver a comprehensive redevelopment of the site and adjacent playing fields to improve both indoor and outdoor provision. Forest of Dean District Council will also partner with Hartpury University and College to create a new outreach facility or Aspiration Centre.
The redevelopment of the Five Acres site is being funded by the Council’s successful Levelling Up Fund bid to Government. Levelling Up capital funding will support three projects in total: the Five Acres site redevelopment; a flagship University, Careers & Enterprise Learning Centre and electric vehicle car park at Hartpury’s main campus to support 3,000 students and the wider Forest community; and transforming three prominent buildings in Cinderford town centre into accessible spaces that will support business start-ups and social enterprise formation, training/mentoring, arts and creative networks.
Construction is now officially underway for phase one of the project. Phase one of the build will include soft play facilities, party rooms, power-assisted exercise rooms, group exercise space, a 53‑station gym and café. The former Speedwell Building will also be repurposed to create new office and community spaces, along with an outreach space for Hartpury University’s Aspiration Centre. Outside, there will be new car parking and secure cycle parking.
Phase two will deliver a 3G artificial pitch suitable for rugby and football, along with floodlights and a dedicated spectator zone. This addition has been made possible thanks to a successful funding bid to the Football Foundation in January 2025.
Earlier consultation work with residents held at Berry Hill Primary School and at Five Acres High School informed the initial designs for the Five Acres site and led to a phased approach which will reserve space for additional facilities as future funding becomes available.
Community information share events will be arranged to promote the revised design layouts for the first two phases of development as the redesign work takes shape.
The project links into the Allocations Plan and the Berry Hill, Christchurch and Edge End neighbourhood Plan.
Planning applications approved at Five Acres
Construction of the new leisure, enterprise and education facility at Five Acres in Berry Hill had an initial planning application approved Tuesday 13 February 2024, following a decision by the Council’s Development Management Committee.
The Council submitted its planning application in November 2023, which allowed residents and the wider Forest community to share their thoughts on the plans.
Full details for planning applications for the site can be found by searching the reference numbers P1435/23/FUL and P0087/25/FUL on the Council's Planning Portal.
Project documents
Local supply chain benefits
The Council is committed to maximising opportunities for Forest based suppliers to access contracts of works and services related to activity at the Five Acres site. These efforts comply with the Council’s current contract procedure rules. The Council uses the In-tend e-portal to alert suppliers to all new contracts of work above £10,000. Further details as to how to register your business or social enterprise as a potential new supplier will be released as the next stage of design work takes shape.
Site security
Forest of Dean District Council have purchased the Five Acres site from Homes England. Five Acres High School has access rights over the one-way access loop road on the south-west boundary of the site. The access road and bus parking bay are still excluded from the secure site boundary fencing to allow access to the school to operate normally.
Report any concerns about site security or access issues to Forest of Dean District Council by calling 01594 810000 or by email to assets@fdean.gov.uk