Veterans, or former students at Beachley Army Apprentice College, feel their idea for the Beachley Barracks to be turned into a rehabilitation site for soldiers has been ignored by the Forest of Dean Council, who have chosen to knock it down and turn it into housing.

Stephen Barker, former student at the college, claims to have submitted an idea to the council that would preserve the barracks by turning them into a place where veterans could receive treatment for conditions they developed during their time in the forces.

"Our idea," said Stephen, "would be to leave the barracks as they are, just change their use."

"By creating a space for veterans, we would be preserving a huge part of Beachley's legacy."

The Beachley Barracks are set to be knocked down as part of the council's 'Local Plan' to create housing in the area.

600 new build houses will be built on the Beachley Barracks site, where the Army Apprentice College stood between 1924 and 1994.

"It seems like the council have made their mind up about the new-build houses, which means thousands of Beachley Boys will be losing our old college," said Stephen.

"It just seems a shame because the facilities are already there, waiting to be used.

"But when I approached the council with the idea, they ultimately ignored it."

A Forest of Dean District Council spokesperson said: “We are not aware of any formal approach to planning applications to change the use of the site.

"If the landowner wished to put forward a proposal it would be considered as part of the normal planning process.

“The site is included in the draft Local Plan strategy that we are currently developing.

"It is currently allocated for a mixed-use development of around 600 dwellings along with other community use, though this is still draft, not fully defined and subject to consultation with residents.

"Any proposals included in the Local Plan would need to be brought forward by the landowner.”

The Brunel Quarter in Chepstow is another huge housing development nearby. (Image: Marcus Hobber) When the plans were announced, residents were concerned that the current road infrastructure is not built for the inevitable increase in traffic.

“The roads can’t cope with the amount of traffic as it is,” said local man Phillip Moseley.

However, many locals remain keen for more housing in the area, with the hopes that this could mean their children and grandchildren might not get pushed away due to house prices.

Talk of new housing also brought hope for more local amenities, such as shops, doctors surgeries and schools in the area.

Today the site is home to soldiers from the 1st Battalion, The Rifles, who are due to return home from a two-year deployment in Cyprus next year.

Whilst they are away, the barracks are occupied by families from Afghanistan who have helped the UK Government, as part of the Ministry of Defence relocation scheme.

The Ministry of Defence said the battalion will leave the barracks in 2029, which will be when the hundreds of homes start to take over the site.

However, this timeframe could change depending on council plans and local feedback.

To keep up to date with the changes, you can check on the Forest of Dean Council website.