PLOTS of land in the Ruscombe Valley are being sold off on the internet for hugely inflated prices in a controversial carve-up which has dismayed nearby villagers.

Residents began campaigning to save the beautiful valley after Sussex company Gladwish Land Sales announced it was selling the 39-acre site in 184 small plots earlier this year.

But the buyers of these plots which are likely to remain as agricultural land and have almost no possibility of gaining permission for housing are selling them on for two or three times the price they paid.

Buyers come from across the UK and abroad, with one buyer in Canada putting his £37,550 plot on the market for £75,000.

Leading campaigner Rebecca Charley said her action group would continue to fight the sell-offs and called for new legislation to curb this kind of piecemeal sale.

"If we can now mobilise MPs affected by these practices to take the matter up at Parliamentary level then perhaps we can protect other areas of the countryside and communities from such degrading and damaging actions," she said.

Stroud MP David Drew has slammed Gladwish and confirmed he will be helping to spearhead the campaigner's cause in Parliament.

"They are dreadful," he told the SNJ yesterday. "These people are making money off others on the basis of their greed. People are potentially losing lots of money."

But Paul Reps, sales manager for Gladwish Land Sales, said none of the campaigners had responded to the company's offer to meet and discuss the sale.

"We have agreed to meet the group but they have never said anything about contacting us," he said. "We want local involvement.

"We buy agricultural land and sell agricultural land. What the land owners do once they own the land is entirely up to them."