John Knight

Cheshire East Green Party

FROM major roadbuilding through the greenbelt, to encouraging air-travel, to allowing and promoting housebuilding on peat bogs, Cheshire East Council seems determined to make a mockery of its own claims to environmental stewardship.

Now they are returning to Poynton for their latest assault on the natural landscapes and wildlife habitats of Cheshire.

Each year, there is apparently a one in 10,000 chance of Poynton Pool bursting its bank and flooding the A523 and nearby houses.

Cheshire East Council argues that, in order to minimise this, it will be necessary to chop down between 44 and 81 trees in order to build up and level the bank, while residents are being offered the sweetener of an improved footpath.

It has been suggested that new trees will be planted in mitigation - in Disley, four miles away!

Designated a Local Wildlife Site (formerly Site of Biological Importance) and also a Habitat of Principal Importance, there are records for over 110 bird species and hundreds of non-bird species around the pool and park area, including lesser spotted woodpeckers, dragonflies and several species of bat - the huge disruption to their habitat would have a disastrous impact. Therefore, the community has set up an action group - Friends of Poynton Pool - to oppose the proposal; visit their Facebook page and the group: Poynton Pool - OBJECTION TO TREE REMOVAL.

In any case, the very idea of chopping down trees to reduce the risk of flooding is deeply flawed.

Trees themselves offer the greatest protection against flooding, as their roots suck up large quantities of water.

Remove them and flooding becomes far more likely. Local authorities have a legal duty to conserve biodiversity.

Cheshire East Council’s public consultation closes at midday this Friday.

Please register your objections at: https:// surveys.cheshireeast.gov. uk/s/Poynton_Pool_ Spillway_Improvement_ Questionnaire.