First step in flood defence plans are hit by complaints
THE first step in turning plans for flood defence work at Poynton Pool into reality has been taken - and prompted yet more complaints.
Cheshire East Council has submitted a screening opinion document to its planning department.
It reiterates details of the proposed work and states that it would not have a large impact on the area - therefore asking for it to be agreed that an environmental impact assessment is not necessary.
But members of the public as well as Cheshire Wildlife Trust have disagreed about this.
The submitted report says: “Potential for significant adverse impact from the Scheme on the environment is low both during construction and operation.
“With appropriate mitigation and design controls, the characteristics of the potential construction impacts of the development would not give rise to any serious hazards or negative effects on people or the local natural environment.”
This has been strongly disputed though, with
Cheshire Wildlife Trust advising an assessment is necessary because of ‘a number of important ecological features’ at the site.
An environmental impact assessment is designed to make project decision makers think about environment effects and plan to avoid, reduce or offset them.
Poynton Pool is classed as a reservoir and is therefore subject to safety
inspections. The council says the latest one showed safety work to prevent potential flooding was needed along a 900m section of banking, points of which have become lower.
Work would include building the banking back up and installing a new, larger path but would mean the certain removal of 44 trees and the possible removal of another 37.
Residents have questioned whether this is necessary or the best solution, given the loss of trees and effect on wildlife. Around 200 attended a meeting to voice their feelings last month.
So far more than a dozen have objected to the screening opinion document, one saying: “In my opinion, there is a likelihood of significant environmental impacts arising and therefore a full environmental impact assessment should be undertaken.
“There should be a full ecological appraisal of the effects of this on this site of biological importance and the habitats and species it supports.”
One person supported the scheme, however, and wrote: “The path is dark an overgrown, and the changes would improve the pool and give safer access.”