'Unchanged' plans for tree-loss threat beauty spot

Trees could be lost at the site as part of council works designed to reduce the risk of flooding

Plans to remove about 70 trees from a Cheshire beauty spot will be re-examined next month.

Cheshire East Council (CEC) said it needed to carry out work at Poynton Pool to improve safety and reduce the risk of flooding.

While additional documents have been submitted as part of the council's planning application, Friends of Poynton Pool (FoPP) said the proposals remained "unchanged" and urged CEC to consider its own alternative ideas.

The council declined to comment ahead of next month's meeting.

Poynton Pool, which dates back to 1750, is an ornamental water feature which is classed as a high-risk reservoir because of the amount of water it holds.

CEC deferred making a decision on a planning application in April 2024 to allow for more investigation work.

FoPP has been campaigning against the local authority's plans for a number of years and put forward an alternative plan for the site following discussions with the council.

Updated documents from the council's engineers have now been submitted.

Campaigners have previously attended council meetings to raise their concerns

The new documents said meetings and technical workshops had been held in recent months with CEC and FoPP.

The campaign group provided their own designs in June.

It was agreed that the engineering firm commissioned by CEC would look into FoPP's plans using the same assessment criteria.

The report said this process was still ongoing "but the initial findings are that it has similar shortcomings".

The report said it would be more expensive and involve more complex construction work. However, it would have less environmental impact.

The report added that the council's proposal was "still the preferred option for enhancing the safety and resilience of Poynton Pool".

Planning documents also reveal that CEC was given a legal deadline of December 2025 to submit its final designs, with the works having to be completed within 12 months.

Mike Ellison, chair of the Friends of Poynton Pool, said: "Cheshire East Council has spent £679,000 pursuing a plan that ignores public feedback and devastates a cherished landscape.

"Poynton Park and Pool, dating back to the mid-1700s, are habitats of principal importance.

"The community will not accept a scheme that causes such irreversible harm."