Campaigners hail tree saving plan 'breakthrough'

The council has previously said about 70 trees may have to be taken down

Campaigners fighting to save trees at a Cheshire beauty spot have said they have been told their alternative plan for the site is viable.

Cheshire East Council wants to cut down up to 70 trees by Poynton Pool to reduce flood risk around the ornamental water feature, which dates back to about 1750.

The Friends of Poynton Pool have put forward an alternative plan which would see just one tree removed and has said there has now been a "potential breakthrough" with the council.

A council spokesperson said it was in an open dialogue with the group, but the viability of any proposals "remains the responsibility of the council".

Poynton Pool is an ornamental pond formed in the 18th century and is classed as a high-risk reservoir because of the amount of water it contains.

The council said some trees had to removed as part of its legal requirements to maintain the site.

The plans was deferred by councillors at a meeting last year, and a study by the Environment Agency a few months later found the pool was significantly smaller than the council had previously estimated.

One stump

The Friends of Poynton Pool (FoPP) said the potential breakthrough came in a meeting between the group, Poynton Town Council and Cheshire East Council earlier this month.

FoPP Chairman Mike Ellison said the group's proposal would require "minimal inspection and maintenance" and see just one beech tree stump and some vegetations cleared.

He said: "It also means the council will no longer be required to provide a costly carbon offset mitigation planting scheme at Walnut Tree Farm in Woodford."

A spokesperson for Cheshire East Council, said the authority is continuing to speak to the group about the ongoing management and safety of the reservoir.

They said: "The development and determination, including viability, of any final proposals to address the requirements of the Reservoirs Act, remains the responsibility of the council and their appointed qualified, professional team."