Tree removal plan would devastate area, locals say

A number of trees could be removed

Chopping down trees at a beauty spot in Cheshire would “devastate” the area, local residents have said.

Cheshire East Council has submitted plans to chop down a number of trees at Poynton Pool.

The authority said it was required to complete safety improvement works on the pool.

But local residents said they would like to see alternative options considered.

Campaigners have tied tape around the trees at risk

Poynton Pool is classed as a high risk reservoir because of the amount of water it contains.

Plans have been submitted to chop down trees on one of the banks of the water.

According to the planning documents, 31 trees would need to be removed and work would need to be completed on others to allow for the creation of spillways and works on the footpath.

Cheshire East Council said the most recent inspection of the pool found that safety improvements were necessary.

Poynton Pool has a 1 in 10,000 chance per year of flooding happening, the council said, and the works would improve the “resilience” of the spillway.

Gwenda Mayers and Barry Howard are involved in the local campaign

Campaign group Friends of Poynton Pool have raised concerns about the proposals.

Gwenda Mayers said the local community was “horrified”.

“If it does happen it’s going to devastate the wildlife, devastate the view and devastate all the good things about a park, which in a time like this when we all need to keep maintaining our mental health, it’s actually going to wreck all of that as well.”

Barry Howard has been visiting the site since 1947 and has lived in a house across the road from Poynton Pool since 1986.

“It’s just going to change it all,” he said.

“We appreciate that something needs doing, but there’s other options to it."

The community group includes some local experts, including tree consultant Mike Ellison, who is also the chair of the group.

A protest was held over the summer

"It’d be a catastrophic impact on the landscape,” he said.

“We’re not suggesting that nothing should be done, if they’ve identified a significantly elevated risk then clearly it needs to be managed.

“But there are better options, there are options that can be implemented without impacting the trees.”

A decision on the planning application is set to be made next year.