Council claims there's no evidence of link between peat extraction and subsidence

Trees in shrinking soil

As reported last month our MP George Osborne has got involved in the ongoing debate about the impact of peat extraction on Lindow Moss and questioned whether it should continue at the historic site.

Saltersley Common Preservation Society contacted the Tatton MP again in August asking for his assistance to stop the peat extraction at Lindow Moss, which their experts say has caused subsidence to Newgate Kennels and a number of neighbouring houses as well as diminishing the population of water voles, which are the most endangered mammal species in the UK.

George Osborne told wilmslow.co.uk "Lindow Moss is an incredible piece of our natural ancient landscape, and while I completely respect that the Council has to abide by the rules, we should consider whether extracting peat is really the best use we can make of this beautiful and historic site."

He also raised the matter with Cheshire East Council and has received a response saying that there is no evidence of a link between the peat extraction and local subsidence.

Andrew Round, Interim Executive Director, wrote to the Tatton MP saying "Your constituents concerns regarding the impact of this peat extraction have been noted previously, and were, as they noted in their letter to you, investigated by the Local Government Ombudsmen in 2012. As has been set out in previous correspondence, their investigation looked at a number of issues, but it was concluded that there was no evidence to back up the claims made by the complainant about land subsidence."

Mr Round continued "Since then, more information has come to light as a result of the current planning application on the site. This hydrological information has been scrutinised by the Environmental Agency and they have found no evidence of a casual link between the peat extractions activities and local subsidence issues."

Anthony Evans, Hon. Secretary of Saltersley Common Preservation Society has requested that CEC share the evidence which the Environmental Agency has scrutinised in order to reach this conclusion saying "After all, there is not a single peat extraction site in the country that hasn't suffered subsidence."

I contacted Cheshire East Council earlier this month requesting a statement about the subsidence of properties neighbouring Lindow Moss and what CEC believes is causing the subsidence. At the time of going to print I am awaiting a response.

Planning permission for peat extraction on Lindow Moss was granted by five separate permissions between 1959 and 1967, these expire in February 2042.

Croghan Peat Industries Ltd of Meare in Somerset purchased Lindow Moss in 1997-8 and in December 2014 they submitted two planning applications, to build 14 detached houses on part of Lindow Moss and restore the 28 hectare peat extraction site to a natural wetland habitat.

The owners are proposing to cease peat extraction if planning permission for the houses is granted however the two applications, which were expected to be decided in March and April 2015, have been delayed for nearly 18 months due to ongoing discussions with expert bodies.

A Council spokesman told wilmslow.co.uk last month "There are ongoing discussions with expert bodies such as Natural England and the Cheshire Wildlife Trust to examine the details of the restoration scheme and its future management which must be completed before any conclusions can be reached regarding the acceptability or otherwise of these proposals."

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Lindow Moss
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Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

DELETED ACCOUNT
Thursday 27th October 2016 at 11:10 am
If Cheshire East is now trying to defend itself by reference to Local Government Ombudsman decisions in 2012 they might want to look at their decision number 14018879 (2015). This made it clear that the Council, in line with its policies, should put all consultee responses on its planning database - including responses from "internal consultees". This would mean that the Hydrological information sent to the Enviroment Agency in respect of a planning application should have been placed on the Council's website for all to see.
Stuart Redgard
Friday 28th October 2016 at 5:16 am
FOI request just made to CEC
To
Cheshire East Council

Subject
Freedom of Information request - Council claims there's no evidence of link between peat extraction and subsidence

Dear Cheshire East Council,

I have read with interest the following article on http://www.wilmslow.co.uk
"Council claims there's no evidence of link between peat extraction and subsidence"
http://www.wilmslow.co.uk/news/article/1...

Please identify and provide the follow:

1) Information that has been submitted as part of planning applications relating to this area .
2) All information reviewed by the Local Government Ombudsmen in 2012.
3) The report and findings of the Local Ombudsman
4) All Information passed onto and "scrutinised" by the Environmental Agency .

Yours faithfully,

Stuart Redgard
Anthony Evans
Sunday 30th October 2016 at 11:57 am
Try as we might, and with the full LGO report in front of us, we just cannot find any trace of Mr. Andrew Rounds claim that the LGO said there is no link between the peat extraction and subsidence. Perhaps he would like to point out just where it says this. And could Mr. Round then tell us if there is no link, just what is causing the subsidence. A question we have asked many times over the years and been met with a deafening silence.
And as for the EA report giving the site a clean bill of health, where is it? We have an email from the EA saying the figures provided by CEC are no use as there is no original datum point recorded.
For those wondering why a picture of a tree with exposed roots has been used to illustrate the piece, walkers on the moss may have noticed this is happening to many trees around the site. We have been advised by a professional arboriculturist that this happens when peat dries out and the land drops, eventually killing the tree. Croghan Peat announced their intentions when they commenced operations by felling hundreds of mature trees around the site, now they are finishing the job off.
Tony Evans SCPS
Peter Smith and Julie Browning, The White House
Joel Millett, Newgate Kennels
Paul Weston
Monday 31st October 2016 at 3:24 pm
Good luck to Stuart with the FOI recently made to CEC.
This is an organisation that has systematically obfuscated over a period of years on the decimation of the natural habitat of an endangered species (the water vole) and evidence of the consequences of peat extraction and drying out of surrounding areas causing subsidence to adjacent buildings.
If the CEC can't manage to get a waste disposal site, business ventures and other sundry projects up and running without being badly managed and incurring massive costs when they fail how can any sane person expect them to sort Lindow Moss out. I would like to bet that if the same people in the council where asked to make a positive justification to the electorate for an increase in salary it would be out there before the end of the day.
Christopher Dodson
Wednesday 2nd November 2016 at 5:01 pm
I have no doubt that any judge would say without any hesitation that the subsidence is caused by the peat extraction. The facts speak for themselves or, as lawyers put it, res ipsa loquiter.
Cheshire East are laying themselves open to claims from owners of the properties affected for substantial damages for their failure over many years properly to enforce the many conditions attached to the planning permission.
Dave Cash
Thursday 3rd November 2016 at 4:18 am
Certainly no hydrological survey can refute that continued peat extraction alters the water table in the surrounding area beyond the Common and these changes in wet/dry periods causes ground movement, and walls to crack etc.
Most of the Moor Lane Estate was built in the 1960's and the build technique was 'shoddy'. Not many will remain standing in 2060, let alone at the end of the 999 year Lease.