For those residents wondering where all the wagons are coming from in the Moor Lane area, the attached pictures may help to explain. Again, vast quantities of peat are being removed from the peat yard, each movement releasing huge quantities of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. At least unlike last year, when thousands of tonnes were trucked to Somerset where it was used commercially, this time it is being spread on land owned by Lindow Lawn Turf, still releasing CO2. It makes you wonder where the peat will come from to restore the Moss.
Requests to CEC as to what conditions are in force on the site are met with vague answers that's only serve to confuse. The new conditions for the housing can't be in force as before any restoration/building takes place there must be a water vole report but we have been assured this hasn't been done.
If the 2003 conditions are being used (though these have been ignored since day one), then condition 30 states 'unless otherwise agreed in writing by the MPA no materials shall be imported onto the site for processing, storage or treatment other than for approved restoration purposes'.
In the meantime, keep breathing in the emissions, CEC must think it's good for us. (Meanwhile Newgate Kennels and The White House continue to subside).
Tony Evans
Saltersley Common Preservation Society
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
As I left the DIY store a tractor and trailer appeared traveling in the opposite direction and the trailer was now empty. I cannot say it was the same vehicle and trailer I saw leave but they did look identical.
I will contact CEC planners in the morning and make raise my concerns about a possible breach of planning conditions.
I am just as surprised that anyone expects the council officers to do their job.
There is an important planning application currently being discussed by Cheshire East planners to construct 14 new eco-homes at the Moor Lane end of Lindow Moss - if passed this will trigger the "signing off" of a number of planning conditions between the peat bog owners and the Council allowing the restoration of Lindow Moss to begin. This is the way forward and I do hope that the application is successful.
Bowdon Homes have started pre-construction work on the proposed building plot but I have been informed that what is being removed in lorryloads is soil, not peat. The deep levels of peat are at the northern end of this fenced-off area and are currently untouched. Cheshire East Council planners have been informed by me as to exactly what is going on.
Iain Macfarlane
Independent
Residents of Wilmslow
The board voted to approve the application by 5 votes in favour and 4 votes against. The decision notice granting planning permission was dated 27th February 2019, so there already is a legally binding decision to allow 14 dwellings to be built. The application that Councillor MacFarlane has mentioned must therefore be a completely new one.
My understanding of the S106 legal agreement entered into between CEC and the applicant is as follows.
1) The money that Croghan is legally bound to release for the restoration works to commence does not have to be released until the date of disposal of the 14th dwelling.
2) That means that 13 dwellings can be built without any money for the restoration work having to be released.
Unfortunately, I suspect that this means that only 13 of the 14 dwellings will actually be built and that the opportunity to restore the Moss will be lost forever.
I hope I am proved wrong.
I have just been informed that Cheshire East Council's planning enforcement team will be visiting the site to investigate what is happening.
Again, CEC have colluded with the operators to move even more peat which is lost forever.