Hundreds object to tree removal at beauty spot

Hundreds of people have objected to plans to remove trees at a beauty spot.

Poynton Pool reservoir in Cheshire is classed as high risk for flooding and Cheshire East Council wants to chop down trees as part of safety improvements.

Macclesfield MP David Rutley is among those who have objected.

He said he wanted the authority to find an alternative that "better balances the potential flood risk with the environmental impact".

According to council 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.

The local authority 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 because of the amount of water it contains, the council said, and the works would improve the “resilience” of the spillway.

Local residents have raised concerns about the proposals with the planning application receiving hundreds of comments.

Campaigners previously said cutting trees down would have a “catastrophic impact on the landscape”.

Conservative MP for Macclesfield, Mr Rutley, said Cheshire East Council should engage with the town council and local residents to “discuss alternative proposals that better balance the potential flood risk with the environmental impact of any future scheme at Poynton Pool”.

Both Natural England and the Environment Agency responded to the plan and said they had no objections.

A decision is set to be made in the coming weeks.

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