Planned removal of trees from beauty spot rejected

Plans which would have included the removal of trees from a Cheshire beauty spot have been refused.

Members of Cheshire East Council voted against the plans for Poynton Pool, which local authority bosses said were needed for safety reasons.

Meanwhile the housing secretary has received a request for a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) on the site.

Campaigners who had put forward an alternative proposal for the future of Poynton Pool welcomed the decision and said it meant everything was now "open for further decision".

A report ahead of the meeting had recommended the council's plans for approval.

But at the meeting, council officers said they had received a letter from Housing Secretary Steve Reed on Thursday evening.

It said the council could not grant planning permission for the scheme without his authorisation.

However, planning officer Paul Wakefield said Reed's letter did not preclude members from making their own decision on the planning application.

The council's head of planning David Malcolm said there were situations in which the housing secretary would issue directions.

"This is the first time in 30 years I've ever heard the Secretary of State refer to a Tree Preservation Order, so unique in that process, but a holding direction is not unusual to officers."

The government has been approached for comment.

Local Labour MP for Macclesfield, Tim Roca, said he had written to the government to request a TPO.

Two Cheshire East councillors representing Poynton - Hayley Whittaker and Mike Sewart - spoke at the meeting.

Whittaker said the council's plans for Poynton Pool were "overengineered" and "very damaging".

"It's like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut," she said.

Representatives from Friends of Poynton Pool - who had put forward an alternative proposal - also spoke, calling for councillors to defer their decision on the planning application.

For the council, Alan Brown said the alternative proposals were "disproportionate" and asked councillors to approve the local authority's plans.

Conservative Councillor Stewart Gardiner, who voted against them, highlighted the involvement of Reed.

"That would suggest officials in Whitehall believe the trees are something to be considered," he said.

Labour's Fiona Wilson said she felt the application was not clear on the costs involved and highlighted risks associated with the continuing uncertainty about the potential TPO.

Meanwhile Heather Seddon, also of Labour, said she was voting for it because the authority had "to do something".

"We've already delayed this once," she said. "Delaying again will just increase the construction costs and the risk to the pool itself and that's the amenity we want to protect."

The application was refused with five councillors voting against the plans, and four in favour.

Mike Ellison, chair of the Friends of Poynton Pool, said: "It's great to hear the decision, it's unfortunate that some of the info that councillors were asking for wasn't provided.

"But it's open for further discussion."

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