The Poynton Pool Spillway planning application will be going to the Strategic Planning Board on Wednesday 24th April - Macclesfield Town Hall at 10am

The Agenda for the Strategic Planning Board has been released for Wednesday 24th April, confirming that the Poynton Pool Spillway planning application will be heard as planned and won’t be deferred again. The agenda confirms that the meeting will be held at Macclesfield Town Hall at 10am.

The Planning Officer’s report has been published ahead of the meeting,  and contains a recommendation to approve the application.

The officer’s report is very clear about the significant harm and damage the work will cause. The stated number of trees for removal has increased from 31 in the planning application consultation to:

“It has been confirmed that 78 trees and two 40m sections of Hawthorn Hedgerow will be removed as a result of the proposed development.  49 trees and 10 groups are also identified to be impacted by the proposals, largely by crown lifting over working areas or by RPA encroachment.  Trees adjacent to where the works are taking place are at risk from construction activities and windthrow.”

AND

The creation of two 40m wide gaps within this prominent roadside woodland that forms the boundary to Poynton Park will be a brutal intervention, and unequivocally harmful.  Substantial weight is given to this harm.

However, as you will see from the officer’s report Cheshire East Council are saying the technical advice to mitigate safety issues outweighs the negative impacts and local planning policy. It states there are no possible design alternatives.

Our argument is the flood study is flawed and there are alternatives; we have provided two viable ones.

Members of the public CAN attend the Strategic Planning Board, it would be great to have as much support as possible. Let Cheshire East Council know if you plan to go as a non speaking member of the public so they can plan space accordingly - speakingatplanning@cheshireeast.gov.uk

Speaking is limited, Friends of Poynton Pool and Poynton Town Council have arranged for relevant speakers to put our points across so please don't register to speak.

Hear about our alternative solutions at the Poynton Spillway Proposal Public Briefing on Thursday 18th April - Poynton British Legion at 7pm

As well as the loss of trees, habitats, social value, carbon capture, noise screening and visual amenity FoPP also has technical concerns;

1. The cleared sections of the embankment are designed to act as an unimpeded, erosion resistant emergency spillway, maintained as grass
2. The council’s emergency drawdown plan to reduce the volume of the Pool in the event of a leak, requires bringing in emergency pumps at short notice potentially during a severe flood event when these resources will already be under strain
3. The dam embankment has been shown to be constructed of sandy, gravelly earth, which will be bound by tree roots. Mass clearance of trees carries the risk that as tree roots die back, the binding properties of tree roots will be lost and decay of larger roots will reduce the density of the embankment and create seepage paths. These seepage paths if detected will require costly remedial works to rectify but if undetected can result in internal erosion and a breach of the dam. This subject is discussed in a British Dam Society Paper
4. No geotechnical investigations or seepage tests have been carried out despite this being a recommendation of the CEC Flood Study As FoPP’s request for engagement and discussion was declined, we have taken the decision to develop our alternative solution independently.

As FoPP’s request for engagement and discussion was declined, we have taken the decision to develop our alternative solution independently.

There are a number of advantages of this proposal as follows:

1. Just one remnant of a partially felled tree will need to be removed
2. It is anticipated that no further trees will be affected by the works with the associated risk of root die back seepage and potentially terminal decline
3. The emergency drawdown is provided by a simple penstock (sluice) in the base of the weir i.e. no need to mobilise emergency equipment at short notice
4. It has a 100-year design life with minimal inspection and maintenance required
5. It is a conventional reservoir overflow solution
6. The scheme is easy to construct with access direct from London Road North
7. It incorporates a new Environment Agency compliant trash screen which can be cleaned and directly accessed from the highway
8. The historic embankment will remain intact
9. The 480m concrete kerb will not be required
10. This proposal will not require a costly carbon offset mitigation scheme
11. The landscape management plan will not be required

Our alternative solutions have been sent to Cheshire East Council. Our proposed solution is a conventional reinforced concrete spillway built on the line of the existing overflow structure and culvert. It is a double-sided weir and has been designed to pass the design floods calculated by CEC’s technical advisors.

Our proposals are currently being priced up by local civil engineering contractors who expertise in works of a similar nature.

Come along and hear about these plans for yourselves at our public briefing on Thursday 18th April. Our myth buster campaign will be on display and we'll also be happy to answer any questions ahead of the planning application going to the Strategic Planning Board next week.

If you’re not able to attend the event in person you’ll be able to live stream the event via our Friends of Poynton Pool Facebook page (technology allowing on the night). Priority will be given to questions raised within the room. We will also be recording the session.

Keep an eye on the BBC News on Thursday 18th April as we’re expecting some coverage on the local news website/app and BBC Radio Manchester.