New hope in battle to save beauty spot

Campaigners told alternative plan could be developed

- ALEX SCAPENS

CAMPAIGNERS fighting to protect a beauty spot from a safety scheme from what they describe as 'environmental vandalism' are hopeful of a breakthrough.

Friends of Poynton Pool (FoPP) have protested against Cheshire East Council £1.4m plans for anti-flood work at the site that would see up to 78 trees as well as hedgerow cut down.

And at a meeting council officers told the group that their alternative scheme was viable and could be developed to meet requirements of the Reservoir Act.

The idea is to increase overflow capacity at the pool with a new 45-metre-long weir and emergency water drawdown facility.

Sections of the crest would be raised using material from the spillway excavation and follow the line of an existing footpath to avoid trees.

The controversy kicked off in 2022 when a compulsory inspection of Poynton Pool found safety work was needed to address concerns over flooding.