Macclesfield MP David Rutley has written to Cheshire East Council’s chief executive Lorraine O’Donnell to call for restoration of peatland at Danes Moss in Gawsworth.
Mr Rutley said he is strongly against a scheme to build houses at Danes Moss – and has urged the council to suspend their development plans for the land.
The local authority has earmarked the site for what it has called the South Macclesfield Development Area, which would see almost 1,000 homes as well as a supermarket, retail units and a link road built at Danes Moss.
Campaigners from Save Danes Moss say the scheme would devastate an ancient landscape and are campaigning vociferously to stop it from happening.
Danes Moss is a 55ha site – comprising historic peat bog and rare wildlife habitat. It also holds a large amount of carbon in its soil.
It’s understood around 45ha of the site would be restorable – and, excluding the wet woodland and other none-peat habitat, around 23ha could be considered for peatland restoration.
Mr Rutley has been working with Cheshire Wildlife Trust to come up with possible methods for restoring the peatland and to work out how much this might cost.
He said protecting peatland – such as that at Danes Moss – is essential in the fight against climate change and could be carried out relatively inexpensively.
Experience from elsewhere suggests that restoration at Danes Moss could cost around £24,000 although a full restoration plan would need to be established before an exact cost is known.
Mr Rutley also welcomed recent news that Danes Moss has been designated as a local wildlife site.
He said: “Like many local residents, I am strongly opposed to development at Danes Moss in order to protect the vital peatland.
“Cheshire Wildlife Trust and the Save Danes Moss campaign group have been doing excellent work.
“With the trust’s latest information regarding the low cost of restoration, it is more important than ever for Cheshire East Council to focus on peatland restoration, rather than on unwanted development.”
