Plans for village wildlife pond submitted to Cheshire West and Chester planners
CHESHIRE West council planners have been asked to consider an application for a small wildlife pond in a village between Malpas and Chester.
By Chester Standard
Plans for a small wildlife pond in Shocklach have been submitted to Cheshire West and Chester Council.
The application relates to New House Farm in the village, between Malpas and Chester. According to the planning statement quoted in the source report, the project is to create a single small wildlife pond for great crested newts and other wildlife.
The statement says the scheme forms part of the national Natural England District Licensing Scheme, and that Cheshire was a pilot authority for it. It also says the site has no identified ecological, archaeological, flooding, landscape or public rights of way issues.
The proposed pond would measure 10 by 20 metres and be up to 1.5 metres deep. Any spoil would be spread thinly across the surrounding land, and the only vegetation removal needed would be grassland for the 200 square metre footprint of the pond.
The application says existing gates and tracks would provide access to the site. It also says further ponds would improve the ecological value of the land and create a better “stepping stone” habitat for amphibians and other wildlife.