A Macclesfield campaign group have created a crowdfunder to stop a housing development on peatlands.

The Save Danes Moss Community Group will hope to challenge plans to build 950 homes, a link road and non-residential buildings near a nature reserve in South Macclesfield.

They will do this with a target of raising £150,000 on GoFundMe, to block council plans and preserve the carbon stored at the site, as well as the habitat of the wildlife.

Save Danes Moss campaigner Tom Eccles told Macclesfield Nub News about the decision to start a crowdfunder.

"We have realised that Cheshire East Council are not 'green' as they like to claim and that no amount of evidence of persuasion will make them cancel their catastrophic plans to develop Danes Moss," they said.

"Therefore, we fully expect to end up in a legal or planning appeal battle with the developers. 

"This all costs money. So, we are asking everyone who cares about the future of Danes Moss and the planet to give as generously as they can and to share the fundraiser with everyone they know. 

"Any money not used will be donated to a similar group campaigning to protect and restore peatlands."

The peat bog is thought to contain hundreds of thousands of carbon.

Peat is a natural carbon sink, which prevents carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere, and contributing to climate change.

Within the first 24 hours, the crowdfunder already has almost £4000 worth of donations.

The GoFundMe page has received anonymous donations and pledges from those not from Macclesfield, reads as follows:

"Danes Moss is a historic peat bog and rare wildlife habitat which holds massive amounts of carbon in its soil," claimed the crowdfunder's description.

"This place once extended across a thousand acres to the south of the Cheshire town of Macclesfield.

"After centuries of destruction by humans – and the complicity of local governments – less than 300 acres of this wilderness remains - although it is still the biggest peatland in the Cheshire lowlands.

"Now, Cheshire East Council are planning a massive housing and retail development on 136 acres of the Moss.

"The project is called the 'South Macclesfield Development Area' – 950 homes, a supermarket, retail sheds and a link road that would devastate this sacred place, the last refuge of an ancient landscape."

The nature reserve and adjacent land is popular with visitors, boasting 33 acres of walking trails and wildlife habitats which provide escapism for all of Macclesfield.

The fundraiser is a step up from the 'SAVE DANES MOSS' group's previous goal, which previously a petition opposing the development.

17,500 people have signed the petition against the development as of publication. A decision is set to me made later this year.

Despite their Leader responding to an open letter from the group last week - Cheshire East Council - who share ownership the site - did not have much to say when Macclesfield Nub News requested for comment.

"We do not comment on a live planning application," a spokesperson said.

"We have nothing further to add to our last statement and we don't comment once an application once it is submitted for a decision."

Jersey-firm TG Limited, who also own a portion of the site, were unavailable for comment.

Macclesfield: You can donate to the crowdfunder here.

You can also learn more about the planning proposal 19/1796M by clicking here or here.

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