A hydrogeology report to assess the impact of the proposed development of the South Macclesfield Development Area on Danes Moss will be published on Cheshire East's website in the near future.

Outline permission was granted for a scheme which includes nearly 1,000 new homes and shops on the site, in 2019.

Most of the land within the SMDA is owned by Cheshire East Council or Barratt David Wilson Homes (BDWH).

There are ten live reserved matters applications yet to be determined for the site.

The matter was being discussed by the economy and growth committee this week because Cllr Chris O'Leary (Sutton, Con) had submitted a notice of motion calling on the council to provide a hydrogeology report to assess the impact of any proposed development on the adjacent site of special scientific interest (SSSI) and for it to be published.

Charles Jarvis, head of economic development, assured the committee this would have been done anyway as part of the planning process.

"When the reserved matters were submitted, Natural England, as the statutory consultee on the impact on the SSSI site, identified that the development of SMDA could have a potential significant effect on the SSSI site and has requested that detailed assessment," said Mr Jarvis.

He said following talks involving Natural England, the council and BDWH, that work is now out with specialist consultants and has been commissioned by the developer on behalf of the whole site, including that in the council's ownership.

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"We are expecting this report will be published in the near future on the planning portal which will then enable full disclosure and full debate to happen whenever this matter is decided at planning committee," said Mr Jarvis.

Cllr O'Leary told the committee he is 'completely and utterly opposed to this development and wants to see the peatlands re-wetted'.

He said whatever anyone's views on the proposal, it is good to have 'scientific, robust, unbiassed evidence' to assess any impact the development might have on the SSSI.

Cllr Janet Clowes (Wybunbury, Con) said: "I welcome the involvement of Natural England. They are the national experts in this area and when they express concerns we should, as a responsible body, listen to that and we have."

She added: "There has been speculation, how can it be an independent review if Barratts are funding this report. It serves nobody any good if it's not a proper report and Natural England would soon expose that if it was not, so I think we can lay those concerns to rest."

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