A devoted group of Macclesfield locals are hoping to purchase precious greenbelt land to prevent it from being developed on.

Lark Hall Field, running from Swans Pool up to Lark Hall Crescent in Macclesfield, could be home to hundreds of houses if a developer buys the 20-acre land being auctioned on August 17.

14 neighbours who had mostly never met before have banded together to help raise funds to purchase the site at auction, which has a starting bid of £300,000.

There have been attempts over the last 30 years to remove the greenbelt status of this land, which until now, the local community has successfully fought to keep as a natural green space.

By securing the land as owners, the committee can hope to ensure that it is kept as a greenbelt site and to not destroy the natural habitat.

For the last 120 years the area has remained relatively untouched, allowing nature to flourish.

When the most recent owner Miss Casey died within the 20th century, it was left to the ownership of charity trustees, who are now hoping to make money off the land.

The group formed by 14 Maxonians has the support of over 600 across social media, and is looking to gain as many contributors as possible, in order to protect this space for future generations.

We met with the Save Lark Hall Field committee members, who all had this to say:

"It has not got planning permission yet, it is greenbelt at the moment but we are trying to not take that risk, to chip in and safeguard it against any potential change that obviously everybody worries about," they said.

"It has been quite refreshing that a lot of people have understood the situation, and are still happy to make a pledge."

The Macclesfield organisation was formed two months ago when they found out the land was going up for sale.

The LHFC management company who are fighting to save our greenbelt, have already received a huge amount of support through contribution pledges, but they need as much money as possible to prevent them from being outbid.

And with the ownership being spread between the community, and every pledger having a say, it means the site will remain protected from future sales.

"This place has kept my sanity. It is one of only few green wild areas left in Macclesfield," one said.

"You've only got to watch all the nature programmes you've got to keep these areas because there's no biodiversity otherwise."

Foxes, red deer, ducks, moorhens and coots all roam the site, as well as a rich ecosystem of insects.

If successful, the committee would ensure a wildlife survey would be done to protect some of the rarer species, such as red-bellied newts and rare moths.

"There are still loads of brownfield sites in Macclesfield that still haven't been developed enough," another said.

"And the kind of houses they would build on here would not be the houses that Macclesfield needs.

"This is a chance from COVID, you think of mental health, and greenspaces like this have become far more important," added Save Lark Hall Field.

"So in Macclesfield if the original green lung is constantly being developed on, this is the time the council needs to step in and say 'no, as much as we need property, Macclesfield also needs these green spaces'."

Macclesfield Nub News has contacted Cheshire East Council for comment.

"There's quite a high statistic of people nearby where we live who have left Macclesfield and actually come back," added the syndicate.

"I think it is great we've actually seen so much support from massive numbers of people."

It only takes Monday's UN Climate Change report to also understand the significance of these natural areas of beauty.

The site is snuggled between reservoirs and listed buildings. An online campaign and 500 leaflets have ensured the Save Lark Hall Field group stands a chance at securing the land.

Visit the website to gain all the necessary information, and visit the Facebook page to keep up to date.

You can watch their campaign video above, or click on their website here.

They also have Instagram for their campaign.

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