VILLAGERS are fighting a local company’s plans to construct two buildings  - including one to house a biomass boiler – on a 6.3 acre woodland site at Lower Withington.

Pownall Plant is seeking permission to construct two buildings with hardstanding and a new access track at 'Dooley's Grig Woods' off Salters Lane.

Access would be off Leach Lane.

The company says one building would be for the storage of arboreal machinery, logs, hand tools and implements, quad bikes and fertilisers/treatment for use in connection with forestry activities.

The second would be used for the siting of a biomass boiler, drying and storage areas to create biomass fuel from the woodland management of the site.

But many villagers are up in arms, with one describing it as ‘unbelievable destruction to an important woodland’.

At the time of writing 43 residents have written to Cheshire East Council to object to the proposal.

One objector wrote: “For the application to be given permitted development rights the buildings have to be ‘reasonably necessary’ and on land used for the purposes of forestry.

“We can see no reason or evidence why such buildings are ‘reasonably necessary’ to manage such a small area of woodland.”

Another wrote: “Once the woodland is gone it is gone forever, along with all of the current wildlife that depend on it.”

A number of residents said they had not been properly notified of the proposal.

One said: “I live on Leach Lane where the proposed development will take place and have not been formally notified of the application.

“If I had been, I would have taken formal advice and raised legal objections through the appropriate channels.”

He added: “The land is long established as woodland and is adjacent to the homes of many families with children.

“The proposed work will inevitably impact the daily routines of families and present a real risk and danger to those in close proximity.”

A planning statement submitted by Wharfe Rural Planning on behalf of the applicant states: “The application site is considered to benefit from forestry permitted development rights and the proposal has been designed for the purposes of forestry.

“The proposed buildings provide the necessary dry and secure storage capacity for Pownall Plant forestry enterprise.

“The track has been designed to accommodate safe and efficient movements within the site.”

The application, number 24/2136M, can be viewed on the planning portal on Cheshire East Council’s website.

The closing date for comments is July 3 and the application is due to be determined by a planning officer under delegated authority.