I agree with you entirely Pete. I think it would have to be a joint project between RSPB and the wildlife trust for example and whoever owns the area (Croxtens). It would certainly illustrate a commitment to improve our enviroment. I am not sure it would happen though.

Regards

Mike

With this ban on any further peat extraction from this site and the recent aquisition of Little Woolden Moss wouldn't it be fantastic if one of these areas was regenerated with the aim of encouraging Nightjars to return to nesting once more in Greater Manchester,rather than them all just to be flooded to encourage more peat to form which is whats happening at the moment on Astley Moss SSSI and Bedford Moss.Until the devastation of Astley Moss East for peat extraction 30 years ago we had several pairs of Nightjars nesting in the county.Subsequent to this odd pairs continued to hang on to breed on Croxdens until the method of peat extraction was altered 10 or so years ago.Wouldn't it be fantastic to be able to hear the churring call of Nightjars once more in the county and for them to return once more as county breeding birds, what a feather in the cap of whichever conservation trust could bring this about.

It is great news. Keep spreading the word about the peat boycott.

Are there any moss specialists out there who knows what this would mean for our birds? Are there any birds who breed on mosses? It would be nice to see Chat moss regenerating along with all the wildlife coming back!

This is great news. Nice to see our government doing something good for wildlife for a change.

Saw the report of this on BBC local news tonight. Great result! The only fly in the ointment was the reported comment from Sinclairs that they were disappointed with the decision and thought it would lead to higher imports of foreign peat

Good news today from the Lancashire, Manchester and Merseyside Wildlife trust.

Wildlife Trust joy over peat extraction ban. The Government has refused an appeal which would have allowed peat extraction to continue on Chat Moss for another 15 years.
And the Wildlife Trust for Lancashire Manchester and North Merseyside welcomed the announcement by Eric Pickles (Secretary of State for communities and Local Government) that he had refused to allow William Sinclair Horticulture Ltd to extract any more peat from Chat Moss, to the west of Manchester.
Both Salford and Wigan Councils had refused planning permission in the summer of 2011, but Sinclairs appealed against the refusal and a Public Inquiry was held in March 2012.
Anne Selby, the Chief Executive of the Trust, said The Secretary of State has today made absolutely the right decision and we congratulate him. This government is now leading the way in Europe against the environmentally damaging and unnecessary practice of peat extraction.
This historic decision will be a major step towards meeting the Governments targets to reduce peat usage in the amateur sector to zero by 2020, and will pave the way for similar decisions across Europe in the coming months and years.
We now look to William Sinclair to honour the planning conditions contained in local Section 106 Agreements. Their responsibility is to agree suitable restoration plans with Salford and Wigan Councils. The overwhelming view is that the plans should restore the site to lowland raised bog .
Rather than importing peat from Scotland, Ireland or further afield, we urge Sinclairs to develop their excellent brands of peat free composts, which have already been shown in independent tests to perform better than peat itself.
The Wildlife Trusts will continue to campaign against this damaging practice across the country. Where we can get the resources to do so - as at the neighbouring Little Woolden Moss site - we will buy up peat extraction sites and restore them.

Radio 4 Programme about Chat Moss peat cutting - from Sept 2011.



http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01460dq#p00k9cxp

Is this it?

LWT News item about Chat Moss being featured on BBC Countryfile.

I love new technology

Chat Moss to feature on BBC Countryfile, April 29th:

EDIT: Posted a link to LWT news item, but it will not work....

Hate computers, hate technology....................................... Cannot believe I`ve even bothered

-- Edited by Ian Woosey on Wednesday 18th of April 2012 08:18:08 PM

The matter is currently 'in hand' and in the likely event of requiring support from county birders I will ask and appreciate any assistance

Ian Peters wrote:

---

Is there some way we can submit our own objections/comments, Ian?

---

Is that not one of the reasons for joining the GMBRG?

---

It would appear therefore that Sinclairs have effectively benefited from
the best part of a whole year's worth of extraction despite no longer
having planning permission to extract peat on this site.

Best wishes

Dave Crawshaw
Lancashire Wildlife Trust

---

Can they be prosecuted for this?

Many county birders received this email today and my thanks to them all for bringing it to my attention. Good news!


Just to let you know that Wigan Council have finally (18th Aug)
determined Sinclairs application to continue extracting peat at Chat
Moss, and I'm delighted to say that they have refused it. This decision
is excellent news. The grounds for rejection are very similar to the
grounds cited by Salford CC and we can obviously expect Sinclairs to
appeal immediately.

I have a little more news on the Public Inquiry. It is very likely that
the hearing will be held in Manchester on dates between 15th Nov and
25th Nov 2011.
I think we can reasonably expect that it will cover appeals against both
Salford and Wigan. Anyone who wishes can submit evidence to the Inquiry.

Regrettably Sinclairs have continued to defy Wigan Council's earlier
request to stop their unlawful extraction of peat on the Wigan side.
Now that the application is determined, it is open to Wigan to take
enforcement action and I understand that they have already instigated
such action to ensure that no further extraction takes place on the
Wigan side. It may however take a few days to implement it.

Welcome though this enforcement action is, it has of course
unfortunately come too late to save the peat that has been extracted
unlawfully on the Wigan side over the last few months, and the
enforcement action will not stop Sinclairs from removing peat from the
massive stockpile that they have accumulated.
It would appear therefore that Sinclairs have effectively benefited from
the best part of a whole year's worth of extraction despite no longer
having planning permission to extract peat on this site.

Best wishes

Dave Crawshaw
Lancashire Wildlife Trust

Thanks James.

It is likely however that the digger is loading peat which has been extracted previously and has been piled up, common practise on there, no doubt increased when they previously learned of current stoppage. If this is the case (and I believe it is) then they're entitled to carry this out I think.

You've obviously done the right thing though and it's good to know there are others out there keeping an eye on it as it certainly wouldn't be the first time they'd ignored such a stoppage to the actual extraction on peat . Will be interesting to hear of your reply.

yesterday afternoon a mechanical digger & 2 yellow lorries were viewable from 12 Yards Road / Olive Mount Farm, photos taken & reported to LWT

As the vast majority of the site is situated in Salford its extremely likely that Wigan will follow Salfords lead and refuse any planning permission.
Could any birders who go on the moss keep their eyes open for any activity on this site,and if anything untoward is seen,report it immediately to Lancashire Wildlife Trust.It has happened in the past that peat has been taken without planning permission off sites down on the moss.
Thanks to everbody who took time to put in their objections,occasionally our voice is heard

-- Edited by pete berry on Friday 1st of July 2011 05:36:00 PM

Great news indeed. When is the Wigan hearing? Can we still object?

Success on the Salford "side" ;-

http://www.lancswt.org.uk/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=169&cntnt01returnid=15

Now for the Wigan "side" !?

Yes, I got a second one today as well.

It mentions a meeting on May 25th, presumably the one in the letter that arrived on the 26th!

I've 2 letters

One says 9:30 6th June - Civic Centre, Chorley Rd, Swinton

the other says 10:30 but no date

I've had a letter about a hearing with a time (10.00 a.m.) but no date

I see the RSPB put in an eloquent objection

Salford Website

Dave Thacker wrote:

---

Most Wildlife trust members will have received an email this morning

---

I think one of the most helpful things all of us on this forum can do is actually become members of The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester & North Merseyside. I believe that, as well as being members of the RSPB as a matter of course, all birders should support their local Wildlife Trust as a way of "giving something back" to the natural environment that we derive so much pleasure from. The LWT have eight nature reserves in Greater Manchester; Astley Moss, Wigan Flashes, Lightshaw Meadows, Cadishead Moss, Red Moss, Summerseat NR, Moston Fairway, and Gathurst Wharves. How many of you have birded these sites without knowing that ?

Check this link concerning the peat extraction on Chat Moss, then follow it to the main website:

http://www.lancswt.org.uk/index.php/save-chat-moss.php

Sorry to preach (especially to the converted), but the more people that can back the LWT on this issue, the more chance of success..

Most Wildlife trust members will have received an email this morning concerning Salford Councils Case officers recommendation to refuse the continuing peat extraction on Chat moss to now deferring from making the final decision until the 6th of June after the applicant [ Sinclair's] submitted some 20 documents to support their bid at the last minute.

The new information should be put on the Councils website today but I've just had a quick look and it is still not available.

I have copied a part of the email which is shown below, it would help a great deal if people on this forum would read this new information submitted by Sinclair's [ when available]and leave your comments on the Council website.



The date for the deferred meeting is now confirmed as Monday 6th June (0930) and the new information will be available on the Salford website later today. Consultees will be invited to submit comments on the new information by Friday 3rd June at the latest, and an appendix to the case officer's report will be tabled at the meeting on 6th June which will presumably attempt to analyse the new information together with the consultees comments.

It seems to me that this is a very short time to do a proper job, and I have made this point to the Head of Planning, Chris Findley. However, the concern from the Salford Council viewpoint is that a decision should be made before the 28 day Stop Notice expires.


I therefore urge any of you who have previously submitted responses to Salford to look at the new evidence from Sinclair's and submit comments on it. Although there have been many twists and turns, it does seem that this really will be the end of this long process, and the last chance to influence the outcome. It is obviously important that any new points raised should be properly responded to, and this is what the Trust will be doing.

Thanks

Sinclairs produce one of the best peat free composts (according to WHICH) called New Horizon but they still take the peat.

Mike

I buy peat free grow bags and compost for my green house/veg patch.

It is now cheaper to buy these products the peat based, so there is now no excuse whatsoever to continue this trade!!

It's not surprising that Sinclair's are just carrying on extracting peat again without permission. Salford council should have acted a lot quicker but that is probably too much to expect from a council that let illegal Peat extraction take place years ago without doing anything about it

Some depressing news

They are now extracting peat without permission

BBC News

Today I received two letters dated 16/2/11 from Wigan Council asking for comments on the amended Environmental Statements of both planning apps by 18/2/11

Re submitted

re-submitted

Henry Cook wrote:

---

Objection re-submitted.

---

I have also re-submitted my objection.

As Mike mentions further down the postings, please send your objections to each of the three separate applications, it could make the difference.

Also the Salford CC website does not seem to allow you to read [or does not have available] all the relevant information concerning the individual variations.

Although I can't confirm it for sure I think the variation is the insertion of the restoration clause,This was a bone of contention by LWT I think.

Mike

-- Edited by Mike hirst on Monday 10th of January 2011 02:53:20 PM

Looks like there are different variations of conditions too. Mine (app 10/58826/FULEIA) is for variation of Condition 1 of Permission 91/28450/FUL

and IS for extraction until 31st Dec 2025 with restoration complete by 31st Dec 2027

I got a letter too. I am trying to find out from a guy called David Crawshaw, who is employed by Lancs WT to deal with this, what the "Variation of Condition 2" of p/a 97/37333 is - does anyone know? I can't find the p/a 97/37333 on the Salford CC website - obviously it's 13 years old. Presumably it's to allow extraction until 2025?

Objection sent!

Just to be clear here, there are three applications to remove peat on 12 yards road and I received 3 letters from Urban Vision (Salford council) this morning. Our objections should cover all 3 applications, the nos being 1058824/FULEIA, 1058825/FULEIA 1058826/FULEIA. Its also likely we may get similar notification from Wigan B.C. as there was a similar request made to them for mossland under their jurisdiction.

Mike

Objection re-submitted.

I received one in the post this morning too, so will go through the process again.

Looks like they are submitting the application again. I received a letter today from Salford City Council saying William Sinclair Holdings have submitted additional plans for Peat Extraction.

Reference 10/58826/FULEIA

They can be viewed at Salford Planning Applications

Chat Moss peat extraction featured in an article in The Guardian today. They are starting a website called Piece by piece which is aimed at highlighting the stealthy erosion of Britian's countryside www.guardian.co.uk/pbp

Just got this email from the Lancashire Wildlife Trust

The long awaited applications from Sinclairs to Wigan BC are now available on the Wigan planning website

The numbers are as follows:

*A/10/74592 *which is an application to vary permission A/31651/89 (Boag Farm, Chat Moss)

and *A/10/74593 *which is an application to vary permission A/36475/91 (Twelve Yards Road, Chat Moss)

The variation requested in both cases is essentially to continue peat extraction for another 15 years until 2025

The consultation period expires on 17th August and the target date for committee is 14th October 2010

The associated documents are not currently visible on the website although Wigan BC have been asked to rectify this. When they do appear, they should be the same or essentially the same as the documents on the Salford website

The Trust will be making the same comments to Wigan BC as it already has to Salford CC and encourages others to do likewise

So, if you wrote in to Salford objecting to the Salford applications (or even if you didn't) we would much appreciate it if you could now make similar representations to Wigan

It is vital that people do this as Wigan have made it clear that their planning process is quite independent of Salford's and they rely on representations received to
gauge public opinion

Many thanks to everyone who's took the time to object,I've been told that the date for objections has now passed,I'll post when I find out Salfords decision,fingers crossed they see sense.
Pete Berry

done! Ended my comments with the immortal words
"find a renewable alternative, PLEASE."

Objection posted
Chris H

Objection sent - let's hope we have a good result.

P.S. - I had tried to object previously without success but it was very easy to do using Henry's method :-

Copy and paste into browser/tab -

http://publicaccess.salford.gov.uk/publicaccess/tdc/DcApplication/application_detailview.aspx?caseno=L0X396NP05X00






-- Edited by sid ashton on Thursday 3rd of June 2010 08:11:21 AM

Mine's added too.

Just done mine