Maer Hills Development

           This beautiful tranquil place threatened with being spoiled forever.
                                        The Threat to Maer Hills
                  Allan Parton, Chairman Maer Hills Protection Group

The Maer Hills Protection Group was formed in 1992 and exists to protect and conserve the woodland at Maer Hills from inappropriate development and to preserve its landscape value, public amenity and wildlife habitat. So far it has been successful in meeting its aims, despite various attempts to develop the hills for gravel extraction, a golf course and housing.
Maer Hills lies in the north west of the county of Staffordshire between Baldwins Gate and Blackbrook bound on either side by the A53 and the A51. The hills rise to a height of 700 feet and form an imposing and attractive gateway to North Staffordshire from the west.
One of the Directors of Claymoss Properties bought 400 acres of the hills as a managed forest in 2000. Claymoss Properties now want to develop Maer Hills into a holiday "eco" village with 800 lodges, 2 lakes, a golf course, 2 hotels and an entertainment centre with shops, restaurants, bars, etc. In addition this company propose to install four 400 feet (120 metre) high wind turbines.
When Claymoss presented their proposals in a series of exhibitions last Autumn a large number of people were opposed to both these proposals. As well as the landscape value many people enjoy the precious amenity the woodland provides. In a busy world the peace and tranquillity to be found there is surely to be preserved and not destroyed. The woodland is also home to many species of birds and animals. Public footpaths cross the site including the recently inaugurated Newcastle Way from Mow Cop to Market Drayton. If planning permission were to be given the developers propose to divert these paths. Charles Darwin spent many hours walking the hills whilst formulating his ideas on evolution. What would he say now?
Claymoss Properties, the developers submitted an initial planning application for two 200 feet (60 meter) high wind test masts. Following nearly 700 letters of objection this was rejected by Newcastle Borough Council in December 2006 on the grounds that the masts would cause unacceptable damage to the landscape and were an inappropriate development in an area of landscape maintenance, loss of visual amenity and tranquillity to the locality. In June 2007 Claymoss Properties lodged an appeal against this refusal. The developers are currently preparing to submit two major planning applications, one for four wind turbines and a further application for an "eco" village.
The owner of the woodland has applied and been granted a thinning licence for 13,600 trees and also a clear felling licence from the Forestry Commission to clear 70 acres of trees. The four areas to be cleared are the same areas proposed for the four wind turbines.
The Maer Hills Protection Group is very grateful for the expert advice and support from the CPRE and many other organisations and individuals. Further information can be found on our website www.savemaerhills.co.uk We continue to seek support to help preserve this wonderful landscape and amenity for future generations.

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