Campaigners make late bid to stop Stockport County stadium car park plan
Wildlife campaigners have made an eleventh-hour attempt to stop Stockport County building a car park over an area of green space as part of the club's stadium expansion.
On June 26, the Edgeley Wildlife Reserve group wrote to the 12 councillors on Stockport's planning committee about the football club's plan to build a car park on land behind the south stand of Edgeley Park.
This space, which campaigners call the Edgeley Wildlife Reserve (EWR), could be lost to make way for an 86-space parking area as part of County's stadium redevelopment.
The letter called for an 'urgent' rethink of the plans, claiming that Stockport council has 'undervalued Edgeley Wildlife Reserve's irreplaceable role as Edgeley's only significant natural green space.'
The letter continues: "We request the committee's support in rejecting this application to protect EWR."
Rob Eyre from the Edgeley Wildlife Reserve group said losing the green space behind the stadium would be a huge blow to the local community, and could be harmful to animals in the neighbourhood.
He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): "As it stands today, EWR [Edgeley Wildlife Reserve] comprises 40 per cent of Edgeley's meaningful, secure and safe space in terms of wildlife habitat.
"A car park could decimate the animal populations in this area."
Mr Eyre said the group has no objection with other parts of the stadium plans, including upgrades to stands and a bigger overall capacity.
"The club can have all of what they want, the new stands and more capacity – all they have to do is rethink the parking," the 53-year-old said.
"We don't think there are many County fans who would have any issue with that. Some of our group are life-long fans of the club.
"This car park, not the club's growth, is a betrayal of what Edgeley needs."
The campaign group said a petition to protect the natural space was signed by nearly 400 local residents.
They want the space to be saved so it can be used by the community, or for educational purposes with potential visits from local primary schools.
The LDRS visited the EWR on July 1 and found there is currently no clear way for the public to gain access.
Concerns over the loss of the wildlife area were raised by campaigners at Stockport council's central area committee meeting on June 19.
During the meeting, councillors gave an overall recommendation to neither support or refuse County's stadium plans.
Cllr Asa Caton, of the Edgeley Community Association, said at the June 19 meeting: "Whichever way any of us lands on this, we're going to upset a group of people.
"We should be in a position where we don't chop any tree down, but the reality is that situations occur where that has to be considered.
"Unfortunately, we're not in a position to say we can never chop a tree down, progress sometimes requires that sacrifices are made.
"I don't for one second doubt that this is a valuable natural habitat, but the reality is it has sat there for 20, 30, 40 years untouched, unloved – it's become a natural habitat for wildlife because it's been ignored."
Council officers have recommended that the stadium expansion is approved on July 3 when the planning committee meets to decide the outcome.
The changes would allow the club to add an extra 7,400 seats in a redeveloped stadium, taking the total capacity of Edgeley Park to around 18,000.
County officials hope to gain approval to make sure the club can accommodate its growing fanbase as it plans for a return to Championship-level football.
Last season, the club made it to the League One playoff semi-finals but lost to Leyton Orient.
A Stockport County spokesperson said: "The club met with Rob Eyre and his colleagues two years ago at the time of our public consultation, and having considered their concerns, we considerably scaled back the size of the proposed car park, as well as introducing two very substantial landscape areas onto Moscow Road East and the reservoir, in order to protect and enhance the wildlife corridor.
"We also note that the whole area of land mentioned is currently riddled with the invasive contaminant, Japanese Knotweed, has no public access and has never had public access."
Stockport council was approached for comment.
~
Free from clickbait, Stockport Nub News is a quality online newspaper for our town.
To get our top stories in your inbox each week, subscribe to our free weekly newsletter HERE.
Please consider following Stockport Nub News on Facebook or X
Share:
