12th August 2025


Protected Wildlife Site Cleared, 24 Homes Left in Danger

Unchecked bulldozing below ageing retaining wall sparks fears of collapse on unstable hillside — calls grow to restore lost vegetation.

Residents in Howard Close, Romiley (SK6 3BH) are voicing alarm over the safety of a large concrete retaining wall, built in the 1960s and now nearing the end of its design life, after stabilising vegetation on the hillside below it was stripped away.

The wall holds back an unstable slope on which 24 homes stand. Local people say the slope’s stability depended heavily on mature plants and tree roots, which helped to bind the soil and prevent erosion.

In the past year, the new landowner has bulldozed and removed much of this vegetation — work that campaigners claim was allowed to continue unchecked by the Council, despite the area being designated both a Local Wildlife Site and protected amenity land.

“It’s shocking that this was allowed without any ecological survey or engineering assessment,” said one resident, who asked not to be named. “This isn’t just about wildlife — this is about the safety of homes and people’s lives. If that wall fails, it will be catastrophic, and very costly for the Council.”

Experts have long warned that vegetation removal on unstable ground can accelerate slope failure, particularly when retaining structures are already ageing. The Howard Close wall is now more than 60 years old, and maintenance responsibility lies with the Council.

According to government planning rules, works in designated wildlife and amenity areas typically require detailed ecological and structural assessments before any disturbance — measures locals say have been ignored.

The Gazette asked the Council for comment. At the time of going to press, no official statement had been received.

Residents are now calling for:

  • An immediate engineering inspection of the retaining wall.
  • Emergency replanting and soil stabilisation works.
  • A full ecological assessment of the site.

“This is a disaster waiting to happen,” one neighbour warned. “We’ve lost our wildlife, our view, and now we’re losing the stability of the land itself.”