20th August 2025
20 August 2025
Concerns are growing in Romiley after assurances given in a council meeting last year have failed to prevent major damage to land and wildlife at Padden Brook.
During the September 2024 Werneth Area Council meeting, Cllr Mark Roberts (Lib Dem, Bredbury Green & Romiley) told residents that action was being taken to protect trees and habitats at Padden Brook, behind Howard Close.
Speaking at the time, he said:
“We have got in touch as a team of councillors with officers after some very reasonable residents got in touch with genuine and understandable concerns when some land was being cleared there… Officers have spoken to the landowner and explained their obligations regarding local nature and Tree Protection Orders (TPOs)… It is thanks to the work of yourself and Councillor Clark that these mature trees actually have protection afforded to them by TPOs… Officers are aware of the concerns and will be keeping an eye on the situation.”
However, campaigners say that since that meeting the land has been cleared and local wildlife habitats destroyed, despite those assurances. Residents feel their concerns were not acted upon.
The webcast of the meeting (between 2.30 and 3.29 on the recording) remains online, but locals now describe it as “deeply misleading.”
Campaigners are now calling for urgent answers from Stockport Council on how protections failed, and what steps will be taken to prevent further environmental damage.
A local resident who wished to remain anonymous told the Romiley Gazette:-
“It had nothing to do with Smart that the tpos (Tree Protection Orders) were placed. When I found out that the land was up for sale, I told Clark (Cllr Angela Clark) about it and she knew nothing of the sale. Not a single person on that council knew, and the only reason tpos were put on there was to stop building on the land, but Clark did not go far enough. She only just put tpos on the trees and not the entire land. Hence the destruction of it. I take it you (Editor of the Romiley Gazette) told them as well. No comment to your question is just what I expected. Well done for looking them in the eye and keeping a straight face because they are a laughing stock them lot”.
