23rd September 2025
Romiley residents are once again dismayed after another tree was destroyed on the protected Padden Brook Local Wildlife Site this morning.
The Padden Brook area, a designated Local Wildlife Site, is meant to safeguard local biodiversity – yet campaigners say enforcement is practically non-existent. “That’s another mature tree gone,” said one resident. “Each loss chips away at the habitat for birds, bats, and insects. It’s heartbreaking.”
Local campaigners have repeatedly raised the alarm with Liberal Democrat representatives Lisa Smart, Angela Clark, Rachel Bresnahan, and Mark Roberts. According to campaigners, it has been one year and 43 days since the first formal request was made for action to protect the site – but no visible progress has been made.
“This isn’t just about one tree,” a campaign spokesperson said. “It’s about upholding the legal protections we were promised. If nothing is done, we risk losing the character and ecology of Padden Brook altogether.”
Residents are calling for immediate steps to:
- Investigate the latest incident
- Enforce planning conditions and protections
- Develop a long-term management plan for the site
Until action is taken, they say, the destruction will likely continue – and Romiley will lose one of its most important natural assets.
