By Sheila Oliver, Editor, The Romiley Gazette
15 October 2025
A formal complaint has been submitted to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman concerning what has been described as a “serious failure” by Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council (SMBC) to protect a legally designated woodland at Padden Brook, near Romiley.
The site, classified as a W1-designated protected woodland, has reportedly undergone extensive clearance over the past fourteen months. Once an ecologically rich area that had remained largely undisturbed since the 1960s, it has now seen the felling of mature trees, removal of hedgerows, and the destruction of understorey habitats vital to local wildlife such as hedgehogs, dormice, and bats.
Local residents and environmental advocates allege that these actions have resulted in the loss of a long-established wildlife corridor and a significant decline in biodiversity.
Council Awareness and Inaction
According to the complaint, SMBC officials were fully aware of the woodland’s protected status but failed to intervene. Despite repeated warnings from members of the public, including formal complaints and Freedom of Information requests, no enforcement or mitigation measures appear to have been taken.
In correspondence reviewed by The Romiley Gazette, it is alleged that both the Council’s Arboriculture Officer and other officials were informed about the ongoing damage. When concerns were raised, complainants were reportedly advised not to pursue the matter further.
Efforts to obtain answers from local councillors and MPs have also proved fruitless, with one response describing the clearance as an “improvement and tidy-up” — a characterisation sharply contested by those who have witnessed the destruction first-hand.
Alleged Breaches of Environmental Duties
The complaint submitted to the Ombudsman accuses the Council of failing to uphold its statutory responsibilities under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006. It further alleges a breach of the Council’s duty of care to safeguard designated natural environments and to act transparently in response to residents’ concerns.
Photographic and documentary evidence of the woodland’s clearance, as well as correspondence with Council officers, has been offered to the Ombudsman as part of the investigation request.
Call for Investigation and Restoration
The complaint asks the Ombudsman to investigate SMBC’s handling of the matter, examine officer conduct, and recommend corrective actions — including potential referral to Natural England or other regulatory bodies if environmental offences are found. It also calls for the Council to fund ecological restoration and strengthen oversight procedures to prevent future occurrences.
“This represents a serious breakdown in local environmental governance,” said Sheila Oliver, who submitted the complaint. “A protected woodland of over fifty years’ standing has been devastated while the responsible authority ignored or suppressed public concern.”
Residents are now awaiting confirmation from the Ombudsman on whether a full investigation will proceed.
