S I T TI BI

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Registered at the Post Office as a Newspaper Est. 1893

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THURSDAY, 1st JULY, 2010.

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INSIDE: OUR COMPREHENSIVE PROPERTY GUIDE FEATURING LOCAL ESTATE AGENTS

Focus on Marlfields

Day centre closures Readers' Views Pages 22-25 Page 14

Page 5

What’s on... What’s gone...

Pages 20-21

Tunnel rescu

Page 56

RESIDENTS ‘DESERVE PAT ON THE BACK’ AFTER APPEAL FAILS

Egg farm plan protestors get Mayor’s praise

It’s time for Teddy’s picnic

By Chris Young A community united in opposition against plans for a chicken farm in Congleton has been praised by the town’s Mayor for its part in getting the application thrown out.

This week a planning inspector rejected an appeal for a 6,000-chicken egg production plant, on land off Lambert’s Lane, Mossley.

It was the third unsuccessful application by Josef Eckert, of Milton, in Stoke-on-Trent, each of hich have been opposed by residents and councillors.

On Sunday, opponents will enjoy a celebration drink in the Moss Inn pub.

The most recent plan was origially recommended for approval by

Cheshire East Council in October but it was refused in a last minute turnaround at a heated planning meeting attended by dozens of opponents, including vets, accountants and solicitors, all of who brought their expertise to the protest campaign.

Mr Eckert launched an appeal soon after.

Over 200 letters of objection had been written regarding the planning application and appeal.

In his decision Bristol-based planning inspector John Braithwaite said that the chicken unit would have an “adverse effect” on public safety due to the traffic it would generate.

He also claimed that thousands of chickens would devastate the local population of great crested newts. The newt is a protected species, and putting it in harms way is a criminal offence.

Mr Braithwaite said: “The proposed activity, which would result in chickens ranging about the habitat of the population of great crested newts, is reasonably likely to result

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in an offence.”

One of residents’ main concerns was the traffic generated by the egg farm. It would include a 29-tonne lorry visiting once a fortnight to deliver food as well as rodent control vehicles and regular visits from a licensed fellmonger to remove dead birds.

He added: “Taking into account its limited width, its length and its mainly unmade condition, and the degree to which it is used by many people, cyclists and horse riders, the lane is not suitable for large heavy lorries, even one once every fortnight.

• —Turn to back page.

School academy bids on timetable Three local schools are tempted by the idea of achieving academy status.

proposals to make any changes at the moment.

Breaking away from total local authority control could give Congleton High, Rode Heath Primary and Smallwood CE primary more freedom in the running of their affairs.

The names were revealed on Friday among 1,700 others on a national list released under the Freedom of Information Act after pressure from unions and anti-academy campaigners.

The list was divided into two sections: those rated outstanding by Ofsted that will be eligible for fast-track academy status from September term and those which have expressed an interest.

Congleton High fits into the latter category, being described in the latest Ofsted report as being “a good school with some outstanding features”.

“When we find out more details we will decide whether to take the next step. That would be consulting widely to gain the views of stakeholders.

He added: “The initial information provided by the Government suggested that the school would benefit from improved funding of around 10%.

“This would enable the school to provide a better experience for students.

“The additional freedoms available could be used to improve many aspects of the life of the school.”

No firm plans Diane Moores, headteacher of Smallwood CE Primary School, said the school had no firm plans to become an academy, adding: “The governors and myself are looking into it.

Headteacher David Hermitt said: “The school is keeping up to date with the new Government’s agenda.

“We are interested in assessing the opportunities that this new style of academy might have and so have registered our interest at an early stage.

“We are in the early stages of fact finding and so there are no

“We were invited to do so because we are an ‘outstanding’ school.”

A Cheshire East Council Children and Families Scrutiny Committee meeting at Westfields on Tuesday discussed the new Government’s policy about academy schools.

• —Turn to back page.

Smarter than the average bear: Imogen Locker and “Alan Bear” were just two of the hundreds of children/teddy combos who visited Congleton Park for a Teddy Bears’ Picnic on Thursday. For more pictures, turn to page 28. (“Chronicle” photo. 2605h/10).

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