About the campaign
Danes Moss Trust
Danes Moss Trust exists to ensure the Danes Moss peatlands are restored and conserved for current and future generations to enjoy, and to maintain and enhance the richly diverse wildlife on the site. Our Future Vision has been created in collaboration with local and national organisations to show how Danes Moss can be a community asset that will strengthen nature conservation and community well-being in Macclesfield and the wider area.
We take action to support this vision by raising awareness, supporting education and research, creating partnerships with other groups and organisations, fundraising and providing challenge on the protection, restoration and management of peatland and safeguarding its biodiversity.
Danes Moss Trust is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (registered Charity No. 1211113).
About the Save Danes Moss Campaign
Our two aims:
- To defend the Danes Moss peatland without compromise. No development on peatland is acceptable.
- To have the site re-wet and restored to active lowland raised bog and to preserve the existing wet woodland habitat.
How we started
In December 2021 a few friends decided to monitor planning applications. We were concerned by the relentless expansion of urban development that we saw in Cheshire and read about in other parts of the country.
It didn’t take long before the reserved matters applications related to the SMDA were noticed.
We were incredulous that a Council with an ambition to be ‘carbon neutral’ by 2025 could possibly be the lead developer of this project.
After looking into the details of the proposals several things became clear. Namely,
- The proposed development area was an absolute treasure for people, the planet and wildlife;
- That it should be preserved undeveloped and restored to its natural state as a lowland raised bog with wet woodland;
- That the entire development project felt like it was being imposed on our town by people with no genuine interest in our wellbeing or that of the natural world;
- That off-shore and tax haven-based finance was involved;
- That individuals with deep and questionable links to institutional power had a financial interest in the development;
- That the proposals completely contradicted the environmental ambitions of the lead developer – Cheshire East Council.
- That an organised group was necessary to achieve our aims.
The decision to create the Danes Moss Trust was based on the growth over the previous three years of the community movement to protect the precious peatlands that lie to the south of Macclesfield. Your support is evident by the 28,000 people who have signed our petition and the £40,000 raised to date to support the Save Danes Moss campaign. It is also built on our activity over the last year running educational events for people of all ages and the high-profile support we have attracted for this work.
The Danes Moss Trust will continue the Save Danes Moss campaign which aims to oppose development plans on the site of Danes Moss North and its surroundings. All donations to the fundraiser for Save Danes Moss to date and in future will continue to be used solely for the purposes of our legal fund, our running costs and the future restoration of the site.
Financial Report for 2022-2023
We are pleased to publish our group’s financial report for the financial year 2022 – 2023.
Thanks are due to all of our supporters who have donated so generously to the campaign.
How to help
Check out our What can I do page to find out more on how you can help the campaign.
