Welcome Supporters to news from a busy month for Danes Moss. We have had some significant news for Danes Moss North this month and you can find out about this and other developments below:
- Update from our Chair on Danes Moss North
- Take action: threat of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill
- Connecting with the Moss & Celebrating World Peatlands Day 2025
- Species of the month: Ringlet Butterfly
- Did you see: Toxic Town Macclesfield?
- Events & activities: our events calendar continues to be packed with opportunities to come and chat with us!
Update from our Chair on Danes Moss North
Supporters will have seen a lot of press coverage about recent developments in the campaign to save the town’s peatlands. Earlier in June Cheshire East Council took the decision to revoke the ten reserved matters applications, thus removing the current outline planning permission on the site.
The Council will, however, be undertaking a review of options for the whole site, including a nature-led restoration opportunity. We have expressed our willingness to take part in the review process, since Danes Moss Trust now holds an enormous amount of essential information on the site.
This means that we are now ready to work hard for what Danes Moss needs: full restoration to a thriving wildlife site that allows continued access for people.
Meanwhile, on Friday 20th June …. almost 70 supporters turned out for our public meeting to hear more about this very welcome development.
However, at that meeting and in recent blogs, we outlined a new threat to Danes Moss North and similar sites, in the shape of the Planning & Infrastructure Bill that has recently passed through the House of Commons and is now being discussed in the House of Lords. You can read more about this in our blog here – and we urge you to take action as described below.
Take action: threat of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill
We urge you to email the House of Lords to request that Part 3 of the Bill is paused and fully debated on the basis of accurate, up-to-date evidence. There are details on how to do this in our blog here.
The chief threat does not come from our local authority or major housebuilders, but from our own government in the shape of the Planning & Infrastructure Bill that is currently making its way through parliament.
Connecting with the Moss: recent walking events
We have held two further well attended walks on Danes Moss North in recent weeks designed to connect people with the site and the biodiversity. Our Dawn Chorus Walk in May was guided by David Tolliday (an RSPB volunteer for over 38 years) and a good selection of birds were both seen and heard.
We also had the fun of our very own Simon showing the contents of a moth light trap from the night before highlighting once again the amazing diversity of moths we are blessed to have on our doorstep at Danes Moss.
It was also World Peatlands Day 2025 in June, read more about it here.
Species of the Month: Ringlet Butterfly
Our featured species for June is the Ringlet butterfly, pictured above and at the top of this newsletter. They have hatched in large numbers in the last week which is pleasing to see considering the terrible summer for butterflies last year.
It is not difficult to see where this amazing butterfly gets its name from! They can be seen flying fairly low across the moss at the moment, take a good look when one lands though as they are easy to confuse with the Meadow Brown which are also on the wing at the moment. The caterpillars feed on grasses.
This is a Local Biodiversity Action Plan (LBAP) species and another highlight of why Danes Moss is so important for our biodiversity in the UK.
Did you see: Toxic Town Macclesfield?
Take a look at our recent blog about the potential significant health risks on building next to an old landfill site.
Events & activities coming up this month
Upcoming is a packed month of activities so please do come along, say hello and ask us for an update if you are at any of these events!
- Sunday 29th June: 10-15.30 our monthly stall at Treacle Market in St Michael’s Churchyard. Come join us for a chat to find out about everything that has been going on
- Sunday 5th July: Macclesfield Pride, march starts at 11am Christ Church (supporters welcome to join in). Pride family event in the town centre 12-5pm, we will be offering free kids activities and glitter tattoos for all ages, more information on Pride here
- Sunday 6th July: we will be taking our stall to Langley Fete. Come and have a go at our free nature themed games and activities and find out where the campaign is up to
