Housebuilders want to build on Lindow’s precious peatlands. We’re fighting to reclassify the land at Upcast Lane as green belt to stop this in its tracks.
Help us save this vital resource for our environment and future generations.
Protect lindow
United for Lindow’s Peatlands
say no to housebuilding on our peat
Land at Upcast Lane in Wilmslow is earmarked for development despite housing valuable peatland.
Already, two separate housebuilders (Bellway Homes and Anwyl Homes) have begun consultations to build over 200 houses on this ecologically important land, known as LPS59. In June 2025, Bellway submitted a planning application for over 130 homes.
We believe this land should be reclassified as green belt to save it from these and future developments.
Peat is a key feature of Lindow and a natural habitat to many species of plants, birds and wildlife.
We must protect it before it’s too late.
peat in lindow
Peatland is a historic feature of Wilmslow: the world-famous Lindow Man was found preserved in peatlands less than a mile away from Upcast Lane and peat-heavy Lindow Common (a Site of Special Scientific Interest and Local Nature Reserve) sits less than two miles away.
The land at Upcast Lane includes distinctive and historic moss rooms, remnants of the segmentation of the land for peat harvesting in the 1840s. These moss room divisions can still be observed today, making this land an important historical feature of Lindow as well as an ecological one.
An important natural habitat
This land is an important habitat for plants, birds and wildlife. It’s home to a rich and varied vegetation profile along with a thriving wildlife community.
Protecting plantlife
The vegetation and natural habitat on this land contains important and rare habitats.
Protecting wildlife
There is a rich natural wildlife population living in these fields, from field mice to foxes.
Protecting birdlife
Birds including species of conservation concern are known to nest on the fields.
why peat matters
Peatland, also known as mossland, plays a valuable role in carbon absorption, storing twice as much carbon as woodland.
Peatlands are incredibly important supporters of biodiversity and play a massive role in the world’s carbon absorption.
Peatlands are crucial for carbon storage and store more carbon than all the world’s forests combined, despite only covering three per cent of the world’s surface. UK peatlands store over 3 billion tonnes of carbon, making them critical for meeting the country’s net-zero targets.
Hugely fertile, peat promotes excellent vegetation growth and the resulting habitat is home to countless birds and animals.
Wilmslow is internationally known for its peatlands thanks to the discovery of the Lindow Man in 1984 and the protection of these spaces should be of national importance.
Lindow’s spirit of place
Cheshire East’s own strategies call for protection for the ‘spirit of place’ and the preservation of local character.
This land supports these very policies.
Features historic moss room formations
The historic moss room formations visible on this land are part of Lindow’s history.
contains valuable peat
The land contains peat, a valuable carbon store, and prominent feature of Wilmslow.
is home to rare plant and wildlife
Birds, plants and animals call this site home, including rare and uncommon species.
promotes countryside activity
The adjacent track is well-used and promotes outdoor living to residents, including pupils at Lindow Community Primary School.
lindow for greenbelt
This land was designated as safeguarded for housing by Cheshire East Council in 2013, before the fields were recognised as containing peat. The council’s subsequent policies agree to protect and manage peat areas, with the 2019 Wilmslow Plan recognising the broader Lindow Moss site as a Historic and Cultural Landscape.
The land at Upcast Lane is a natural extension to this protected site.
Greenbelt land is designed to prevent urban sprawl and the merging of nearby towns. This land is on the cusp of borders between Wilmslow and Alderley Edge, with development here contributing to a blurred border between the two.
This land should never have been removed from the green belt and we urge the council to restore it to its protected state before lasting damage is caused.
protect lindow’s Peat
This site is NOT appropriate land for housing developments.
As well as being an important peatland, it houses a wide array of wildlife and plant life, supporting biodiversity in Wilmslow. Proposed access via Upcast Lane is exceptionally poor and significant increases in traffic would adversely impact safety on the lane for residents, for staff and pupils at Lindow Community Primary School and for users of Lindow Cricket Club.
We’re calling on Cheshire East Council to revisit the classification of the site before any further residential developments are pursued, and protect the future of Lindow for generations.
help us Protect Lindow’s Natural Legacy
We need your help to Protect Lindow and save this important land from housing developments.
how you can help
Join our fight! Email us to be added to our WhatsApp
Email your councillors and your MP and urge them to support us
Object to any planning applications made for this land
Safeguarding Lindow’s Peatlands Together
team@protectlindow.co.uk
This campaign is run by a team of community volunteers and is not affiliated with Lindow Moss Landscape Partnership & Discover Lindow.