The Walshaw Moor Estate proposed new stone and timber track across protected blanket bog will not go ahead, even though Natural England had included it in its Appropriate Assessment of the 2017 version of the Catchment Restoration Plan 2017 – 2042. This Assessment concluded that

“it can be ascertained that the plan or project will not have an adverse effect on the integrity of the Moors SAC and SPA either alone or in combination.”

But in 2019 Natural England had to change its assessment of the track and remove it from the Catchment Restoration Plan.

This was thanks to:

• the efforts of local residents who objected to the planning application,
• Bob Berzins’ measurement of the actual peat depth along the proposed track, which corrected Walshaw Moor Estate’s assessment of shallow peat depth based on “interpolated” modelling,
• Mark Avery’s legal challenge to Natural England’s initial Appropriate Assessment, which forced them to do another one, resulting in their withdrawal of support for the track.

On 19th March this year, Walshaw Moor Estate emailed Calderdale Council Planning Services to withdraw their APPLICATION 18/00237/FUL.

On 29th March, Calderdale Council’s Corporate Lead for Planning Services replied that the Council noted the withdrawal of the planning application and that Walshaw Moor Estate is not to put in any developments without planning permission.

We need to keep a close eye on Walshaw Moor, to see if they abide by this requirement. Which seems unlikely, if their past unconsented developments are anything to go by.