Cllr Simon Eardley's monthly report to Saughall & Shotwick Park Parish Council is detailed below (for their consideration at their meeting on Monday 2nd February 2026).
Shotwick Park Estate project update
I was pleased to receive a very positive update from Roger Goulding who is leading this project towards the end of last week. This was also shared with the Clerk and the PC Chairman and from other emails I have seen, I believe it has now been shared with all parish councillors. I have suggested to Roger that producing a regular, informative note like this (perhaps on a quarterly basis) will be helpful going forward and you will note Roger’s willingness to attend future parish council meetings to ensure there is regular information being sent to you.
It is good news to see that work is progressing on establishment of a ‘Friends of’ group and I look forward to working with that body of individuals going forward, which could include via small project grant support via my Member Budget. I intend to be present for the community planting session which is planned for 28th February, and I hope others will get involved with this work too.
It should also be borne in mind that the Shotwick Park project is not the only project that Roger and his team lead on. Indeed, elsewhere in my ward (in the Badgers Rake Lane area of Ledsham) another scheme has been implemented recently. You will see a link to the Local Nature Recovery Strategy for Cheshire & Warrington at the end of the notes in italics – a major piece of work in itself, but one which gives you a very clear indication as to the professionalism and quality of the work to be done in the Saughall area and much wider.
“Phase 1 - 41,000 trees to be planted commencing January 28th 2026 (mainly to western side of the estate), with additional 10-12000 anticipated on land put aside for natural colonisation. A further 48,000 will be planted in Phase 2 excluding natural colonisation. Historic 19th Century Parkland Restoration commences with rare or threaten species to be added, Orchards and Wood Pasture. A further 11 Ha of woodland and habitat in compartment SP4 November 2026. Ecotones and other habitat improvements to start March 2026 and March 2027.
Here’s a video of one of our other sites which has already been planted this winter by Tomorrows Forest (same guys who are planting your big blocks going in this planting season).
The planting follows 18 months of significant public engagement, public workshops and meetings. Formal creation of Friends of Shotwick Park Group underway with strong committee of approximately 12 local individuals and 400+ members.
First community planting day planned on heritage orchard with approximately 100 rare fruit varieties near the village on 28th January. Once these fruit trees are settled in, we’ll provide pruning training for any interested individuals within the community interested in helping us manage the orchard (for their own use and broader community benefit). Broader volunteer champion training is also potentially available via Chester Zoo ‘Networks for Nature’ programme for anyone wishing to learn new skills to help at Shotwick or across other sites in the area, into the future.
A few corporate planting days are also being co-ordinated and planned with Mersey Forest with one or two local businesses (Feb & March), further away from the village using contractor parking areas off Lodge Lane.
The option of dedicating ‘memorial’ trees is still being explored in potential partnership with Life for a Life, who have the potential to contribute positively towards site management (feedback was supportive of this idea as part of the public engagement). Happy to share any proposals with the PC before we make the decision whether to proceed.
We are also considering the need to replace the agricultural gateway into the park where the orchard is being located and will look to ensure that new gates include the ability for mobility scooters to access part of the site, via a specially designed kissing gate. The agricultural gates will remain locked other than when agreed activities are taking place across the sites. We also intend that this the agricultural gates at this location will be sympathetically replaced with black wrought iron gates, more in keeping with a Victorian parkland estate of this age.
Major restoration of the15 hectares of existing woodland is needed after we develop a woodland management plan. We’re hoping that this will take place with extensive volunteer activity, complimented by specialist contractor work. This will take many years, but like 2/3rds of native woodlands across Cheshire, little positive management of these sort of existing woodlands has occurred since WW2. Rhododendron also desperately needs removal along with thinning by removal of diseased or dangerous trees.
More bird surveys are to take place this summer to determine current activity, before we consider any potential for additional boxes.
Replacement and additional historic Victorian parkland trees (may start in March – but slowly be introduced over a few planting seasons), plus over sowing of parkland with more native wildflowers and grasses Sept’26, including seed injection of an area of medieval ridge and furrow either this or next autumn.
Future design and construction of a significant wetland on the edge of the Dee floodplain (below the castle site) will be planned, along with interpretation of the extraordinary natural and heritage of the site. These two projects are unlikely to start until resources of funding are identified, for both design and delivery. We’ll make sure that both the Parish and Friends are consulted before any plans are taken forward. We’ll also be looking for people interested in researching local history and wildlife to help us with determine content.
A few other things to be aware of:-
- All planting has considered that 1 in 3 tree species is currently ‘under threat’ of extinction. The projects consideration to create ‘plus trees’ for seed propagation is integral to the overall vision.
- Shotwick Park design has already recognised for its sensitive and careful consideration of Landscape Character by our regulator, Forest England. They are due to run their own training course at Saughall to improve skills within their own organisation to improve design of new woodlands to respect landscape character, natural and heritage features, improve silvicultural planning and innovation. This will take place at Methodist Church and on-site in April.
- Community and corporate volunteering are integral to delivery of all projects to ensure shared ownership, particularly at sites with public access.
Very happy to come and provide an update to the PC as an item on the agenda, maybe at least twice a year? Maybe end of planting season - April and late Sept/early Oct? Happy to discuss and work something out that suits us both.
It would be great to meet regularly so we can share how things are going and so you have the chance to raise any issues you may wish us to consider.
For information. Please also find a link to the recently published Local Nature Recovery Strategy for Cheshire & Warrington, something else our team leads on.”
Joint surgery dates for 2026
I have been in correspondence with PC Ellie Barnett and we have provisionally agreed the following dates for joint surgeries in 2026 at which I hope a representative (or more) of the parish council will also be present:
- 14 or 21 February 2026
- 16 May 2026
- 15 August 2026
- 07 November 2026
I will arrange for posters etc to be produced in the usual manner. Each session will take place between 10am and 11am at the Co-op on Church Road.
Parkgate Road speed limit concerns
A previously noted (January 2026 report), I had correspondence before Christmas with a resident who raised concerns about the speed limit on Parkgate Road, the noise from this location and also whether consideration could be given to requesting a speed limit reduction (which I noted was not something the parish council when last asked was willing to support):
The response from CWaC officers to the query submitted as follows:
“Thank you for your Councillor Portal Enquiry regarding the possibility of reducing the current posted speed limit on Parkgate Road. I have contacted the relevant service who have provided the following response:
The service is currently in the process of reviewing our community-led speed limit policy. During this interim period, all new requests are on hold until the amended policy has received Cabinet approval. Unfortunately, we are unable to provide a timeline for when the new policy will become operational and given this, I do not believe that a meeting at this stage would be beneficial.
Once the new policy has been agreed all Councillors will be informed, following this they will be able to request a survey, if they are willing to fund it.
The information from a 3-year recorded personal injury collision search for the location has identified no patterns where inappropriate speed has been a contributory factor at the location.
CWaC budget for 2026/27 | Council Tax
Cheshire West and Chester Council have published their annual budget proposals for 2026/27. As usual, this also includes a ‘recommendation’ for an increase in council tax of 4.99%. It is highly likely that I will vote against such an increase and also look, as part of my wider group of colleagues, to make amendments to the budget of the council in areas considered to be a priority.
Possible changes to council approach to speed limit policy
I am fully aware of concerns in the Saughall (and much wider) in relation to speeding in villages and a general wish to see lower speed limits / a pro-active approach to be taken to addressing such challenges. I was dismayed to receive commentary from CWaC officers which suggested a likely change to the policy which determines how speed limits are changed (ideally lowered) in the borough and which would, in my view, be detrimental. In short this is the position that was outlined to me:
“The [Highways] service is currently in the process of reviewing our community-led speed limit policy. During this interim period, all new requests are on hold until the amended policy has received Cabinet approval. Unfortunately, we are unable to provide a timeline for when the new policy will become operational…
“Once the new policy has been agreed all Councillors will be informed, following this they will be able to request a survey, if they are willing to fund it.”
A separate query also stated:
“It is anticipated that any initial surveys and the implementation of signage required following confirmation of recommended changes will need to be fully funded by the requestor.”
The leadership of the council have since suggested this is not the case. I await this change in policy being categorically ruled out in the future.
You can read my comments in full here: www.simoneardley.uk/news/cllr-simon-eardley-condemns-labour-run-cheshire-west-and-chester-council-accelerating-plans
Miscellaneous reports
- Parkgate Road, near Newlands Farm – pothole (very large) and water leakage. Reported on 25/01/26 with the following comments: “Large and dangerous pothole given the location on this 50mph road. The whole stretch of road here, from near the junction with Coalpit Lane to beyond Newlands Farm is very wet - there appears to be some sort of water leakage. Gullies are full of silt and not operational. This can be seen in both of the images supplied. Please can this be looked at more closely as it is not just the case that there is a pothole - there are underlying issues that need sorting. I am advised by Newlands Farm that they have raised this several times with the council to no satisfactory conclusion over several months. Thanks.” Reporting reference: CE790447147.
- Street lighting query – 212 Hermitage Road. This was raised in various correspondence during January, and I am pleased to report (as noted to me by a resident on 22/01) that the column in question is now repaired.
- Street lighting column to the rear of green space off Darlington Crescent (in the vicinity of number 48). This column is the responsibility of Sanctuary Housing (it is not adopted by CWaC). I was advised by Sanctuary on 22/01/26 as follows (I am not aware this has yet been repaired successfully): “I can confirm that I have received notification that the works have been raised for the street lights on Darlington Crescent under job reference 1005131516. As these are external works, the contractor, Warden, may have already attended to restore the light.”
