Owing to being away at a conference, it wasn't possible for Cllr Simon Eardley attend the meeting of Saughall & Shotwick Park Parish Council which was held on Monday 6th October 2025. However, as usual, he submitted a report for the consideration of parish councillors - it is repeated below.
Public meeting held regarding the Light & Life traveller festival in the village – 10th September
The above meeting took place and was attended by a small number of interested residents. Notes were taken at the meeting, and these have been added to my overall report which I am now in the process of finalising for submission to CWaC officers (Regulatory Services) and Cheshire Police in the near future.
Shotwick Park Estate – possibility of a ‘Friends of’ group
There was a very helpful meeting held on 25th September at the Vernon Institute by the CWaC officer team in relation to the possibility of establishing a ‘Friends of Shotwick Park’ group which would offer volunteer opportunities as the project progresses. It was good to see plenty of interest from residents in being part of this group and a willingness to move the idea forward. I have attached the slides [not included on this website post - available on request] used at the meeting for reference and your interest. Slide 3 isn't the clearest, but you can generally find more information on an ongoing basis around the work here at the following link:
https://participatenow.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/friends-of-shotwick-park
Community Speedwatch session – 03 October 2025
I was pleased to join the team undertaking ‘community speedwatch’ on Friday 03 October – the weather was poor, but we persevered! The session took place from 11.30am to 12.30pm on Long Lane (about mid-way down). Surprisingly – and this is very rare – nobody was observed traveling in excess of the 40mph speed limit here on this occasion.
Application for a premises license (off licence), 30 Church Road, Saughall (former hairdresser)
I have seen comments regarding the above on Facebook and have visited the location to see the notice for myself (which is not easy to read), but I have now received formal notification of this application from the CWaC Licensing team. The details are as follows:
Applicant: Harpreet Gill and Sandeep Sandhu
Application number: 579550
Premises and address: Gill Off Licence, 30 Church Road, Saughall, CH1 6EN
Permitted activities and opening hours of the premises (as applied for): Supply of alcohol off the premises, Monday to Sunday 06:00 to 23:00. Opening hours, Monday to Sunday 06:00 to 23:00.
Reason for application: Application for the grant of a premises licence.
Consultation end date: 30 October 2025.
I would appreciate it if the parish council could offer a view regarding this application as I am aware that there has been some extensive comment online concerning it. I intend to submit comments to reflect the views being expressed (and have invited residents to email me direct on the subject) and will do so prior to the deadline.
Parking and civil enforcement – Church Road / Saughall Hey (related to school pick up / drop off)
A number of residents have raised concerns with me around ongoing challenges relating to park at and near the school during drop off and pick up times. Specifically, parking on restricted areas (double yellow lines) has been raised and a request was made for CWaC enforcement officers to attend an undertake observations / act where necessary. In relaying this feedback, I was advised as follows by a Parking Manager (Enforcement) in the Regulatory Services team at CWaC on 23/09/25:
“Thank you for your email and for sharing the concerns raised by residents regarding parking issues around Church Road and Saughall Hey during school drop-off and pick-up times.
Since the school returned after the summer break, our Civil Enforcement Officers have made four visits to Saughall All Saints CE Primary School:
- 03/09/2025 (PM)
- 08/09/2025 (AM)
- 09/09/2025 (PM)
- 15/09/2025 (PM)
During these visits, one Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) was issued. Officers reported that many vehicles were parked on the footpath no covered by contravention which prevented enforcement action or had moved on by the time the required observation period had elapsed. While several vehicles were logged, no further enforcement was possible under current regulations.
Our enforcement schedule rotates every three weeks, and Saughall All Saints CE Primary School was removed from the rota at the end of the week ending 21/09/2025 as compliance was seen to improve. I will ensure it is reinstated for the 3-week period [in October], during which it will receive a minimum of three visits. I will review the outcomes of these visits to determine future levels of resource allocation.”
Pear Tree Farm development – grass cutting
Following my site meeting in various locations with CWaC officers from the Environmental Services team a few weeks ago, a request was made for them to undertake a ‘one off’ cut of the grass at this site. This was done w/c 22nd September and I am pleased to say that it is much improved. This doesn’t represent a long-term solution to this challenge, as likely this will involve legal proceedings against the developer to see the remaining planning matters here resolved fully. However, I am grateful to the CWaC for their pragmatism and attention to this problem.
Public Right of Way matters
- Saughall FP12 (runs off Hermitage Road on the right-hand side at the bend before Green Lane). I am advised (01/10) by the CWaC PRoW officer that he has sourced a ‘kissing gate’ for installation here which will be delivered to the landowner and hopefully help prevent ongoing access challenges to this route.
North Drive permissive path
A number of residents have raised queries with me in relation to works at this location in recent weeks. I am advised by the landowner as follows:
“The plan is sympathetic restoration along North Drive to reinstate the old roadway and the avenue of trees. There are a number of trees that have come fallen naturally that need removing as well as a great many that are in poor health. This is due to a lack of maintenance over the years. As I remove trees I will be planting replacement trees with a focus to plant the following species to be in keeping with the historic North Drive.
Oak | Horse Chestnut | Cherry | Yew
I have an expert arboriculturist who is overseeing the project. In terms of permission and the TPOs the appropriate felling licences have been granted.
I don’t benefit from any grants like CWAC so am self-funding this. Nevertheless, I am keen to keep the permissive footpath open and for that to be the case the trees along it must be kept healthy and safe.
I would be happy for anyone to sponsor a tree. The plan is to start planting new trees this November.
I am also asking around for any records (especially old photographs) or knowledge of what North Drive used to look like and if there are any photographs of the entrance gates and wing walls on Lodge Lane.”
Drainage investigations - The Ridings (fields to the rear of)
In mid-August, a CWaC ‘Flood Team’ officer undertook some investigations at the fields to the rear of The Ridings which have been causing challenges as you will know in recent years during periods of poor (wet!) weather. A summary of his findings is given below and there’s a plan attached. He makes a couple of key points / requests which are shown underlined which have been sent on to the landowner for consideration. It seems we may be able to unravel at least some of these challenges with the actions proposed now that we are outside the bird nesting season and I also understand crops have already been harvested in the fields in question. I will keep the parish council informed around developments as you will be aware of the longstanding nature of this challenge.
“It was a privilege to be accompanied yesterday on my survey by the two flooded residents from nos. 50 and 48 The Ridings, respectively.
[The residents] were very helpful, and it made the survey easier because they were filling their rainwater downpipes’ (RWP) gullies with water to prove connectivity, they removed obstacles and demonstrated the flooding mechanism collaboratively. The conclusion was easy for both residents to understand, and I have also notified [GO] of my findings this morning.
The residents’ surface water (SW) drainage under their property curtilages is both robust and clear, which is good for its age. However, I encountered submergence of water at chainage 22m downstream of 50 The Ridings, as shown on the attached drainage plan, which most likely is a “belly” in the pipework and nothing to be too concerned about since there is no evidence of the upstream manholes surcharging nor flooding.
The flooding mechanism, as you are aware already, is from SW overland flow from the field to the rear of their properties. The interesting finding was a high-level pipe, 150mm diameter VC, is connected to MH01 in the rear garden of no. 50 The Riding emanating from the direction of the field, and more so we proved it ran approximately adjacent to the rear gardens of nos. 2 – 10 Rosewood Grove where our camera could not turn round its left-hand bend. At this location it would appear to head towards the open ditch-work to the rear of 12-20 Rosewood Grove & no. 18 Fairholme Close. We highly suspect there’s a headwall (stipulated as HW01 on the attached plan) somewhere near to the interface of the rear gardens of nos. 10 & 12 Rosewood Grove on the field side.
Also, we noted two large scale historic ponds which have been filled in to the rears of no. 50 The Riding and no. 7 Thornberry Close respectively. It is our suspicion that the former pond utilised an emergency overflow pipe to no. 50 The Ridings’ MH01, which has later been extended, probably by culverting the watercourse to the rear of no.s 2 – 10 Rosewood Grove and linking it the upstream ditch-work at the rear of 12 – 20 Rosewood Grove. We could understand this ditch-work being overwhelmed, surcharging and flooding in the direction of the former historic pond and consequently flooding John and Anne’s properties.
It would be very beneficial if you could help us contact the [landowner] again and ask them to expose this headwall (HW01) by removing all the bracken and foliage at the end of bird nesting season - We suspect the end of our cctv’ed pipework leads to the marked HW01 on the attached plan.”
Miscellaneous reports
- Coalpit Lane – concerns expressed regarding health of a privately owned tree. Logged on 07/09/25. Ref. CE747242894.
- Lighting column faults – all logged on 09/09/25:
- Column 42, Hermitage Road. Ref. – CE747711996.
- Greyhound pub. Ref. – CE747713155.
- Junction with Long Lane / Parkgate road. Ref. – CE747714170.
- Lodge Lane bus terminus (this is a repeat report). Ref. – CE747723113.
- Lodge Lane wildflower area. Ref. – CE747717815.
- Long Lane (near short lane into the rear field). Ref. – CE74772095.
- Saughall Hey pavement (tree root growth). Logged on 19/09/25. Ref. CE750670514.
- Overgrown hedge (Hermitage Road – end of the village on the approach to Blacon) – cut back notice request (and also attention to be given to damaged fence). Logged on 21/09/25. Ref. CE750883153. (Fence has subsequently been made safe).
