Restoring Lindow Moss – A Landscape in Recovery

Restoring Lindow Moss – A Landscape in Recovery

Restoring Lindow Moss – A Landscape in Recovery
8 October 2025

Lindow Moss is an ecologically and historically significant peatland, but decades of drainage and degradation have left it in poor condition. In autumn 2024, we were commissioned by Groundwork CLM to survey peat extent and condition, map habitats and hydrology, and identify opportunities for restoration. This work lays the foundation for restoring the site for climate, nature, and people.


Partnership and Community Engagement

Restoring Lindow Moss is a collaborative effort, bringing together conservation organisations, local authorities, and community groups through the Lindow Moss Landscape Partnership. Their 10-year restoration plan focuses on enhancing carbon storage, improving biodiversity, protecting cultural heritage, and supporting community involvement. Partners include Transition Wilmslow, Friends of Lindow Moss, Cheshire East Council, Wilmslow Town Council, Cheshire Wildlife Trust, Mersey Rivers Trust, and Groundwork CLM.

We worked closely with Groundwork CLM and landowners to secure access for surveys through emails, calls, mail-outs, and a press release linked to the StoryMap. This approach secured access to over 50% of the Landscape Character Area and created a database to support ongoing and future restoration, while fostering local support and stewardship.

(Photos courtesy of Groundwork CLM)


Surveying and Mapping

Using a bespoke ArcGIS Field Maps tool, we conducted detailed surveys incorporating elements of the Peatland Code methodology. Surveys recorded:


🌿 Peat depth and condition (von Post scale);
🌿 Key ecological benchmarks, including indicator species and UKHabitat classification;
🌿 Grazing impacts and drainage features
🌿 Soil cores to verify survey findings.

This work produced a comprehensive baseline of the peatland’s condition, helping the partnership target areas for rewetting, habitat recovery, and restoration interventions.


Spatial Analysis and Restoration Planning

Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) supported the generation of a landscape restoration opportunity map, highlighting where interventions would have the greatest impact. Using our in-house habitat modelling tool, HabiTEP, we produced a UKHabitat map of the full site, which is now being ground-truthed with ecological survey data. Together, these tools inform restoration planning and guide actions to recover habitats, protect biodiversity, and restore carbon storage.

(Photos courtesy of Groundwork CLM)


Looking Ahead

The next phase focuses on implementing restoration actions, including:


🌿 Rewetting key areas to prevent further peat loss;
🌿 Promoting peat-forming vegetation to enhance carbon sequestration;
🌿 Monitoring water levels, vegetation recovery, and carbon storage potential
🌿 Continuing engagement with landowners to foster stewardship and community support.

The Lindow Moss Landscape Partnership is committed to restoring this vital ecosystem for people, nature, and climate. We are proud to have contributed to this ambitious project and looks forward to supporting its next stages.


Explore the StoryMap

For an interactive view of survey results, maps, and restoration opportunities, visit the Lindow Moss StoryMap

(Photos courtesy of G Davies, TEP)

12 June 2026
On behalf of Cheshire East Council, TEP has secured consent for the expansion of the Environmental Services Hub site. The expansion will facilitate a weekly food waste collection service for every property in the borough, helping Cheshire East Council prepare for a new statutory requirement from central government due to come into force from 2026-2027. To achieve this, we prepared and managed three planning applications: A full application for 84 new employee parking spaces, a bin storage area and a security lodge; A non-material amendment application for the reconfiguration of the existing site layout; and A variation of condition application to increase the limit on vehicle movements. The project began with a pre-application advice request, followed by discussions with the local planning authority to confirm the applications and supporting information required for submission. A key element of the project was the preparation of a planning needs case. This justified the development remaining at the Environmental Services Hub site, rather than a 'preferred site' identified within the council's Waste Plan. The case also identified the benefits of increasing recycling rates and supporting sustainable waste management across the borough. To support the applications, traffic surveys were commissioned and a Transport Statement was prepared, demonstrating that the proposals would have no negative impact on the local highway network. A Transport Note was also produced to establish the number of vehicle movements that should be permitted through the variation of condition application. Air quality and noise assessments were also undertaken to demonstrate that impacts would be limited and acceptable. 
10 June 2026
Plans for Brookleigh Primary School have received unanimous planning approval at Mid Sussex District Council's District Planning Committee on 28th May 2026. The new school, located to the east of Isaacs Lane, will provide 420 student places, alongside a 52-place nursery and a 16-place Special Support Centre. As a two-form entry school, it will support two classes per year group. This marks a proud first for Homes England as master developer, directly delivering new school places for the Brookleigh community. TEP worked in partnership with the wider project team, including CampbellReith, sixfootstudio, Fabrik, FLOH and Stace, to help bring the proposals forward. Supporting the Delivery of a New School TEP's Planning team co-ordinated the preparation of the reserved matters application, including pre-application discussions and community consultation, while our Ecology team completed site surveys and advised on Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG). A key part of our role was ensuring that local people and stakeholders had opportunities to engage with the proposals as they developed. In preparation for the application submission, we organised public consultation events and prepared consultation materials explaining the scheme, masterplan, access strategy, landscaping, and the proposed layout and appearance of the school. Two public exhibitions were held at an accessible venue close to the site, providing an opportunity for the local community to discuss the proposals, ask questions and share feedback. We also organised an information leaflet drop to approximately 4,000 homes and established an online consultation portal to enable people to engage digitally. The feedback received was largely positive, reflecting both the demand for new school places and the work undertaken by the project team to develop a modern, sustainable design for the Brookleigh community.
27 May 2026
We have been proud to support the regeneration of the Grade II Listed Earlestown Town Hall, one of the most historically and visually significant buildings in the town centre. Dating from the late 19th century, the Flemish-inspired civic building occupies a commanding position within Earlestown and has long served as a local landmark and community venue. Over the years, the Town Hall has played host to generations of local events and performances, including an appearance by The Beatles during the early years of their rise to fame. Commissioned by ECF, we provided heritage and archaeology consultancy services to support the redevelopment and restoration of the building as part of wider regeneration ambitions for Earlestown town centre. Working as part of a multidisciplinary team, we offered heritage advice throughout the pre-application stage, helping to shape proposals that would be sympathetic to the building’s historic character while enabling it to meet modern community needs.
12 June 2026
On behalf of Cheshire East Council, TEP has secured consent for the expansion of the Environmental Services Hub site. The expansion will facilitate a weekly food waste collection service for every property in the borough, helping Cheshire East Council prepare for a new statutory requirement from central government due to come into force from 2026-2027. To achieve this, we prepared and managed three planning applications: A full application for 84 new employee parking spaces, a bin storage area and a security lodge; A non-material amendment application for the reconfiguration of the existing site layout; and A variation of condition application to increase the limit on vehicle movements. The project began with a pre-application advice request, followed by discussions with the local planning authority to confirm the applications and supporting information required for submission. A key element of the project was the preparation of a planning needs case. This justified the development remaining at the Environmental Services Hub site, rather than a 'preferred site' identified within the council's Waste Plan. The case also identified the benefits of increasing recycling rates and supporting sustainable waste management across the borough. To support the applications, traffic surveys were commissioned and a Transport Statement was prepared, demonstrating that the proposals would have no negative impact on the local highway network. A Transport Note was also produced to establish the number of vehicle movements that should be permitted through the variation of condition application. Air quality and noise assessments were also undertaken to demonstrate that impacts would be limited and acceptable. 
10 June 2026
Plans for Brookleigh Primary School have received unanimous planning approval at Mid Sussex District Council's District Planning Committee on 28th May 2026. The new school, located to the east of Isaacs Lane, will provide 420 student places, alongside a 52-place nursery and a 16-place Special Support Centre. As a two-form entry school, it will support two classes per year group. This marks a proud first for Homes England as master developer, directly delivering new school places for the Brookleigh community. TEP worked in partnership with the wider project team, including CampbellReith, sixfootstudio, Fabrik, FLOH and Stace, to help bring the proposals forward. Supporting the Delivery of a New School TEP's Planning team co-ordinated the preparation of the reserved matters application, including pre-application discussions and community consultation, while our Ecology team completed site surveys and advised on Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG). A key part of our role was ensuring that local people and stakeholders had opportunities to engage with the proposals as they developed. In preparation for the application submission, we organised public consultation events and prepared consultation materials explaining the scheme, masterplan, access strategy, landscaping, and the proposed layout and appearance of the school. Two public exhibitions were held at an accessible venue close to the site, providing an opportunity for the local community to discuss the proposals, ask questions and share feedback. We also organised an information leaflet drop to approximately 4,000 homes and established an online consultation portal to enable people to engage digitally. The feedback received was largely positive, reflecting both the demand for new school places and the work undertaken by the project team to develop a modern, sustainable design for the Brookleigh community.
12 June 2026
On behalf of Cheshire East Council, TEP has secured consent for the expansion of the Environmental Services Hub site. The expansion will facilitate a weekly food waste collection service for every property in the borough, helping Cheshire East Council prepare for a new statutory requirement from central government due to come into force from 2026-2027. To achieve this, we prepared and managed three planning applications: A full application for 84 new employee parking spaces, a bin storage area and a security lodge; A non-material amendment application for the reconfiguration of the existing site layout; and A variation of condition application to increase the limit on vehicle movements. The project began with a pre-application advice request, followed by discussions with the local planning authority to confirm the applications and supporting information required for submission. A key element of the project was the preparation of a planning needs case. This justified the development remaining at the Environmental Services Hub site, rather than a 'preferred site' identified within the council's Waste Plan. The case also identified the benefits of increasing recycling rates and supporting sustainable waste management across the borough. To support the applications, traffic surveys were commissioned and a Transport Statement was prepared, demonstrating that the proposals would have no negative impact on the local highway network. A Transport Note was also produced to establish the number of vehicle movements that should be permitted through the variation of condition application. Air quality and noise assessments were also undertaken to demonstrate that impacts would be limited and acceptable. 
10 June 2026
Plans for Brookleigh Primary School have received unanimous planning approval at Mid Sussex District Council's District Planning Committee on 28th May 2026. The new school, located to the east of Isaacs Lane, will provide 420 student places, alongside a 52-place nursery and a 16-place Special Support Centre. As a two-form entry school, it will support two classes per year group. This marks a proud first for Homes England as master developer, directly delivering new school places for the Brookleigh community. TEP worked in partnership with the wider project team, including CampbellReith, sixfootstudio, Fabrik, FLOH and Stace, to help bring the proposals forward. Supporting the Delivery of a New School TEP's Planning team co-ordinated the preparation of the reserved matters application, including pre-application discussions and community consultation, while our Ecology team completed site surveys and advised on Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG). A key part of our role was ensuring that local people and stakeholders had opportunities to engage with the proposals as they developed. In preparation for the application submission, we organised public consultation events and prepared consultation materials explaining the scheme, masterplan, access strategy, landscaping, and the proposed layout and appearance of the school. Two public exhibitions were held at an accessible venue close to the site, providing an opportunity for the local community to discuss the proposals, ask questions and share feedback. We also organised an information leaflet drop to approximately 4,000 homes and established an online consultation portal to enable people to engage digitally. The feedback received was largely positive, reflecting both the demand for new school places and the work undertaken by the project team to develop a modern, sustainable design for the Brookleigh community.
27 May 2026
We have been proud to support the regeneration of the Grade II Listed Earlestown Town Hall, one of the most historically and visually significant buildings in the town centre. Dating from the late 19th century, the Flemish-inspired civic building occupies a commanding position within Earlestown and has long served as a local landmark and community venue. Over the years, the Town Hall has played host to generations of local events and performances, including an appearance by The Beatles during the early years of their rise to fame. Commissioned by ECF, we provided heritage and archaeology consultancy services to support the redevelopment and restoration of the building as part of wider regeneration ambitions for Earlestown town centre. Working as part of a multidisciplinary team, we offered heritage advice throughout the pre-application stage, helping to shape proposals that would be sympathetic to the building’s historic character while enabling it to meet modern community needs.