A PIPE which could be built through protected land in Rostherne and Mere has been called ‘destructive’ and ‘wasteful’.

United Utilities has submitted a request to Cheshire East Council for an Environmental Impact Assessment to build the 5.5km pipe between Mere Platts pumping station and Bowdon Waste Water Treatment works as part of a £6 billion regional upgrade.

The project, which passes through Rostherne Mere Nature Reserve, The Tatton Estate, Rostherne and Mere Villages, will also see a new underground storage tank and pumping station at Mere Platts at the existing site east of ‘The Circle’.

A spokesman for the Tatton Estate said: “The plans propose construction in sites which are protected both as a SSSI (Sites of Special Scientific Interest) and as a RAMSAR site of international importance.

“Also, it unnecessarily goes through a national nature reserve that was gifted to Natural England to protect. There has been no public scrutiny and clear information is not still being made available.

“We amongst others are concerned that United Utilities is abusing its powers and wasting water bill-payers' money.

“The plans are destructive, the pipe is much longer than it has to be and the resulting bill will be far greater, but we and you - not United Utilities - have to pay that cost.”

The Tatton Estate said that it has ‘tried hard’ to reason with United Utilities, suggesting a route along the A556 and offering land which would avoid going through Nature Reserve and would utilise the ‘existing infrastructure corridors’.

“To the detriment of us as property managers and farmers, and all the residents and businesses who will be affected by the disruption, a contract with LIMA the contractor was already signed months ago and they claim the route can't be changed even for better, cheaper and/or less disruptive alternatives,” added the spokesman.

“This cannot be right.”

United Utilities has said that the works are part of a five-year scheme to upgrade facilities across the north west and that the pipe through Rostherne and Mere is being put in place to minimise flooding in the area.

A spokesperson for United Utilities, said: "The proposed new tank at Mere Platts pumping station will enable us to store storm water in the event of bad weather before it is transferred to the wastewater treatment works along a new pipeline.

"It will help reduce the risk of flooding by creating extra capacity.

“The £9 million project we’re planning to carry out will have important environmental benefits for the water quality in Rostherne Mere.

“We have carried out extensive consultation on the proposed solution, including several redesigns of the scheme. The selected pipeline route will mirror that of an existing pipeline.

“By adopting this approach, we limit the need for new works minimising the impact on the environment and our customers.

“We take our environmental responsibility very seriously and investing in a project of this nature is not wasteful, as it offers the most sustainable solution to address the water quality concerns in Rostherne Mere, which is a wetland of international importance and a site of special scientific interest.

“We have presented our plans to Rostherne Parish Council and in the near future we will be holding a public exhibition, where we will be able to discuss the project in more detail with the local community.

“Our aim is to complete this project in time to benefit wintering birds nesting in the Mere from 2018 onwards.”

The application for an EIA screening opinion was submitted via the Cheshire East planning portal and can be viewed using reference number 16/3260S although the plans are not yet available to the public.