Ellesmere Port & Neston Background and analysis Ellesmere Port lies on the southern side of the Mersey Estuary and is entirely within the Mersey Valley region. Little of the historic landscape remains and land within the Borough is overshadowed by urban and industrial development. To the east of Ellesmere Port, the Borough boundary runs through the Stanlow Refinery complex, this area includes large amounts of brownfield land as a result of contraction of the refinery and associated industries. The most significant open areas occur in the urban fringe farmland around Hooton and to the north-east of Ince where the land drops down from Ince to the marshes. The large Mersey Estuary mud banks have been excluded from the Forest area, but with the Mersey Estuary they are a major element in the landscape. The Manchester Ship Canal skirts the Mersey Estuary and provides an edge to the land. West of Ince, large-scale industrial development prevents access to the Estuary and canal edge, except at the Boat Museum. Generally, the M53 forms the boundary between the urban area to the west and the industrial area to the north and east. There are small but very significant areas of open land within the industrial area and urban areas, such as Booston Wood, Rivacre Valley, Stanney Wood, woodland sites adjacent to the Shropshire Union Canal, other sites along the M53 and the rail corridor through Stanlow. These offer an important opportunity for extending the countryside into the developed area and creating a much needed new landscape structure. Guiding principles Enhance the large areas of brownfield land in and around Stanlow through appropriate woodland planting. Strengthen and develop planting along the Western fringes of Ellesmere Port. Create a wooded corridor running from the north-west to the south-east along the M53/ Shropshire Union Canal Corridor. Extend planting into the urban area. Create a well-wooded landscape to the east of Stanlow. Link new planting to the Mersey Estuary at Booston, the Boat Museum and Ince. Develop recreational routes into established and developing woodlands, where possible linking up woodlands and connecting routes. This will create good access for the local community to the woodlands and associated habitats in the Borough. Policies and opportunities Numbers refer to the 'Ellesmere Port & Neston planting strategy' map. CLICK ON IMAGE ABOVE TO SEE LARGE SCALE MAP E1 Discuss and implement with appropriate landowners and authorities any opportunities for tree planting and other habitat improvements within the North West Cheshire Forestry Strategy Area. E2 Continue to seek opportunities to plant new woodland on appropriate sites within the M53/Shropshire Union Canal Corridor from the Borough boundary to the Boat Museum. E3 Continue to seek opportunities to plant appropriate sites along the M53 Corridor from the Borough boundary to the Boat Museum, continue to link planting to Rivacre Valley and Booston Wood. E4 Support the creation of small woodlands and copses within a restored pattern of hedgerows and hedgerow trees in the area around Hooton and Childer Thornton. E5 Create areas of woodland in balance with open space within Rivacre Valley, so that it becomes identifiable as a linear woodland feature extending into the urban area. E6 Support the creation of small woodlands and structural planting in the West of Ellesmere Port in association with the development of new residential areas. E7 Support the management of Stanney Wood. Extend woodland to the north and east by fringe planting around the playing fields and sports clubs. E8 Promote and support the planting of interim and long term woodland on brownfield sites in and around Stanlow. E9 Promote the creation of a significant woodland area on the eastern periphery of Stanlow refinery adjacent to Ince and Elton. Plant small woodlands and copses within a restored pattern of hedgerows and hedgerow trees on the higher land north of Ince. E10 Ince Marshes are an important area of estuary grassland, which should be conserved and therefore it is not appropriate to carry out woodland planting here. Industrial land around the former Ince Power Station site and the Kemira factory should be screened by woodlands. Hedgerow and management, maintenance of field structure and ditches will be supported. E11 Discuss and implement with appropriate landowners and authorities any opportunities for tree planting in the area south of the Borough boundary around Thornton-le-Moors.