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A council is to challenge legislation after spending £60,000 to move four newts a short distance from the path of a construction site.

The tiny colony of great crested newts, which proliferate throughout Cheshire, stood in the way of new classrooms and an IT block at Fallibroome High School in Macclesfield.

Under both European and domestic legislation the developers were required to find the newts a new home and follow a complex set of procedures which pushed up costs.

Senior members of Cheshire County Council have written to Hilary Benn, the Environment Secretary, about the matter.

Barrie Harden, a former council chairman, said: “Around £15,000 per newt seems a ludicrous sum of money. They are a legally protected species under EU regulations.”

He said that the EU regulations and UK legislation indicated there would be substantial fines if the newts were not protected. “I am very concerned about taxpayers’ money being used in this way in what appears to be a ridiculous situation.”

The great crested newt, Britain’s largest newt species, is scarce in some parts of Europe but thrives in the weedy ponds and small lakes of Cheshire, which has an estimated 18,000 breeding sites.

The trapping of newts is regulated by the government agency Natural England, which issues a special licence that allows the creatures to be moved.

Under the terms of the licence, traps must be in place for at least 30 nights when the temperature is above 5C to ensure the newts are active. Only then can the site be declared clear.

At Fallibroome costs rose when specialists were brought in to fence off the site. The developers had to construct an alternative pond.

Andrew Needham, the council’s executive member for the environment, said: “The county council fully accepts its environmental responsibilities. However, we do wonder if such sums of money would be better spent investing in improvements to the wider pond network, which would benefit not only the great crested newts but all types of wetland wildlife.”

Meanwhile, construction of the new classrooms, IT block and sports pitch at the school have now been completed. Liz Wilson, Fallibroome’s bursar, said: “That money could have been spent on refurbishing the school.”

A spokesman for Natural England said that it was important to look after every colony of great crested newts, no matter how small.

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