Warrington is fortunate to have a number of Sites of Special Scientific Interest such as Rixton Clay Pits, Woolston Eyes, Risley Moss to name but three in the area.
It also has Local Wildlife Sites - Cheshire has many.
I think that Houghton Green Pool is one such place although since United Utilities restarted water extracting from the underground source yards way the impact has been the lowering of the HGP water line to such an extent that it is but a puddle.
I managed to run down there yesterday morning to see how bad it had become and the current state can be seen in the following link to the photos that I took.
Having said that I got one of those moment you dream of seeing over 500 plus purple orchids in a sea of yellow buttercups. Around what used to look like a large lake has developed concentric circles of young trees.
Houghton Green Pool 2017
https://www.facebook.com/geoff.settle/media_set?set=a.10213071903413283.1073741928.1264246400&type=3
Houghton Green Pool 2008
https://www.facebook.com/geoff.settle/media_set?set=a.10213075032171500.1073741929.1264246400&type=3&uploaded=3&pnref=story