Asbestos site road repairs arouse local residents concern

Woodlands Road, Spodden Valley

Local residents have expressed concern over painted markings on a blocked road leading to the former asbestos factory site in the Spodden Valley, however the Council has explained it has a legal responsibility to maintain the road.

This small parcel of land, close to Rooley Moor Road, was acquired by Rochdale Council in 2001, and the markings, of the sort used to identify highway repairs, are on a section that has been blocked off to road vehicles for almost 20 years.

Andrew Storey, head of highways at Rochdale Borough Council, explained: “Although this area is not open to vehicles, it is still classed as a highway, which means we have a legal responsibility to maintain it. We have marked out this area for minimal safety repairs, which will be carried out in the next few weeks, as part of our highways maintenance programme.”

Residents' suspicions come about due to an air of 'secrecy' surrounding goings on at the former asbestos factory following over a dozen years of the Save Spodden Valley campaign group working to secure a safe future for the controversial site.

In 2016, Rochdale Council created a 'TBA Project Team' and sent letters out with an official council letter heading and published a glossy brochure using public money which critics said "appeared to defend and promote private commercial interests".

Further inquiries by Rochdale Online about the 'TBA Project Team' have been met with official silence and there remains a mystery as to the purpose of this project group, who paid for it and if companies and organisations linked to landowners and investors are part of the 'team'.

A local resident speaking to Rochdale Online said: "There has been 13 years of blight on this site.

"There has been too much secrecy by some in Rochdale Council. Isn't it time for the public to have some clear answers to simple questions?

"No wonder people are suspicious about what could be one of the main highway accesses for any commercial development of the former asbestos factory site.

"The council's secrecy about its 'TBA Project' stinks but hopefully it will all come out in the wash.

"As for this small council owned area - it should be a gateway to Healey Dell with the wider site serving as a green lung and floodwater sponge for Rochdale. Any such suggestion has fallen on deaf ears with Rochdale Council."

Rochdale Online News Archives

There are over 250 articles dating back to 2005 relating to the former asbestos factory site and the Save Spodden Valley campaign in the Rochdale Online news archives.

To read them click the link below:

• http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/news-archives?type=News&searchtype=Phrase&Criteria=spodden+valley