Dell Road open again following major operation to save it from collapse

Date published: 28 October 2022

A road that leads to one of Greater Manchester’s most popular beauty spots has re-opened 48 weeks after the start of a major engineering project to save it from collapse.

Dell Road in Rochdale was closed following an inspection by the council’s bridges and structures team in February 2021 after more than 90 metres of tension cracks appeared in the carriageway.

A decision was made on the grounds of public safety to close the road to vehicles in order to avoid a full collapse and the potential loss of the route forever.

The council invested £1m in saving the road, which provides direct access from Shawclough Road into Healey Dell nature reserve, which is also home to Healey Dell Heritage Centre & Tea Rooms and Aunt Mary’s Day Nursery.

The large-scale works began in November 2021 and were undertaken by F W Sherratt Ltd. They included a full restoration programme that saw the installation of 24 metres of deep retaining wall supported on cantilevered reinforced concrete foundations installed five metres below ground level.

A further 60-metre mass concrete wall founded on bedrock at a shallower depth was also constructed.

Almost 200 large hand-filled gabion baskets filled with stone now line the newly surfaced road to help prevent further landslides and 200 metres of new underground drainage pipes and six highway gullies installed to ensure adequate drainage have been installed.

Councillor Daniel Meredith, portfolio holder for highways and housing at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “I would like to thank local residents and businesses for their patience while works were ongoing. The in-depth work undertaken on Dell Road has been a long process, with the bulk of it not actually visible to the naked eye, but now back open thanks to investment, the road provides safe access for walkers, cyclists, horse riders and motorists.

“I encourage visitors to take advantage of the beautiful surroundings, which include the River Spodden, delightful scenery, an award-winning tea room, walking trails and spectacular waterfalls.”

Mark Sherratt, director of FW Sherratt Ltd, added: “FW Sherratt Ltd were delighted to continue their working partnership with Rochdale Borough Council’s bridges and structures team to reconstruct the sections of Dell Road that were failing, thereby restoring access to the ever popular Healey Dell.”

The newly completed road was officially opened on Wednesday 26 October 2022, by the Mayor of Rochdale, Councillor Ali Ahmed.