More parking needed at Fieldway complex

A feasibility study into additional parking for the Fieldway sheltered accommodation complex on Broad Lane has been requested because of increasing parking problems.

The complex houses a Council run intermediate care centre and a sheltered scheme, comprising of a cluster of bungalows and a block of flats.

Parking has been developing as an issue over the last couple of years as new residents who are car owners have moved into the residential part of the complex.

There are also parking difficulties associated with the Springhill resource centre - an intermediate elderly care facility at one end of the complex.

In response to concerns expressed Councillor Pat Colcough organised a meeting to discuss possible ways forward.

The meeting was attended by representatives from the Council's Adult Care service and Rochdale Boroughwide Housing, including the sheltered scheme's warden.

It was agreed that additional parking would provide relief to the situation and would ease the current parking concerns of the complex's residents. One potential site was floated as a possible location for conversion into parking bays.

As a follow up to this meeting Councillor Colcough and Councillor Dale Mulgrew have now formally submitted a request to Rochdale Boroughwide Housing for a feasibility study of this proposed location to be undertaken.

Councillor Colclough said: "Parking at the complex is becoming an issue and it would be really helpful if we can convert a current void in front of the care centre into extra parking. This would possibly create an additional bank of car park spaces."

Cllr Dale Mulgrew added: "We need to now know if the proposed site is going to be permissible. Although it was created as a bit of an aesthetic feature, it really is neither use nor ornament currently, and so this would be one solution to help reduce the problem."