MP Danczuk accuses council of threatening investment and jobs

Simon Danczuk

Simon Danczuk, Labour MP for Rochdale, has aimed yet more criticism at Rochdale's Labour council led by Colin Lambert. This time Mr Danczuk accuses the council of considering wasting millions of pounds on a ring road that he says will "threaten much needed investment and jobs".

Rochdale Borough Council has made plans to extend a ring road right through Central Retail Park; as a result the site will be permanently divided and, even though work has already started on making the site a bigger, better retail environment, the ongoing expansion plans will not be able to go ahead. It is understood this will result in the loss of promising new tenants in Central Retail Park as well as existing stores and potential jobs.

Joint venture partners Town Centre Securities (TCS) and Metric Property Investments (MPI) say there are already a number of big name stores that are ready to take their place at the new and improved park.

A spokesman said: "These retailers will be brand new to Rochdale and provide exciting services to people in the local area. Once the site expansion is completed, Central Retail Park will provide around 200 additional jobs and the investment is worth around £20 million. This regeneration of a site in the heart of the town will secure new investments for the whole of Rochdale."

The council’s budget is already under strain and local services are being reduced as a result of the recent recession. The cost of buying the land to extend the ring road through Central Retail Park is around £10 million which will come directly from taxpayers’ money.

Simon Danczuk said: "The council couldn’t find any money to put a tram stop on Drake Street or subsidise business rates to help traders after disruption caused by Metrolink. Yet now we hear the council is considering wasting £10 million on purchasing land to build a ring road which will threaten much needed investment and jobs."

The Council will be holding a consultation in the coming months to ask local people what they want and how they think the ring road should be extended.

The Retail Park owners have launched a new website with a petition and resources to help local people support Central Retail Park and make their voice heard. A consultation on the plans is due to open in late November.

The website can be found at http://www.centralretailpark.co.uk