Land swap deals to secure Valley of Stone cycle route

Deals to swap two pieces of land could resolve blockage issues holding up the cycleway between Rochdale and Rawtenstall.

The cycleway known as ‘Valley of Stone Greenway’ is currently being affected by two blockages involving land adjacent to Station Road, Facit and land to the south of New Line.

The first blockage is due to the Slingco factory being built over the former railway.

Slingo have shown willingness to allow a three-metre wide corridor to be constructed their car park as long as they can get replacement car parking.

This would involve swapping their land for a larger area of adjacent land owned by the Rossendale Council.

The council would lose the opportunity to sell the land but would benefit from investment and the more direct and attractive route.

Adrian Smith from Rossendale Council said: “The Slingo factory is being built over the old railway line and this is the most direct route for the cycleway. Otherwise it has to go down Barlow Bottoms and Market Street and this route isn’t very safe for cyclists.

“It’s about looking at land values. When someone has something you want it’s about negotiating to suit both parties.”

In order to resolve the second blockage concerning the route from the reservoir at New Line through to Futures Park, it has been suggested to route the Greenway via Stubbylee and Moorlands Parks.

This would involve diverting the public footpath around Height Barn Farm and along an existing fence boundary to New Cut Reservoir.

This plan is currently under negotiation with the landowner concerning land transfer of an existing culvert in the area which the council own.

The work was commissioned to John Grimshaw, the founder of national Cycle charity, Sustrans, by local cycling groups with work in the Rochdale area being funded by Rochdale Council.