There has been a lot of spin recently about a billion pounds of regeneration for Rochdale. Unfortunately the cash spoken of is funny money, promised by comedians. Perhaps 74% of Observer readers polled are not impressed by the town centre plans shows that their game is up.

There is a piece of planning jargon that Rochdale Observer readers and taxpayers should know about. The phrase is “speculative build”. This is when a building project is done without a tenant or buyer for the finished project. Although this doesn’t make much commercial sense it is happening on a huge scale in Rochdale.

The Taxpayers Alliance has researched this growing scandal. A whole new local industry has been created to take our tax money and splash it around as “regeneration”. There are public relations consultants, civil engineering companies, lawyers, financiers and new companies set up in partnership with the council and private business. It really is a beanfeast.

Where is our money being spent in Rochdale? On “speculative build” projects such as empty office blocks by the canal, empty industrial units on Kingsway and daft plans for even more shops for the town centre.

What about the knocking down of old peoples homes in Newbold and perfectly good houses only built 25 years ago? Why? So that fancy flats can be built close to the proposed £300 million+ Metrolink extension that will go via Oldham – a line that most Rochdale commuters will not use. In reality, Metrolink for Rochdale isn’t a transport scheme – it is a “regeneration aspiration” that will cost us all very dearly if it goes ahead. Starting with £6 per car congestion charge. At least Dick Turpin wore a mask.

There are other consequences of the Rochdale Regeneration Game inckluding the gridlock on our roads just reported in the Observer.

A dangerous Dodgem-style roundabout at Oldham Road to replace a crossroads but then new crossroads at Sudden and Townhead, to replace the roundabouts. Genius. As the fiasco at Halifax Road proved last year, traffic experts get things wrong but the cash money-go-round still spins to fill the pockets of the regeneration specialists, planning consultants and builders.

No doubt the Council’s Chief Executive and Leader of the Council will publish another gushing defence of “good news” for Rochdale. They shouldn’t bother. We are not stupid and don’t believe this shallow spin.

That begs one final question- How much of OUR money is spent on public relations, media and regeneration consultants to promote planning speculation in Rochdale?

   Today people are loosing there identity, through bigger, shinner, things, here you have a chance to draw in the tourist with a design showing your heritage, that promotes a calmer atmosphere.

Colin Arnold New Zealand

   Big shopping centres like the Trafford centre and the big one in Leeds have reported a loss in sales this Christmas period due to a huge increase in internet shopping.

I for one shop online, most of my presents this year came off ebay.

I think people sitting in traffic jams and then queing for ages is becoming a thing of the past.

So it's quite worrying for town centres and it is going to take a lot of planning to get people out.

   Look beyond the odd potted plant and there emerges a landscape reminiscent of the concrete jungle which so blighted Coventry.

   Lets hope the failures of the past (Black Pig council offices and the most dreary and unsafe bus station in the world) are not repeated. People must appear in town before and shop and business will. Lets see free parking for low emition cars, an effective thouroughfare system that allows the police to effectively monitor and remove anti-socials. A safe place for people to work and play.

   GREAT..more shops for our single mums with buggies and heroin addicts to steal from. Take a look at your customers any day of the week , queues in mac d's benches full of youths and people with no place to go, beggars and thieves waiting for an oppertunity to steal for there next fix. Shop in Rochdale ! never , have a look at Bury, ashton or bolton even folk in oldham spend money nobody in this town is out spending there hard earned giro

   Very nice.

Lets hope we can attract some good busineses and have a few decent shops.

I Cant wait to see that black box and bus station fall to rubble. I think the designer of those monstosities was a few sheets to the wind.

   They all look very good,but my concerns are that the developers will be the big winners not the people. What we also need in Rochdale is spiritual regeneration from the Lord. As we celebrate God's humble descent to earth,lets us be aware that He came to change our hearts, not just our towns Isaiah 64:1-12)KJ