What difference does it make if up to 1% asbestos is found in crushed rubble on the TBA Factory site? For MMC developments and Countryside Properties, it means paying to have this rubble removed to a landfill site as hazardous waste. If no asbestos was found they could sell or use the rubble as valuable hardcore. New laws starting on the 16th of this month state that asbestos waste containing over 0.1% is now classed as hazardous waste. Countryside Properties intend using 30,000 tons of infill from the demolition of the rest of the TBA site. This could result in the release of 300 tons of asbestos waste from the buildings alone. 2 million asbestos fibres can fit on a pin head. Sylvia Conway Rochdale

   This fiasco has been going on for over a year now with a catalogue events that leaves Rochdale residents asking more questions with no answers. The whole point about the Turners site is that with it's history, comments from witnesses, the contamination already found, it's logical and sensible with health and safety in mind to assume that it there is large amounts of Asbestos contained in the site. No big deal this assumption, it's common sense and with the health implications probably the right one to start with. Hold on though, no notification of tree felling, denial of any Asbestos, then there is Asbestos, let's shut out the public, buy up web names, etc etc etc The latest I hear and have seen is rubble from the site being driven around the streets of Rochdale. To confirm my opening line, there seems to be no confirmation of exactly what amount of Asbestos there is in this rubble, it is there as confirmed by the HSE. The developers on the other hand say there is no trace and the HSE say there is!! What official body is investigating this and what are they doing to protect the public? From what I've read in the Observer and from past experiences with other issues on the site we are entering the "black hole" again i.e. we are on our own. How do I protect the health of my children in this impossible situation?

   I strongly agree with MPs Paul Rowen and Jim Dobbin's comments in last weekends Observer. The events of the last 14 months have shown a huge area of unclear policy, relating to asbestos contamination, local and national, once again leaving the door open to dangerously exploitative businessmen. We all know asbestos kills and for the last 14 months Countryside Properties have been moving asbestos contaminated rubble around the North West. SHAME ON YOU!

   At last! Now that the tests have confirmed that there IS asbestos in rubble on the site (surprise surprise!) and the issue has been raised in Parliament people must begin to take this matter seriously. I cannot belive that the onus is usually on developers to provide evidence of the sites safety! No wonder they - allegedly - failed to find asbestos in their own tests. The perseverance of local residents has highlighted a much wider issue - a major flaw in the safety procedures for land development in this country. And why are Countryside Properties consistently refusing to comment if they are operating with honest and good intentions?

   Hansard is a permanent Parliamentary record.

Paul Rowen has had the integrity to make a principled stand on the dangers of asbestos for public safety.

The Record now concludes that over the past 14 months or so, the developers have been

"ducking and diving... and being... less than honest" ...about issues that could kill.

That says it all.

The facts are coming out about MMC and Countryside Properties' methods and actions in the Spodden Valley. -If such things can happen on the world's largest asbestos textile facotry then heaven help other people in the UK where industrial sites are promised, by glossy brochures, to be "transformed into exciting sustainable communities" if the issues of contamination are not dealt with properly.