MMC and Countryside Properties say they are now going to listen to local people, but will they act on information given to them. Residents told them of the asbestos on site, but they constantly denied that asbestos was a problem. Why should our lives and future health be in the hands of developers who have deliberately covered up the truth from residents? The council should be protecting the people of Rochdale. Knowing its past history, this site should never have been put forward as suitable for housing. The developers were going to crash on and build on this land. Who would be left with the problem if some poor soul buying their dream home then develops asbestosis? Will MMC and Countryside Properties still be around to compensate the victims. Sylvia Conway

   SAVE SPODDEN VALLEY STATEMENT IN FULL: We welcome the developers' apparent acknowledgment of past wrong doing- but actions do speak louder than words - and the past 18 months have seen some very questionable activity from them, including: the destruction of woodlands and wildlife habitats; the public denial of exposed asbestos on the site; the 'e-jacking' of campaign website names; the omission of positive asbestos test results to councillors- to name but a few. The statement from the Meredith Thomas public relations company regrets past 'miscommunication' about asbestos contamination - unfortunately this site may require the scrutiny of medical doctors rather than spin doctors. The international significance of the Spodden Valley is now being recognised. We must have a full, independent investigation of all the facts and issues raised. That is why we are calling on the Office of Deputy Prime Minister for an Inquiry. The Save Spodden Valley campaign seeks a positive and permanent solution to contamination. Future generations of Rochdalians could pay the ultimate price if this is not done properly. Safe remediation is a legal requirement, not a 'favour' to the town in return for building hundreds of houses. For the developers to say the only way to clean up the site is by allowing 600+ homes to be built is tantamount to blackmail. The developers' 'mistake in communication' is minor when compared to the potential damage to public health if mistakes are made and contamination is released from the Spodden Valley. One further cancer death caused by asbestos from that site is one too many. Safety before profit - is that too much to ask?

   QUOTE FROM COUNTRYSIDE:- "Countryside Properties has always maintained that we will not exercise our option to purchase the site unless and until the site has been fully remediated to the satisfaction of the Environment Agency, the Health and Safety Executive and Rochdale Council and planning consent has been obtained." QUESTION: Does this mean if the clean-up isn't done properly but houses are built then if people get cancer decades later, then the ones to blame are the Environment Agency, HSE and Rochdale Council but NOT Countryside Properties who are the ones to profit from any housing development?