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Asbestos protest letters swamp town planners

Bethan Dorsett
18/ 2/2005

OVER 1,000 people have written to Rochdale Council to protest against controversial development plans for the old Turner's site.

Planning officers say they are dealing with a huge influx of letters, comparable only to objections they received about the proposed Scout Moor windfarm.

Most people against the 650-house development, on what was once the largest asbestos manufacturing site in the world, are concerned about the possible disturbance of potentially-lethal fibres.

Senior planning chief, Ken Smith, said: "We have had applications where there have been a lot of objections, but this is definitely one of the bigger ones.

"The concern about contamination is also one of our issues."

He said officials would continue to take further letters into account, even though the official objection period had ended.

Residents, he warned, will have to wait months until the planning application by Countryside Properties goes before councillors, because the council is calling in independent health experts.

Councillor Elwyn Watkins, a member of a working party set up by the council to monitor the application, says the response shows how concerned residents are, especially since the developers admitted there was exposed asbestos on the site earlier this month.

"This is an issue we expect will grow even further, especially when more and more people hear about the plans," he said.

Meanwhile, over 120 residents showed their support for the Save Spodden Valley campaign at a fund-raising evening at Spotland Reform Club on Saturday when spokesman Jason Addy said: "This campaign has received support from experts throughout the UK, Europe and North America.

"These experts say investigating all the facts about the former asbestos factory may be the only way to keep our community safe."