Browse Sections
Interactive
Popular Sections
Breezy with rainNews
| 
Submit Comments
Public to pick up £50,000 bill
Bethan Dorsett14/ 2/2006
COUNCIL tax payers are likely to foot the £50,000 bill for a survey into the potential health risks of any development on the old Turner Brothers site.
The six-month survey, which was requested by Rochdale's director of public health Dr Sheila Will, is expected to investigate what risk, if any, there is of contamination on the site.
Rochdale Council is already spending £80,000 on an independent survey into the issue of asbestos contamination on the site, where developers want to build 600 houses.
Members of a working party, made up of councillors to look into residents' concerns, are calling on the two companies behind the application to pay for the survey.
Councillor Ann Metcalfe said: "They should pay for the report without question - they know about the implications of any development on that site.
"It is extremely annoying that the council looks likely to have to pay for it.
"But the stakes are high on any development so we have to give the public peace of mind."
Councillor Elwyn Watkins said: "The safety of residents does come first.
"But I am calling on these developers to pay at least half of the cost of the assessment.
"While they have paid just £5,000 for this application to be processed, the public could end up having to pay £130,000.
"It is ridiculous."
Head of planning Ken Smith said the cost of the health impact assessment was set to be £50,000, although a decision had to be made as to who would fund the survey.
He suggested this would be either the council or the Primary Care Trust, but said the council would be contacting the developers.
Both MMC Developments and Countryside Properties declined to comment.
Most recent 2 of 5 user comments
22/02/2006 at 20:43
Got an opinion you want to share?Have changes to the service meant that you now see your dentist less regularly?
| Card | BT Fee |
| Capital One BT Platinum Card | 3.0% |
| Virgin Credit Card | 2.98% |
| Capital One Platinum | 3.0% |
| Barclaycard Platinum 'As on TV' | 2.9% |
| Barclaycard OnePulse For London | 2.9% |
| Company | Typical APR |
| FirstPlus Exclusive Rate | 6.6% |
| Moneyback Bank | 7.6% |
| Alliance & Leicester | 7.7% |
| Barclaycard Personal Loan | 7.8% |
| Halifax (Semi-exclusive) | 7.8% |
| Bank of Scotland (Semi-exclusive) | 7.8% |
| Barclays | 8.9% |
| Provider | AER* |
|
BRADFORD & BINGLEY Internet Saver 3 |
6.51% |
|
CAPITAL ONE SAVINGS Easy Access Savings Account (Issue 5) |
6.50% |
|
ICESAVE Easy Access Account |
6.30% |
|
ICICI BANK HiSAVE Savings Account |
6.16% |
|
SAINSBURYS FINANCE internet saver |
5.50% |
If you answered "yes" to any of these questions I would love to hear from you! I am a student at the University of Manchester and I am working on a history project about the dangers of asbestos and how informed employees were.
Please include the dates within which you or your relative worked with asbestos, and send your story, however big or small, to:
gemma_bowker@hotmail.com
or
Gemma Bowker C/o Dr Carsten Timmermann Centre for the History of Science, Technology and Medicine Simon Building, Brunswick Street University of Manchester M13 9PL
Thank you. Your story is much appreciated.
Gemma Bowker
4/04/2006 at 12:36