Rochdale's Spodden Valley & Asbestos Threat

LAST Friday, the abandoned asbestos factory, formerly Turner Brothers, was set on fire in the early hours.  In tomorrows Rochdale Observer the head of planning on Rochdale Council said:  'The fire has now potentially made the site subject to action under thew Building Acts.'  It seems,according to Mr Rowlingson that because of the risk of asbestos polluting the surrounding area, the council 'could protect the building and could then seek to recover its costs from the owner.' 

The site is now owned by Renshaw Properties Ltd., a British Virgin Isles registered company, owned by two family trusts, for which the Jersey-based Hawksford acts as trustees.  The cost to clean up the site has been put at £17m.  

We are certainly missing Jason Addy now,  and his campaign organisation, the Spodden Valley group.  Mr. Addy who got married last year and moved to Clitheroe, had for over ten years led a campaign to clean up Spodden Valley where the Turners Brothers site is.