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'MORE SUPPORT FOR THE SPODDEN VALLEY'
14th February 2005
Over 120 people braved a windy Saturday night to attend a packed out
fundraising evening for Save Spodden Valley. Guests from as far a field as
Cheshire came to Spotland Reform Club to hear news that Rochdale Planning
Department has already received over 1000 individual letters of objection to
the plans to build 650 homes and a children's nursery on the site of what
was the world's largest asbestos textile factory.
Councillors from all parties attended the event, including Leader of the
Council Cllr. Paul Rowen, Cllr. Elwyn Watkins, Cllr. Tom Stott and Cllr. Ann
Metcalf. Jim Dobbin MP donated a bottle of House of Commons whisky as an
auction item.
The hall was filled with photographs of recent events in the Spodden Valley
including the Children's march to Rochdale Council Planning Department.
Other photographs showed the decontamination work currently being done that
is removing piles of exposed asbestos from upturned tree roots in woodland
owned by MMC Developments Ltd and offshore-based company Rathbone Jersey
Ltd.
This asbestos removal work is occurring about 100 metres from where national
house building company Countryside Properties PLC have applied to build a
housing development. A Countryside Properties PLC spokesman stated on
national radio last month that local people were “wrong” to say that
asbestos was exposed on the site.
Speaking at last Saturday's event, Jason Addy from Save Spodden Valley
thanked the audience for their support. He explained how experts in health &
safety, contaminated land, asbestos, wildlife and planning matters have all
volunteered their help in researching and publishing technical papers
objecting to the proposed development:
“This is a campaign that has received support from experts throughout the
UK, Europe, Australasia and North America. These experts say that
investigating all the facts about the former asbestos factory site may be
the only way to keep our community safe”.
Spodden Valley campaigner and auctioneer for the night, Al Somerville,
summed up the evening:
“The event was a fantastic success. A big thank you to everybody who
attended and have put in so much hard work and time to raise awareness
about this planning application. It is incredible to see the depth of feeling
this campaign is raising”.
Mr Somerville, a retired telephone engineer, was one of the speakers from
Save Spodden Valley that met up with representatives of the Communication
Workers Union (CWU) in Preston last week. Questions about the controversial
planning application and implications for communication workers are now
being asked at national level.
STATEMENT ENDS
Communication Workers Union website:
http://www.unionsafety.co.uk/SaveSpoddenValley.htm
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