Derelict & Dangerous : Open Letter to Rochdale Council

8 April 2016

Following the recent Panama Papers revelations it is essential that Rochdale council is completely transparent in its dealings with the owners of the 100 acre asbestos site that was once Turner & Newall (Asbestos). The site is currently owned by Renshaw Properties Limited, a British Virgin Isles registered company, owned by two private family trusts, for which Jersey-based Hawksford acts as trustees. These facts alone indicate that the owners of the site only have profit at the top of their agenda, and that they are NOT concerned with the health and welfare of the residents of Rochdale.

Rochdale council have also failed to act in the interests of its residents. The asbestos-ridden site has now been derelict & dangerous since 2004.

2004 – Urban Village plan presented – The developers LIE about the level of asbestos contamination.

2006 - Atkins Global report (which confirms the site is highly contaminated with Toxic levels of asbestos) costing approximately £80,000 paid for by Rochdale council is not in Rochdale central Library & not in the public domain – even though it has been paid for by our local taxes.

2011 – Urban Village / Housing plans officially rejected by Rochdale council

February 2013 – Following a fire which badly damaged all three storeys of the huge complex, Rochdale council have failed to enforce a safe demolition of the buildings nor have they demanded the alternative option of a forced auction of the site.

September 2015 - The Council 'promises' to commission a company to undertake a sampling exercise around the perimeter of the site to gather data on whether asbestos levels in the air are within expected parameters. Monitoring equipment will be placed at four carefully selected, secure locations that will cover the full circumference of the site. The roof of Number One Riverside may be used as an additional ‘control’ unit. The exercise is due to run for approximately twelve months.

At each and every local election the Labour run council promise to sort out this problem but after each and every election the problem is kicked into the long grass. Secrecy & obfuscation by both the owners and Rochdale council have become the hallmark this failed 100 acre regeneration project.

 

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