Estate worried about what’s next for ‘Rochdale’s Chernobyl’

Tearing down trees next to ‘Rochdale’s Chernobyl’ sparked fear back in 2004. Over two decades later, the same fear remains.

Hundreds of trees being felled next to the old asbestos factory run by Turner and Newall in May 2004 triggered a huge campaign against the area’s redevelopment. Since then three developers have come and gone – leaving the desolate site to become more derelict.

So when news of the latest development plans hit the estate off Brotherod Hall Road – it’s no surprise fear over felled trees being has reared its head yet again.

Now the site owners, Spodden Park Ltd, are wanting to redevelop the area. There are no official proposals lodged yet, but they have vowed to engage with locals on the future plans.

Martin Greenwood, whose house backs onto the greenery surrounding the Turner Brothers site, said: “The trees were stopped from being felled because it could bring up asbestos. Jason Addy and the campaigners got it stopped.

“Lots of people around here will give backlash if new plans come up. I don’t want it.

“A lot of people are coming to the estate and they have no idea of what’s happening there. If you dig it up, the dust will get out.

“It’s worrying if they’re going to start digging it back up again. It’s a good area to walk through currently.

“We’re just worried about it all. The older people locally who know more about it seem to have passed on. The man two doors down, Barry, swore it was because he worked at Turners that he got cancer. He died about 10 years ago.

“Lots of people have gone, I’m not saying it’s because of the asbestos though because I just don’t know.”

The Archivist for Spodden Valley Trust, Jason Addy, has long been involved in the campaign against development on the factory land. He has since moved away from the area, but recalled how trees being felled in the area sparked the campaign to life.

“It all started in May 2004 when contractors were brought in. They were taking down hundreds of trees.

“A lot of people locally were very angry about this going on behind the scenes. People were concerned about asbestos being uncovered.”

Jason explained the level of skepticism locally is understandable given how the asbestos scandal was hidden for so long. He even recalled how the former councillor Tom Stott, who recently died, was a fierce campaigner despite being told to ‘keep his gob shut’ by a previous local authority regime.

The derelict ruin that sits on the side of the River Spodden has been abandoned since its closure amid the global asbestos scandal decades ago. In its heyday, the crumbling 75 acre site employed thousands of people in Rochdale.

The abandoned factory is thought to be highly contaminated land given its long association with asbestos production.

The creation of asbestos products began on the site in 1879, and by 1970 the factory was estimated to have an annual output of around 2,250,000 yards of cloth and 5,500,000 miles of yarn – all made from asbestos.

Asbestos is a group of six naturally occurring, fibrous minerals that were once widely used in various products due to their resistance to heat, fire, and chemicals. The substance is now known to be a carcinogen, and exposure to asbestos fibres can lead to serious health problems, including mesothelioma and lung cancer.

The factory site off Spod Road has long been eyed up for housing, but nothing has ever materialised. Locally the idea of a new development actually going ahead has been met with scepticism.

Janet Harwood, who lives off Brotherod Hall Road (backing on to Spodden Park) said: “I have concerns about it. We used to walk the dogs through the back, but they then fenced it all off saying it had asbestos about 15-20 years ago.

“It’s by that point where we go through the ginnel you can cross and go through the stream. I don’t go across the stream – it’s because asbestos is still there.

“I’ve got family directly affected so I don’t want to get my kids through there. It’s a massive concern, they need to investigate properly before they start doing anything.

“It’s an eyesore. But I’d rather have an eyesore and it be safe than them digging it all up.”

Just a few doors down from Janet is Ali. He’s aware of tests being conducted just behind his home in years gone by, but he’s not worried about any development because so many have come and gone.

“If they say it’s alright then I think that’s okay,” the 40-year-old said. “Hopefully they’ll do tests before it starts. If it brings up things it shouldn’t go ahead.

“I’ve been here 13 years and it’s been abandoned since I’ve known it. They did some tests behind my house a few years ago to check for asbestos levels, but they said it was all good.

“I’m not worried at the minute, but if they actually start I’ll keep an eye out. I can understand people’s worries but we’ve not got to that yet.”

Brian, 50, has lived on the estate to the west of the abandoned factory since 2009. He explained that many younger people moving to the area aren’t even aware of the Turner Brother’s site, hiding behind a mesh of trees and shrubbery off Rooley Moor Road.

“The council did asbestos checks already,” Brian added. “It’s not a concern for me, but for those that want to live there. It’s potentially toxic.

“Lots of people have been moving in and out. It’s not affecting me, but for people wanting to buy it could be an issue. Imagine buying your house there and not knowing what’s gone on there.”

Unlike the younger people moving into the area, many of the older generation are cursed with knowledge.

John Hainsworth has lived in and around Spotland all his life. Speaking previously to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, he recalled watching the thousands of factory workers trudging down to Turners and back daily – usually covered in white asbestos dust.

Denise, John’s wife, described the area like a winter wonderland in its heyday because of the sheer abundance of the deadly white dust. The married couple described the dilapidated site as an eyesore now, which is becoming more and more dangerous – referencing two fires there in the last decade.

“It is a ticking time bomb,” John told the LDRS back in September. “I remember when I was a child we used to walk from around here, through Turners to St Wilfred’s School.

“There were about six of us there used to be but two of the lads have died with asbestos related illnesses, but none of us worked there. I’m worried because it’s there.

“The dust used to be hanging off the trees, we used to call it winter wonderland.”

Sources from within Rochdale council believe the future redevelopment would include hundreds of new houses as well as some form of green space. But nothing has been confirmed by Spodden Park Ltd.

There have been long periods of uncertainty surrounding ‘Rochdale’s Chernobyl’, starting back in 2004 when controversial plans to build 650 homes, a children’s daycare centre and a business park on the land, were tabled. The proposals were eventually thrown out by Rochdale council in 2011.

The next hope of development came through ESG in 2021 – which ended in disappointment.

Planning permission was refused after MMC Estates failed to carry out a £500,000 investigation into contamination on the site. A few years later, in 2014, a fire ravaged a section of the factory buildings.

Now Spodden Park Ltd are next in line to put forward their vision for the future of what is a hotly anticipated project. Before any building work could start, they would need to remediate the land and be granted planning permission by Rochdale Borough Council.

A spokesperson for Spodden Park Ltd said: “Our intention is to consult early next year once we have a better understanding of the site. There are a lot of surveys being done and these will inform the plans for the site.

“We have been sending out monthly emails to keep local residents, who have signed up, up to date with what is happening on site. Residents can sign up at spoddenpark.uk.”