Asbestos testing to start at Turners
ASBESTOS testing is to begin at the former Turner Brothers site.
Council bosses are to take air samples in a bid to understand if the land at the site of what was once the world’s largest asbestos factory poses a risk.
They have commissioned a specialist firm to take samples from the perimeter of the Rooley Moor Road site, to determine if levels of the deadly material are ‘within expected parameters’.
The council says that although it has no obligation to carry out the tests, it wants to help provide reassurance for people living in the area.
It won’t reveal the cost of the work, but says it will pick up the full bill.
The work will be carried out by Didsbury-based firm Bureau Veritas, which
Campaigner Mick Coates (inset) welcomes the tests on the former Turners site but hopes it doesn’t open the door to houses being built there will install monitoring equipment in four secure locations, including in residents’ gardens, which will be able to provide readings for the entire site.
There will also be a unit installed on the roof of the council’s headquarters at Number One Riverside in the town centre, to provide control readings for comparison.
Five samples will be taken every month until next August to measure the number of asbestos fibres.
Councillors will be briefed on the testing at the next Rochdale Town- ship committee meeting on Wednesday night.
A report due to go before the committee states: “The TBA site has been of longrunning concern for the local communities which surround it.
“The council has always sought to work with the landowners’ representa- tives (UK Land and Property) for the safe management of the site, now and in the future.
“This requires appropriate dialogue with UKLPR to ensure that any risks arising from the site are kept to a minimum; for instance, appropriate site security is to be maintained.”
Green Party member and Turners campaigner Mick Coates, of Rooley Moor Road, says he hopes the tests do not open the door to houses eventually being built on the site.
He says he believes that the best use for the land would be to turn it into a country park, and called on Rochdale Council to ensure the owners took more responsibilty.
He added: “It’s a good thing that they are testing it, but the council needs to make sure the owners take full moral and financial responsibility, for the sake of the health of people living in the area.”