Danger: there is a potential risk of asbestos exposure if you enter the former Turner Brothers factory. Please do not trespass.
WELCOME
TO SPODDEN PARK
A new chapter for this area, with safety at its heart.
The former Turner Brothers asbestos factory site has a complex history, and we know how important it is to handle its future with openness and responsibility. Safely remediating the site is very important to us, and future plans will be shaped around protecting the wellbeing of the existing community.
While we carry out the technical work needed to better understand the site and its potential, we’ll keep this page up to date with the latest news and activities. If you want to be the first to know you can subscribe to our mailing list. In the months ahead, we’ll be sharing more details and inviting your feedback, so that local voices shape what comes next.
From the late 1800s, the Spodden Valley has had a rich industrial history. Asbestos was first manufactured on the site in 1879. The plant closed down following the nationwide asbestos ban and the owners were forced into bankruptcy due to legal cases related to the dangerous nature of working with asbestos.
In the years since the closure, the area has been suggested as a site for redevelopment, but the costs of remediation has kept many away from the site. It has since fallen into disrepair and has gathered the attention of those wanting to explore the site, despite the danger.
We are planning a redevelopment of this area, ensuring that safety is maintained throughout our work. We intend to demolish the existing buildings, in line with safety standards, to ensure the local area is not further contaminated. In the near future, we will share more details about what we will propose for the redevelopment. You will have an opportunity to view the details and provide feedback during this future consultation.
The first step in this process is to clean up the site and remediate the land. We have been busy conducting surveys on site, fixing breaches in the perimeter fence, and clearing up the surrounding public footpaths to make them safe to use again.
WELCOME TO SPODDEN PARK September 2026 Update Back to main site 30th September 2026 Building on our commitment to the site, we are pleased to announce that we have signed an agreement with a remediation partner, who are specialists in cleaning up sites like Spodden Park ahead of redevelopment. This
WELCOME TO SPODDEN PARK August 2026 Update Back to main site 31st August 2026 As the summer holidays come to an end, we hope that trespassing incidents will reduce. However, we encourage parents, carers, and those who work with children, to continue reminding them of the significant dangers of asbestos,
WELCOME TO SPODDEN PARK July 2026 Update Back to main site 31st July 2026 Now that we are in the school summer holidays, we anticipate there may be an increase in trespassing activity during this period. The site is dangerous, and breaking and entering is a crime. We encourage those
WELCOME TO SPODDEN PARK June 2026 Update Back to main site 30th June 2026 With the summer holidays approaching, we are anticipating an increase in trespassing on the site. A significant proportion of these will be local teenagers. If you have or work with children, we would appreciate it if
WELCOME TO SPODDEN PARK May 2026 Update Back to main site 29th May 2026 We are continuing to monitor the site, undertake surveys, and working with our security services to keep the site safe and secure. We again urge the local community and any visitors to the area to keep out of the site and to not breach the
WELCOME TO SPODDEN PARK April 2026 Update Back to main site 30th April 2026 On-site surveys have continued throughout April, examining the building structures and the extent of asbestos contamination within and around buildings. These surveys are all important steps in allowing us to plan effective and safe remediation of
This timeline sets out our anticipated next steps for Spodden Park.
Progress has been made securing the perimeter of the site and cleaning up the public footpaths around the site.
We are reviewing the output of all surveys to date, to better understand what will be feasible on site.
The invasive plant species are in their final treatment phase and should soon be eradicated.
We are continuing to fix breaches to the perimeter fence and to tackle the illegal fly-tipping in the area.
Our remediation experts will continue to assess the site, to form a careful plan of action to safely clear the site.
The end of October will see our ecology consultants undertaking further bat surveys.
We will host a public consultation where we will present information about the site and ask for your feedback.
We will feedback the findings of the public consultation and communicate next steps.
The below handout is a downloadable resource for schools and youth groups to help raise awareness of the risk of tresspassing on the site of the former Turner & Newall Factory.
The site contains the former Turner Brothers asbestos factory in the Spodden Valley, Rochdale.
If you have any questions or would like to stay updated with the scheme, please contact us via the form below.
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