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 February 2026 Update Back to main site 26th February 2026 We are aware that illegal flying tipping has continued around the vicinity of the site, including the steps which are outside of our land boundary. We are actively managing this to clean up the area. This amount of unlawful waste disposal
WELCOME TO SPODDEN PARK December 2025 Update Back to main site 22nd December 2025 During December, we have been completing the habitat assessments, bat monitoring and bat activity assessments. These will allow us to progress our work into the new year. Thank you for your interest in the site over the past
WELCOME TO SPODDEN PARK November 2025 Update 28th November 2025 This month, our ecology consultants have been busy continuing to undertake seasonal surveys. We have also undertaken GPS drone surveys of the property, recording the topography and boundary conditions. All of this data gathering will help inform next steps for
WELCOME TO SPODDEN PARK Storm Claudia Update 19th November 2025 During the recent storm, the buildings on our site sustained significant wind damage, with a number of metal cladding sheets being blown off some of the buildings. We would like to reassure you that we will be on site
WELCOME TO SPODDEN PARK October 2025 Update 31st October 2025 We are aware that illegal flying tipping has continued, and we are actively managing this to clean up the area. We have also continued to make weekly visits to make repairs to the perimeter fence. We will continue to monitor
WELCOME TO SPODDEN PARK September 2025 Update 24th September 2025 Throughout September, we have been making more progress on site. We have continued to visit weekly to make repairs to the perimeter fence. Although breaches continue to be made, we have seen a drop-off in this activity since the end 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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