The derelict asbestos factory in Rochdale will soon be cleaned up, which is a major milestone in the path towards redevelopment, according to the landowners.
Decaying, dangerous and eerie are all words that would accurately describe the former Turner Brothers factory in the Spotland area of Rochdale. It used to be the world’s largest asbestos manufacturer and once employed thousands in the town, but it has sat empty for decades.
It is off-limits to the public and only foolhardy ‘urban explorers’ dare trespass onto the site nicknamed ‘Rochdale’s Chernobyl’.
Long-held ambition for redevelopment
Locally, there has been a long held ambition to see the site bulldozed and brought back into use for the good of the community. Creating a park, to seamlessly blend with the surrounding greenery, is the popular option for locals.
But the numerous redevelopment schemes have all included housing as well as various ideas for public open spaces. After a number of failed attempts at redevelopment, Spodden Park Ltd are the latest to try their hand at bringing the 75-acre site back into use.
Although their future vision for the area off Spod Road has not been revealed, it is understood there is an ambition to build housing and create a park in some capacity. No details have been confirmed by the landowner, but they have outlined that the number of houses planned would be far fewer than the 650 previously touted in the 2000s.
Remediation partner signed
Spodden Park Limited took control of the site from ESG Trading Limited in 2024, but they’ve been slow to table their vision. They’ve previously explained that this is because they want to do things as safely as possible. This is understandable considering the carcinogenic nature of the asbestos previously produced on site.
Their latest announcement has been to sign a contractor to deliver the clean up of the site - remediation. It is understood that once this is completed, the former asbestos production site will actually become viable for development.
When the Manchester Evening News toured the site last year, the foliage at head height was hard to ignore, as was the level of deterioration of the old factory buildings themselves. It is unknown what the remediation work will actually entail, but some level of demolition work could be included as part of it.
The update from Spodden Park read: “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 partnership marks an important milestone towards the safe clean-up of the site.
“We will share further details in due course and will continue to engage with the local community before any site activity takes place.
“We are aware of vegetation growth and dead trees along the stretch of Rooley Moor Road adjacent to the site. As such, we have appointed a contractor to clear this foliage and remove branches overhanging the pavements and highway.
“These works are scheduled to take place in October. We apologise for any inconvenience caused during this period.
“Now that Autumn has arrived, falling leaves and increasingly adverse weather conditions may make ground conditions more unpredictable and hazardous. We ask that all users of the Woodland Road public right of way take extra care and remain on the designated path.”
History of failed plans and ongoing trespass
There have been long periods of uncertainty surrounding the redevelopment of ‘Rochdale’s Chernobyl’. This started back in 2004 when controversial plans to build 650 homes, a children's daycare centre and a business park on the land, were tabled. Those 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.
Now Spodden Park Ltd are next in line to put forward their vision, but they’ve remained tight-lipped on those plans.
In the meantime, the landowners continue to monitor security at the site as trespassers are still proving troublesome, particularly during school holidays. Some see the area as a playground for exploration in spite of the hazardous substances once produced on the site. According to experts, asbestos fibres in the ruinous buildings still pose a threat to those who enter ‘Rochdale’s Chernobyl’.
Higher rates of trespassers were reported by site owners during school holidays last year and continued into autumn. They said security was alerted of trespassers more than 100 times during October 2025.
The number of breaches per month was estimated to be between 30 and 60, with intrusions up by 25 per cent during school holidays. Locals have even spotted children playing in the River Spodden, which flows through the factory site itself.
Spodden Park Limited have repeatedly issued warnings to locals not to trespass on the site and have threatened taking legal action against those that continue to do so. They previously stated that there is a risk of collapse both outside and inside the decaying buildings.
The site owners even produced a factsheet that described how breathing in asbestos fibres can mean they stay in there for life, potentially leading to asbestosis. Asbestos fibres can also get stuck on clothes and pose a risk to family members who breathe them in later on.
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.
