Diggle News has now become part of inSaddleworth
We’ve still got all the same Diggle News stories, all the great photos, but now also have all the extra features of inSaddleworth like Notices, News, Business Directory, Events and Galleries
The New Saddleworth School – Public drop-in event to take place over the Christmas break
Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council have confirmed that they are going to hold a drop in event at Kiln Green Church, Diggle on Thursday 10th December from 3pm – 7.30pm to allow the public to view the latest plans for the highways scheme for Saddleworth School. Assuming there are no unexpected surprises during the final stages of developing the environmental statement, the statutory consultation is expected to run for 21 days starting during the week commencing 21st December.
The timing is somewhat surprising given that Oldham Borough Councillor, David Hibbert, recently said, “The timing of the 21-day public consultation will be managed to ensure the Christmas break does not impact on the public’s ability to comment.”
Cllr Hibbert recently approved the designs and it is intended that the planning application be submitted before Christmas along with the demolition application alongside a single environmental statement that will cover :
- Build the new school on the WH Shaw Pallets site in Diggle:
- The highways works
- The demolition of the building on the pallet site:
- Demolition of the link bridge attached to the Grade II listed building;
The proposed design for the highways works includes changes to the carriageway and footpaths, car parking at the rear of 20-44 Huddersfield Road (for their own use), a drop off area plus additional car parking for use by other residents. The outlined changes to the highway are expected to be in-line with the single environmental statement. Comprehensive details and information regarding the above will be available at the drop-in event.
The drop in is an information event where the public can view the design prior to the submission of the planning application. Council Officers can respond to questions and explain why the design has considerably changed since the public consultation held in May/June this year.
The statutory consultation for the design will follow on or around the 21st December and the public can submit, over the Christmas break, their comments through the formal process.
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Opening date revealed for new Exchange Square Metrolink
The new city centre Exchange Square tram stop is set to open on Sunday 6 December, transport leaders announced today.
The opening date – subject to successful completion of testing and commissioning work in the coming days – is a boost for the busy city centre shopping and leisure district in the run up to Christmas.
It will also mark a major milestone for the transformational Second City Crossing, a new tram line through the heart of the city due to fully open in 2017.
The striking island-style Exchange Square stop is in the heart of the busy shopping and leisure district, right outside the Manchester Arndale and near the Corn Exchange, Printworks and – during December – the Christmas Markets.
Services will initially run between Shaw and Crompton and Exchange Square via the brand new outbound Platform D, opening the same day at Victoria Station’s new-look Metrolink stop. Inbound trams from Oldham will continue to use Victoria stop Platform A.
Combined with the Rochdale via Oldham line service, the new line means a six-minute daytime service between Shaw and Crompton, Oldham and the city centre from Monday to Saturday, with a less frequent service on Sundays.
There are more than 800 FREE car parking spaces combined at Shaw & Crompton, Derker, Oldham Mumps and Hollinwood stops, giving Metrolink customers the chance to park and ride into the heart of the city to enjoy all the Christmas fun on offer.
There will be some changes to other Metrolink services from 6 December, although most are unaffected. Full service details are available online now at www.metrolink.co.uk or by calling Metrolink Customer Services on 0161 205 2000.
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) Metrolink Director, Peter Cushing, said: “We’ve pulled out all the stops to get the new line to Exchange Square up and running before Christmas, which will be great news for the city and particularly Rochdale via Oldham line customers.
“In the days ahead we’ll be in the last stages of an extensive testing and commissioning process to get the stop, surrounding roads and Metrolink drivers ready for services going live.
“Services to Exchange Square will also see us open a new platform at Victoria stop, meaning some changes for passengers and trams.
“Our customers’ safety is a priority and we’ll have staff at both stops in the first weeks of service to make sure that people are taking extra care and looking out for trams running in different areas than people are used to.
“While most Metrolink services will remain the same from 6 December, I’d advise all passengers to visit our website to see what the new Exchange Square stop opening will mean for them.”
The brand new Exchange Square stop and Second City Crossing is being delivered by TfGM and its delivery partners, WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff. The principal contractor is M-Pact Thales (MPT), a consortium consisting of Laing O’Rourke, VolkerRail and Thales, with RATP Dev Ltd responsible for operating the Metrolink network.
Like all Metrolink stops, Exchange Square will be fully accessible with ramped access, ticket machines, smart card readers, passenger emergency facilities and a PA system.
A clean, uncluttered design sees passenger information displays and seating integrated into polished concrete columns to give the stop a sleek look.
The stylish stop also boasts a striking coloured steel and glass canopy – with four ‘floating’ overlapping glazed roof panels.
TfGM and Manchester City Council worked with architects to ensure that the tram stop makes the most of limited space in Exchange Square while keeping plenty of room for pedestrians.
The new Second City Crossing line will start at St Peter’s Square and run down Princess Street, along Cross Street and Corporation Street, Exchange Square and into Manchester Victoria station.
As part of the Second City Crossing project the Deansgate-Castlefield stop has been completely transformed, and work is under way to build a brand new tram stop in St Peter’s Square, which is being relocated and expanded from two platforms to four.
The stop improvements at Exchange Square, Deansgate-Castlefield and Victoria have been made possible by a grant from the European Regional Development Fund.
The Second City Crossing is part of a co-ordinated three-year programme of works, known collectively as Grow, which will enable Manchester city centre to flourish for years to come.
Between now and 2017, the city centre will see more than £1bn of investment in projects to lay the foundations for continuing success by ‘future proofing’ the city’s transport infrastructure.
Also under the Grow umbrella are a series of major regeneration projects. Together they add up to a wave of investment unprecedented since the mid-1990s.
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Ashley Ashworth ‘Beyond the Green’
Ashley Ashworth invites you to explore his debut solo album ‘Beyond the Green’. A collection of 15 tracks encompassing 36 traditional tunes, predomintently of the Irish genre. The CD was backed by Alistair Russell on guitar. Alistair, of Glade Recordings, also mixed/mastered the mu-sic. The artwork was completed by Ashley’s wife, Laura. Available to purchase online through www.ashleyashworth.com or for digital download.
This album is the realisation of a lifelong dream of Ashley, who has dedicated much of his spare time since the age of 6 to learning to play the melodeon/button accordion. Ashley was born in Diggle and has spent his life surrounded by music; from the tunes of the Saddleworth Morris Men to the UK folk scene and local music sessions. Ashley began playing music professionally at the age of 12 and has never looked back. From playing with the Plain Brown Wrapper Band to forming The All New Wrapper Band and, more recently, the Ashley Ashworth Ceilidh Band, his music career has seen Ashley tour the UK and Brazil. Ashley also plays with many other bands on request.
Alistair Russell comes from North-East England. He has been singing and playing Scottish and Irish music, and his own songs, for over 30 years, chiefly as a member of Scotland’s legendary Battlefield Band from 1984 to 1997. He has 15 albums, 2 video releases and a tutor DVD to his name. He currently performs solo, with Chris Parkinson and with The Rogues, besides being active as a live and recording sound engineer/producer and tour manager.
‘Beyond the Green’ – AACD1501 an Ashley Ashworth Production
www.ashleyashworth.com info@ashleyashworth.com 01457874153
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Tribute to Oldham Mountain Rescue
Saddleworth Parish Council chairman, Cllr Neil Allsopp, pays tribute to to the dedication and service given to the people of Saddleworth by Oldham Mountain Rescue during the past 50 years.
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Saddleworth Players present: A Passionate Woman by Kay Mellor
A shattering secret changes family life forever in this funny and heartfelt comedy.
It is hard to say which is more remarkable, the play itself or the story behind it.
A Passionate Woman is the captivating tale of Betty’s loveless marriage, her “bit of a thing” with the Polish neighbour in the flat below, and the grief she kept secret for 30 years after he was shot dead.
But it is the “back story” that makes it even more poignant. Veteran TV writer Kay Mellor based it on a real-life story. When the play premiered at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in 1993, Mellor was questioned again and again at a Q&A session with the press. What was her inspiration for the tragic love story? And then her mother, who was present, stood up and shouted: “It was me!”
The play is set in the loft of a suburban Leeds house (Mellor lives in Leeds) on the morning of her son’s wedding. Betty is taking refuge. She is about to “lose” the second man in her life. So she absorbs herself with therapeutic tidying. And reminiscing. Craze, the lover she lost, is a memory and a ghost. Mark, the son she adores, the slightly Oedipus character, is about to start a new life with his bride. And Donald? Donald is simply the husband she never loved, nor shared any passion with.Much of the first act is Betty’s monologue, lamenting a life punctuated by rare moments of excitement, such as the opening of a new Asda on the ring road. And her relationship with Mark.
Much of the second act is about Mark’s relationship with his dad – or the lack of one.
Betty is matter-of-fact as in the face of life-changing revelations. Her life may have been wasted, she reasons, but there is still time to rekindle passions.
The small cast – Sue Radcliffe ( who directed Filomena) as Betty, Dominic Peberdy as Mark, Shane Barry as the sharp-suited Craze, Jon Comyn Platt as Donald and the brief cameo role of the bride Jo, shared by Lucinda Mann and Emma Sykes – all work well under Melvyn Bates’ direction.
Do not imagine for a moment that the play is bleak despite the storyline. It is quite the opposite – marvellously upbeat and life-affirming, beautifully executed as comedy and tragedy at the same time.
The end of the play is as unexpected as it is brilliant. Unless of course you saw it on television.
To book tickets follow the link: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/millgateartscentre
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Diggle’s Christmas Lights Switch-On
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Winter Art Exhibition 2015
Acrylic and Charcoal. (Untitled). Stephen Stringer
Alan Willows
Saddleworth Group of Artists present their Annual Winter Art Exhibition 2015
from Saturday 28th November 2015 to Saturday 9th January 2016.
The Saddleworth Group of Artists have a new venue for their Winter Exhibition this year. They will be showing The exhibition opens daily 9.15am to 5.00pm
Well established local artists will be exhibiting their work. Always a popular show, especially in the run up to Christmas, the exhibition will be comprised of around fifty works, with styles ranging from photo realism to expressionistic. Most paintings will be on sale.
Winter Snow, Strinesdale Lodge Acrylic and Charcoal on paper A2 by Stephen Stringer
The group, founded in 1950 by water colourist Ellis Shaw and friends, is currently comprised of approximately sixty enthusiastic members. Some are full time professionals but all are seriously committed to their work. The SGA is a dynamic organisation, full of ideas to encourage interest and bring art to the public view. The group welcomes applications for membership or offers of new exhibition spaces.
For more information about the Group and its individual artists contact the secretary on 01457 875718 or president on 01457 876716 or alternatively visit our website – www.saddleworthartists.co.uk
Pastel drawing by Gill Lees
Call in and take a look at the reclaimed furniture, enjoy a freshly made sandwich or scone and possibly find that very special and unique Christmas present amongst the art works on display.
Alan Willows
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Diggle Community Association Open Meeting
Christmas Lights Switch-On
Find your local Christmas Lights Switch-On
Grotton (Junction of Oldham Rd & Grotton Hollow)
Sunday 29 Nov – 6.30pm
Lydgate (The Crossroads of Oldham Road and Platting Road, Lydgate)
Thursday 3 Dec – 6:15pm
Greenfield (Intersection of bridleway with Chew Valley Road)
Friday 4 Dec – 6.30pm
Springhead (Junction of Ashbrook Rd & Oldham Rd)
Friday 4 Dec – 6.00pm
Uppermill (Uppermill Museum & Uppermill The Square)
Saturday 5 Dec – 4.00pm
Lees (Across from Legends Pub, Junction of St Johns Street & High St)
Saturday 5 Dec – 4.30pm
Delph (Outside The Swan Pub, King Street & Millgate Car Park)
Saturday 5 Dec – 5.30pm
Dobcross (Church Fields)
Saturday 5 Dec – 6pm
Denshaw (Huddersfield Road, Denshaw, outside Oddfellows)
Sunday 6 Dec – 6.00pm
Diggle (Diggle Band Club and Huddersfield Road opposite Wharf Mill)
Sunday 6th December – 3:30pm
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Saddleworth Remembers
Your Community Needs You
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) is calling on communities to be vigilant and take responsibility for their home’s security as part of a new burglary campaign.
‘Your community needs you’ asks the public to lock their windows and doors, look out for their neighbours and report suspicious activity in a bid to help drive down burglary as the nights get darker during the winter months. One in three burglaries happen to homes that are insecure and it is more important than ever that the public do everything in their power to warn off thieves.
Based on the famous World War One ‘Your Country Needs You’ poster, the campaign features GMP PCSOs pointing at the camera and asking the public to help them in their fight against crime.
Assistant Chief Constable Garry Shewan from Greater Manchester Police said: “It is no secret that the Force is currently going through some of the most challenging times. Burglary has a devastating effect on victims and we know that where burglaries do occur the impact on neighbours can be equally as bad. It is more important than ever for people to look out for each other.
“A great way to become active in your community is to join or set up a Neighbourhood Watch scheme. As well as encouraging a great sense of community pride and cohesion, it’s a great way of sharing information and deterring criminals from causing misery in your neighbourhood.”
Police are also encouraging the public to keep their homes safe this winter using simple security tips.
- Use mortice locks on external doors and consider using split spindle locks on front doors. Visit http://www.securedbydesign.com/aware/locks.aspx for more information
- Alarms and lights used in the right way can be a huge deterrent to burglars looking to target properties that have easy access. Police recommend using a quality household alarm that protects all external doors and downstairs rooms and should be used when leaving the house and going to bed.http://www.securedbydesign.com/aware/alarms.aspx
- Light timers should also be used if you are going to be out of the house when it is dark. Watch the light timer 60 second security video herehttp://www.securedbydesign.com/aware/security-hints-and-tips.pdf
- External security lighting, shed alarms, window shock alarms and door chimes can be used as an extra deterrent. For more home safety tips visitwww.gmp.police.uk/AlarmLocksLights.
For further information visit theNeighbourhood and Home Watch Schemes section of our website
To report suspicious behaviour in your area contact police on 101. Always call 999 in an emergency.Your
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Knifepoint Robbery in Dobcross
Police are hunting three men after a newspaper delivery driver was robbed at knifepoint in Saddleworth.
The 33-year-old man was unloading newspapers from his van at around 1.30am on Monday 12 October 2015, close to Fold News, Woods Lane in Dobcross.
As the van driver carried newspapers to the shop three men approached his van and, while two acted as look-outs, a third man entered his vehicle and stole a mobile phone from the front seat.
The victim noticed that the interior light in his vehicle had come on, prompting him to walk over to the van to investigate. As he did so, one of the offenders threatened him with a knife and demanded cash. The terrified 33-year-old handed over £140 and all three offenders ran off in an unknown direction.
Detective Constable Leigh Carnally said: “The victim is a hard-working father and family man who is simply trying to do his job. No one deserves to be put in this situation, and while he was thankfully uninjured it has surely caused some psychological damage due to the stress and terror of being threatened in this way.
“There are no CCTV cameras in the area, so we are reliant on anyone who was in the area at the time to come forward with any information they think could be useful. If you did see or hear anything, please get in touch.”
Anyone with information is asked to call 101 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
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Big Lad Visits Dove Stone
A heavy-weight with a difference set to visit Dove Stone this half-term
There’s plenty of work to be done at Dove Stone this October half-term and luckily, the RSPB will have a helping hand from a very special visitor – a heavy horse named Big Lad.
Thanks to the RSPB teaming up with Green Estate from Sheffield and welcoming their 10-year-old Clydesdale horse to help out on site, visitors can enjoy watching a heavy horse in action as part of a woodland demonstration day on Friday 30 October between 11 am-3 pm.
Visitors will be able to see the wardens and volunteers working in the woods near Ashway Gap, before watching Big Lad drag some of the timber up to the main path, where it will be removed and used for products such as fencing and benches. There will also be the chance for children to help to lead Big Lad along the main path at various times during the day for a £5 donation, alongside family-friendly activities to enjoy at Ashway Gap.
RSPB Visitor Experience Manager at Dove Stone, Miriam Biran, said: “This should be a really exciting day and a great opportunity to see traditional methods of woodland management in practice. Big Lad will be removing timber from an area which is difficult to access with a machine, so it’s wonderful to have his help and at around 6 feet tall, Big Lad will also be an impressive sight to see!
“The plantation that we are working on was planted some 30 years ago by United Utilities and has now reached maturity. Some of the conifers are being left in place, but the rest will be replaced with trees like oak, birch and rowan, to create a natural mixed woodland that will not only provide a wonderful home for nature, but a fantastic place for visitors to walk through.”
Miriam added: “We are excited to have this chance to work alongside Green Estate, a not for profit social enterprise who are working with communities to improve the environment in the Manor and Castle wards of Sheffield. We hope our visitors really enjoy the day, and especially seeing a heavy horse at work.”
Brett Nuttall, from Green Estate, said: “Big Lad really enjoys his work and is very friendly, so we are all looking forward to helping the RSPB
team at Dove Stone. Showing people how things were done in the past is becoming more important. It’s about keeping traditional skills alive, carrying out positive actions combined with seeing a working horse in the middle of the countryside is always inspiring and, importantly for the environment, has very little impact. We hope as many people as possible come and say hello to Big Lad – he is a fantastic horse and we are very proud of him.”
Big Lad will be at Dove Stone between 11 am-3 pm.
Dove Stone reservoir is owned by United Utilities and the water company works in partnership with the RSPB, who manage the estate. The partnership aims to encourage public access and recreation, while protecting water quality and wildlife for future generations.
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Carriageway Resurfacing in Uppermill
Information supplied by Oldham’s Highways relating to the proposed Programme and Traffic Management/Diversion plans for the carriageway resurfacing works at High Street Uppermill.
The reasons for the evening/night working are :
- To ensure that a bus service is maintained during the day. The long diversion which is needed to close High street Uppermill would mean that the bus service would be discontinued during the day, if the the works were carried out under normal working hours.
- Minimise the disruption to local business.
- Minimise the disruption to residents/commuters’.
- Due to the nature of the business on High street Uppermill, weekends and school holidays prove to be some of High streets busiest periods, therefore evening/night working Monday to Thursday should help to minimise some of the potential disruption to both business and residents.
Works are programmed to commence 19/10/2015 at 19:30, the working hours are expected to be 19:30 to 06:00 Monday to Thursday with no work being completed outside these hours. The carriageway will be made safe and re-opened to traffic at the end of each shift.
The works are to be completed using a road closure . The reason for the road closure is that the width of the road is too narrow for the safe use of traffic lights whilst carrying out the milling of the existing carriageway and laying the new surface, as you can see from the attached programme the works are split into 3 phases:
- Phase 1 from Bridge Street to New street – Start on Monday 19/10/2015 and last approx 4 Shifts until Thursday 22/10/2015 (Hrs of work 19:30-06:00).
- Phase 2 from New street to the entrance of Saddleworth school – Start on Monday 26/10/2015 and last approx 3 shifts until Wednesday 28/10/2015 (Hrs of work 19:30-23:00)
- Phase 3 from Saddleworth to Dobcross New road – Start Tuesday 27/10/2015 and last approx 3 shifts until Thursday 29/10/2015 (Hrs of work 19:30-06:00).
The reason for the phasing is to try and keep the noise disruption in the densely residential part of Uppermill (New street to the entrance of Saddleworth school) down to a minimum.
Hopefully if all goes well with no unexpected delays all works should be complete by Thursday 29/10/2015 weather permitting.
There will be a contractor agent and representative from Unity partnership on site to assist throughout the works.
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Saddleworth School Planning Process: Update
Oldham Council is issuing an update on the next steps in the planning process for the proposed new Saddleworth School.
A structured approach is being taken in order to ensure that the four planning applications related to this one project are considered as one scheme.
The project is made up of four separate applications which are to:
- A) Build the new school on the WH Shaw Pallets site in Diggle;
- B) Demolish existing buildings on the WH Shaw site;
- C) Demolish the link bridge attached to the Grade II listed building on the WH Shaw site;
- D) Provide a parental drop off area plus residential car parking as part of the wider highways scheme in Diggle.
A new Environmental Statement which covers the entire project is now being prepared to cover all four applications.
That means that a new 21-day statutory consultation will take place enabling the public to comment on the demolition, listed building and parental drop-off applications (B, C and D above).
Issuing the new Environmental Statement means the public will also be able to comment again on the school application (A) during that time. Any comments already received by the Planning Department will still be taken into consideration and do not need to be resubmitted.
Local residents in the vicinity of the WH Shaw site will receive a letter informing them when the new 21-day consultation starts. Oldham Council will also publicise this through local media and its other communications channels.
A public ‘drop in’ event is also planned to take place in Diggle in the coming weeks to discuss the proposed parental drop-off, residential car parking and associated highways scheme for the village.
Councillor Dave Hibbert, Cabinet Member for Housing, Planning and Transport, said: “Having four separate planning applications and separate consultations related to the proposed new Saddleworth School can make things seem complex.”
“We’ve advised the applicants that they need to treat these applications as a single project and have one comprehensive Environmental Statement.
“This means that both the planning department and the public can consider the potential impacts of these proposals as a whole. It will help to make the project and associated issues clearer – especially in terms of engagement with the public.
“The other important benefit of this approach is that it means all four planning applications can be considered together for final decisions at exactly the same time.
“We remain committed to getting as much feedback from residents as possible on all the issues related to these applications, so I would again urge anyone with interest in this project to take part and have your say during the forthcoming 21-day consultation period.”
The Environmental Statement is expected to be received in December. The timing of the 21-day public consultation will be managed to ensure the Christmas break does not impact on the public’s ability to comment.
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Related stories:
Attempted Robbery in Springhead
Police are investigating following an attempted robbery in Oldham.
At around 2.55am on Friday 18 September 2015, a taxi driver picked up four people outside Tesco, Greenfield in Saddleworth. They asked him to take them to High Street in Lees and as they got to Oldham Road, Springhead, one of them told him to stop the car.
When he did, all four got out and one of them threatened the driver with a kitchen knife. He demanded money but the victim was able to drive off.
It is believed the men ran off onto Ivy Green Way before going out of sight.
The man with the knife is described as being white, 5ft 7 – 5ft 8 tall, of slim build, stubble, thin long face, and had light coloured hair which was short all over. He wore a dark blue jumper, dark blue tracksuit bottoms and a black sleeveless bomber jacket with a thick collar and black trainers with three white stripes on the side.
The front seat passenger is described as being white, in his late teens, 5ft 8in tall, of medium build with broad shoulders, wore a green sweat shirt, blue jeans and white trainers.
Detective Constable Adam Frank said: “Thankfully, the victim had his car in gear and was able to drive off before he was harmed. Although we do not know what two of the men looked like, we do have very detailed descriptions of the front seat passenger who wanted the car stopped and the man who was holding the knife.
“I would appeal to anyone who may have witnessed these men running across Oldham Road, onto Ivy Green Way to call us as soon as possible.”
Anyone with information should phone police on 0161 856 8850 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
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Superfast Broadband comes to Diggle
As you may be aware Oldham Council has recently invested £369,000 into a Greater Manchester scheme run in partnership with BT towards the roll out of super-fast broadband to parts of the Borough which wouldn’t otherwise have benefited.
Just check if your property is able to receive the new service by getting in touch with your existing provider or go to https://www.get-digital-faster.info/check-availability to see if you can upgrade.
If you are a business in Diggle there is still an opportunity to obtain a grant of up to £3,000 to upgrade to the faster, better broadband.
A superfast internet connection makes your organisation more efficient, cheaper to run, and easier to develop. Benefits to your business as a result of faster, better broadband include:
•Growing and accessing new markets through better communication with customers and suppliers
•Increasing security through fast secure back-up of data
•Increasing productivity and improving customer service through faster upload and download speeds
Upgrading your broadband will also help to future-proof your business for the digital challenges of tomorrow – but hurry, the fund is running out and as soon as it’s gone, it’s gone.
For more information and to apply for a grant, visit the Greater Manchester Connection Voucher Scheme webpage https://www.connectionvouchers.co.uk/city/manchester/
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Digg-Fest 2015
Diggle Band Contest Committee AGM
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More questions than answers at Dobcross meeting
Ken Bennett introducing the panel local residents (Photo:©2015Stuart Coleman)
Many questions were left unanswered regarding traffic concerns in Dobcross following the public meeting at Dobcross Band Club on Monday 28th July.
The meeting organised by the Dobcross Village Community Association (DVC) and chaired by local journalist and DVC member, Ken Bennett, explored concerns about increased traffic problems in and around the village.
A panel of local politicians and council officers including: Debbie Abrahams, MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth; Paul Groves, Principal Engineer with Unity Partnership; Cllr David Hibbert, cabinet member housing, planning and highways and Michelle Carr, assistant executive director, fielded questions from over eighty local residents about a wide range of issues from parking, safety and speed to the potential impact on the village’s roads and footpaths from the possible relocation of Saddleworth School to Diggle.
Unable to answer and address many of the public’s questions, the panel promised to take resident’s concerns into account. Cllr Hibbert said, “Local knowledge is important and I understand residents fears and frustrations as they are the same across the borough.”
Although not on the original meeting agenda many Dobcross residents emphasised strongly that the school move to Diggle was a mistake and would ultimately compound the traffic problem in Dobcross. A Dobcross resident also asked why a petition of 3000 signatures was ignored by Oldham Council.
A local resident pointed out that Dobcross is a special case in that it has narrow roads with few footpaths. Buses, cars and pedestrians compete for limited space and this space is decreasing year on year.
Debbie Abrahams MP said, “We need to make sure residents needs and concerns are listened to and ensure that what we provide reflects those needs. It’s important to treasure this beautiful village and after recently walking through I accept that it’s difficult. One reality is, we want a 21st century lifestyle and that involves the use of the car. We have to look closely at the transport alternatives and respond with active transport policies. Your opinions are important and we have to be a listening council.”
Cllr Mike Buckley said, “I am concerned about the potential damage to the character of the village and the impact of increased traffic resulting from proposed highway changes. The current proposals have the potential to turn Dobcross into a ‘rat run’.”
Michelle Carr said, “We have taken onboard comments from residents and councillors and we will be working to ensure Dobcross does not become a ‘rat run’. We’re here to listen to residents and will add your ideas and comments to the development of the highway. ”
Cllr Keith Lucas and Councillor Rob Knotts both pointed out that there needs to be an infrastructure that can cope with the demands of the 21st century and that this should have been considered before a site for the school was chosen. If the school was to remain in Uppermill, the problems facing Dobcross would be less complex.”
Cllr Garth Harkness said that, “[in relation to traffic management], it would be important to enforce traffic controls such
Packed room at Dobcross Band Club (Photo:©2015Stuart Coleman)
as speed limits and solutions to parking problems on Dobcross New Road would have to be identified.”
When asked, by a Dobcross resident, “Can the panel be confident that you will be able to deliver a safe appropriate scheme?” Cllr Hibbert responded by saying, “We can’t please everybody but we will work for the best possible outcome.”
Michelle Carr closed the meeting by saying that the highway proposals and the Saddleworth School planning application, when available, will go on to a public portal on Oldham Council’s website where members of the public will be able to comment and add their views. There will also be another public consultation at that point.
When the above information is available, it will be published by local community associations and through all local news outlets.
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Related stories:
The fight will continue say Saddleworth residents
The New Saddleworth School – Public drop-in event to take place over the Christmas break
OMBC struggle to deal with questions about the new Saddleworth School
Major sewer upgrade in Uppermill expected to cause serious disruption
Public storm out of Parish Council Meeting