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Residents come out fighting over plans
Frank Wood27/ 7/2005
DEPUTY Prime Minister John Prescott is being urged NOT to change his mind about a company expansion which could have brought new jobs to Heap Bridge.
The call has come from nearby residents who say they don't want car and home-care products firm Tetrosyl to grow there.
After a public inquiry, Mr Prescott rejected Tetrosyl plans to sell part of its Bury HQ site for housing and invest some of the cash in new offices at Bury and the rest in an expansion of its manufacturing plant at Bridge Hall Lane, Heap Bridge.
Confederation of British Industry chief Sir Digby Jones visited a fortnight ago and said Mr Prescott's decision "beggars belief". He claimed no local residents had raised objections.
But now, neighbours in Timberhurst, a close of private houses off Bridge Hall Lane, are writing to Mr Prescott urging him not to take notice of the CBI man. They have drawn up a petition containing the names of all the residents.
Debbie Ogden, who has lived in Timberhurst for five years, said: "The reason we didn't oppose this is because we didn't know anything about it. But now we are prepared to fight."
She claimed that since Tetrosyl moved into part of the former Transparent Paper site, the lane has become a nightmare, with potholes, large wagons rumbling past, regular patching up and temporary lights.
She also claimed residents had to pick up litter which was strewn in the lane by workers going to and from Tetrosyl and another company, Printpak.
"None of these companies look after the area," she said. "Their contractors leave waste, they patch up the lane but don't completely resurface it or put anything back. We have even lost our resident geese and heron."
Tetrosyl group secretary and solicitor Stephen Mort said the complaints were unfair and inaccurate.
"Our factory and Printpak were operating before the Timberhurst houses were built. Ms Ogden obviously chose to purchase in the full knowledge of the existing, continuing local industrial environment," he said.
He said Tetrosyl had never excavated the lane nor had temporary lights. The lane, he said, was unadopted but the council maintained the street lights.
"Ms Ogden's solicitor would have told her when she bought the house that the access lane was not adopted and not maintained by the council."
Mr Mort said the company had a no smoking policy, so she could have seen people smoking in the lane. But he said it was unfair for her to suggest that any litter problem was caused solely by Tetrosyl workers, because most arrive by car.
Most recent 2 of 4 user comments
150 years ago they would have been smashing looms no doubt. They new the factory was there when they bough their houses.
8/08/2005 at 11:12
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The lane behind the houses on Bridge Hall fold is strewn with litter that I have seen being left there by employees from Tetrosyl. As another post mentioned this is a side issue but nevertheless one that once made has to be corrected. Mr. Mort walk out of your office during any lunch break and you will see this activity for yourself.
As the management and board of both Tetrosyl and Printpak are concered with their results -then the local residents are concerned with the value of their property.
I have previously signed a petition to object to Tetrosyl creating additional jobs at Heap Bridge and know of my neighbours who have also done the same. Any claims that residents were unaware of this is simply not true.
I would like Tetrosyl to explain why they have not considered creating additonal jobs at the Walmersley Road branch,by chance I was walking there yesterday and was surprised to see the large stone built ( and fairly attractive ) mill with windows blocked by breeze blocks, drain pipes falling down and tree's reclaiming the land around it. This is a large area with exceptionally good road access, close to motorway network and overlooked mostly by open countryside. it seemed very quiet with the only activity was a lone man in a lodge.
Somehow I suspect that the Walmersley Road site is more attrractive to developers and worth far more than Heap Bridge.. and you guessed it we are all concerned with the ££££ in the end.
7/03/2007 at 23:04