The former Turner Brothers Asbestos (TBA) site
The former Turner Brothers Asbestos (TBA) site is a privately-owned site of approximately 30 hectares. It's situated 1km north-west of Rochdale town centre. View TBA site in Google Maps
The site has a long history of industrial use including asbestos manufacture dating back to the 19th century. Although we do not own the site and our power to do anything with it is very limited, we want to find a long-term future for it that is safe and sustainable.
TBA site timeline
If you have any questions, please get in touch using the contact details on this page.
- June 2025 -
- The landowners have produced a new website to provide information on the TBA site, now referred to as Spodden Park. View Spodden Park website
- There is also a new email address for you to email your concerns to the landowners, which is hello@spoddenpark.uk.
- We advise you to contact the landowners in the first instance. If they are unresponsive, or taking too long to action, then contact the council using the details on this page.
- June 2024 - ESG Trading Limited were wound up by court order. Spodden Park Limited became the landowners.
- Tuesday, 9 November 2021 - in November 2021 the site ownership of the former TBA site changed, ESG Trading Limited acquired the site.
- Thursday, 19 September 2019 - an update on the site was provided to the Spotland and Falinge area forum. Read the September 2019 TBA site update.
- November 2016–February 2017 - ground Investigation work was undertaken. RBC have not seen the results of this; the planning application which the works were meant to support was never submitted.
- August 2015–March 2017 - air quality undertaken at the site. View air quality monitoring documents
- 2014 - further fire in January, cause unknown.
- 2013 -
- Suspected arson attack in February causes significant damage to the structure of the older buildings.
- Some buildings demolished, with the remaining buildings targeted by vandals.
- 2008 - tenants all vacated site.
- 2001 - Federal Mogul goes into administration in the UK, and Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in the US. The site is abandoned, although some demolition works were undertaken on site.
- 1998 - Federal Mogul purchase Turner & Newall.
- 1990s - qsbestos materials ceased to be manufactured at the site. Buildings occupied by various small tenants.
- 1960s - the site in the south expanded to its present day extent.
- March 1924 - the death of Nellie Kershaw, worker at the site and the first described case of pulmonary asbestosis in the world.
- 1920 - Harridge Sidings in the north expanded.
- 1910 - south western part of the site expanded and recorded as “Asbestos & India Rubber Works”. Harridge Mill in the north is recorded as disused. 2 old coal shafts and associated coal tips are shown at the northern most point of the current existing mill.
- 1889–1891 - “Clod Mill” is shown on 1:10,560 surveyed in these years in the south west corner of the site. “Harridge Mill” and associated rail sidings and “Tenters” are shown in the north of the site where Woodland Road joins Dell Road.
- 1879 - supposed first manufacture of cloth-based asbestos at the site.
- 1848-1849 - site is largely open fields. Spotland Mill is shown on the south side of the River Spod close to the current site main entrance.
Safety
The area is an abandoned industrial site and there are known hazards present. The public should not trespass on the site and keep to the public rights of way. The site is private land and there is a security presence on site. If you're aware that your children are attempting to access the site, you should discourage them.
We pass concerns we receive to the site owner. However, the new landowners have now provided an email address to report issues to, which is hello@spoddenpark.uk.
Air sampling
We commissioned a monitoring investigation of airborne asbestos fibres around the perimeter of the site from August 2015 to March 2017.
From the results of the independent testing and the fact that only 1 fibre was identified from August 2015 to March 2017, there is no evidence of any significant risk to the health of those residing in areas surrounding the site.