Building houses on top of sports fields is diabolical

I OFTEN go past Bamford precinct on a Saturday morning and I always look out for the many young footballers making their way back from a game at the nearby football fields behind the old Knowl View school.

Sometimes, I actually watch some of the games, or catch the back end of a cricket match on the nearby Fieldhouse Club.

And, though I cannot stand tennis, there are certainly a lot of the nearby courts being used in the summer.

And if all this gets the young people of the area away from their silly mobile phones for an hour or two, then so much for the better.

This is why the idiotic ‘masterplan’ to build 750 houses on the site at some point in the future is an absolute disgrace.

Destroying greenbelt land is bad enough, but to build over football pitches, tennis courts and a cricket pitch is diabolical.

For a start, Fieldhouse, I believe, used to be based near Whitworth Road, before relocating to Bamford.

Nobody from Rochdale council has mentioned where they will be relocated next if the plans go ahead.

And then, there are the 750 ‘luxury’ houses.

Why, if the land is going to be used, can it not be 750 ‘normal’ houses, which would use up less space and fortunately spare the sporting facilities?

In short, build around them. There are enough luxury houses in Bamford as it is.

The dim planners have revealed that this plan is for the next 20 years.

What is going to happen in 2037?

Are they going to reveal another ‘masterplan?’ to take us to 2057?

And every 20 years after that?

Will Rochdale Golf Club be under threat at some point in the future?

That is why we have protest marches, like the one in Bamford on January 7.

They may not make a difference in the long run, but at least people can show their opinion.

And, it may persuade Coun Richard Farnell to show a bit of backbone and stand up to the planners, but I won’t hold my breath. Gary Barlow

I WELCOME PARKING BAN

I READ with the interest the article on the proposed parking ban on Smithy Bridge Road.

Having exited the junction many times from Eafield Road I fully endorse the proposal.

It is a highly dangerous blind exit.

I would also bring to the notice of the relevant committee another equally dangerous exit, from Merlin Close onto Woodheys Road.

Constant parking opposite the blind exit proves equally dangerous when cars from Milbury Drive are obliged to cross the exit on the wrong side of the road. Name and address supplied

BIG PAY RISE IS DISGRACE

WITH regards to deputy council leader Allen Brett’s personal attack on me (Your Views, January 14) I feel I have to make a few points to address just some of the issues that Coun Brett raises.

I’m not going to get into a tit-for-tat with him. That’s not my style, but I have to set the record straight.

Firstly, I have been assisting the excellent Coun Andy Kelly since last January. I have found him, Coun Irene Davidson and the growing local Lib Dem team an absolute pleasure to work with. Holding this unpopular, often controversial Labour council to account has become one of the most crucial jobs in this borough. In the absence of any opposition from the local Conservatives - the role of the Liberal Democrats has never been more important.

Having worked with the local Lib Dem team for a year - you have to question the timing of curmudgeonly Allen Brett’s rant.

He’s knows I’ve been about for all of that time. After all, it’s been nearly a year since Coun Kelly wandered into the Lib Dem HQ and announced that MP Simon Danczuk’s expenses for living in London looked a ‘bit on the high side.’ I agreed and looked into it and he was quite correct. Indeed, working with others we investigated and caught him red handed. My complaint led to Danczuk having to pay back £11,000 to the taxpayer that he claimed that he was entitled to. Allen Brett is Mr Danczuk’s electoral agent and very close to him.

The Met Police are still investigating a complaint from Rochdale Liberal Democrats.

He would also have been aware of my renewed interest in local politics when I caught council leader Richard Farnell apparently parking illegally last year. Allen Brett is very close to Coun Farnell so he would have clocked it.

He may also have noticed my regular letters to this paper, my attendance at council meetings and me delivering leaflets to his house in Milnrow.

So why has he left it till now to have a pop? What was his motivation?

It may be something to do with the ongoing controversy from the Coun Brett-led decision to award undeserving councillors a 34 per cent pay rise.

As the Observer reported last week, over 1,500 people have signed our petition against it online and hundreds more have signed Andy Kelly’s paper one.

Labour are under the cosh, alongside with the Conservatives who voted for it.

It’s the most controversial decision in politics in this borough since Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council was created in its current form in 1974.

To award yourself one of the biggest percentage increases in the history of local government anywhere, ever is a disgrace and won’t be forgotten.

Coun Brett makes a big issue of my Manchester residency. I didn’t realise that Coun Brett was so parochial. His sense of localness went out of the window when he decided he couldn’t win his old council seat of Milnrow and Newhey against Irene Davidson in May.

That’s why he turned up, cap in hand in Milkstone and Deeplish just to stay on the council and continue to enjoy the generous allowances doled out by a very reluctant taxpayer.

When I move to Rochdale in the next few months, maybe Allen Brett and Richard Farnell will stop referring to me as ‘Manchester resident, Mr Hennigan’ and instead refer to ‘My neighbour, David’ You can sign the Liberal Democrat petition to stop the 34pc rise in councillors’ allowances until the amount of councillors are reduced from 60 to 40 at 38degrees. org.uk/p/Rochdale Allowances Scandal. David Hennigan Rochdale Liberal