Wardle residents offered benefit of land for public access

Date article online: 02/04/2008

A local man and his father are giving the residents of Wardle the opportunity to benefit from land they own. The land, located off Birch Road, is primarily hay meadow that they have planted with hedges and over 3000 trees.

The owners, who at this stage wish to remain anonymous, say that for some time they have wanted to make public access better around the land and what has particularly galvanised them now is reading an article on Rochdale Online several weeks ago about  Wardle Land Project. It was the first they had heard about such a project but it transpires that the land Wardle Land Project has in mind is a few hundred yards lower down the Ashbrook Valley and landlocked from having access to and from Wardle by the landowners hay meadow.

Talking to Rochdale Online, the land owner said: "I am proposing to work with the Moor End Trust and community groups to make some land available for public access.

"Firstly the fencing beside the pavement of Birch Road would need removing and moving back two metres behind the hedgerow. This would open up hedgerow and trees to improve the visual appearance. It could also help dog walkers. This may also allow this pathway to be upgraded into a dual walkway/cycle path.

"Secondly to make land available to create a link from Birch Road to the Ashbrook Valley; this could upgrade neglected footpaths with additional dedicated cycle path/bridleway. However, this would have to be subject to simple security provisions to hinder anti-social behaviour such as off-road motorcycle damage.

"Thirdly to actually create a link though the Ashbrook Valley itself.

"Providing there is community support then I will make the land available for better public access."