Stuck in limbo as plans crawl along

THE FRIDAY THING: ROME, they tell us, wasn’t built in a day - so we can be assured developments currently planned in Saddleworth, Chadderton and High Crompton will not be completed this year, thanks to all those dithering on the sidelines about how best to respond to the wishes of local people. Or not.

Take, for instance, the fiascos that are Foxdenton, Uppermill and probably even Crompton House School’s football pitch. All seem caught up in politics, a bit of wishful thinking, development jihad and a pace designed to give politicians more arguing time and local residents a frustrating state of limbo.

The delightful spot that is Foxdenton is earmarked for a transformation that will see a £100 million housing and business park development going back to February 2013.

While long-suffering residents wait impatiently for Oldham Council to make up its mind what it is going to do and when, or if, the best the council can do is to say it won’t make a statement, which is stunningly unfair to residents.

Even Communities Secretary Eric Pickles, is insisting new housing developments should be restricted to land already built on to, as he puts it, “preserve the best of our countryside”.

What will the council do about all this and who do we think will profit from the changes to a treasured piece of land?



There are two ways of looking at the latest Cameron wheeze that would see retired folk going into schools as teachers, passing on the knowledge they have learned and the mistakes they might avoid to children who might just benefit from the knowledge.

On the other hand It will be interesting to see what teachers make of the plan.

It is always difficult for someone who has spent years teaching at various levels to welcome retired people who have had some basic coaching but no real knowledge of the job at hand.

It will be interesting to see what schools and school teachers make of it.