Chief executive urged to resolve Royton hall saga

CHIEF Executive Charlie Parker

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OLDHAM’S new Chief Executive could be forced to step in if the ongoing saga of the unfinished Royton Assembly hall is ever to come to an end, a councillor has said.

Royton Councillor Steve Bashforth is so concerned about the never-ending delays on the site that he has personally appealed to Chief Executive Charlie Parker to get involved.

He says that although it is unprecedented for the most senior council officer to get involved in such issues, the situation is now so serious that only the top brass have a hope of helping to find a solution.

He said: “The Royton Assembly Hall has been the butt of many jokes for a number of years, but it’s got beyond a joke now.

“I recently learned that there’s another delay on the restaurant facing Middleton Road, because I hear the developers’ financial backers are unhappy with the wording of the planning application.

“From the council’s point of view, the application is fine, but the developers’ backers want it changed and processing another application will take at least another eight weeks to go through the system.

“This site is a major gateway into the town and a huge eyesore and we need someone with some serious clout to get involved now.”

Councillor Bashforth said he was now working on a report with the planning department to present to Mr Parker, who has signalled his willingness to lend his support.

Councillor Bashforth added: “I’m disappointed it’s got to this stage — it’s not like they’re constructing the fourth bridge or the pyramids.

“But I’m optimistic that if we can get someone like the Chief Executive to put pressure on them, we will eventually find a solution.”

Nobody from Whispers Developments, the company working on the hall, was available for comment.