Dell Road open again following major operation to save it from collapse

Friday, 28 October 2022 15:45

By David Murphy

Official cutting of the ribbon at Dell Road, with the Mayor or Rochdale, fellow councillors, Tony Lloyd MP plus children and staff from the tea rooms and Aunt Mary's Day Nursery.

A road that leads to one of Greater Manchester’s most popular beauty spots has re-opened 48 weeks after the start of a major engineering project to save it from collapse.

Dell Road in Rochdale was closed following an inspection by the council’s bridges and structures team in February 2021 after more than 90 metres of tension cracks appeared in the carriageway.

A decision was made on the grounds of public safety to close the road to vehicles in order to avoid a full collapse and the potential loss of the route forever.

The council invested £1m in saving the road, which provides direct access from Shawclough Road into Healey Dell nature reserve, which is also home to Healey Dell Heritage Centre and tea rooms and Aunt Mary’s day nursery.

The large-scale works began in November 2021 and were undertaken by F W Sherratt Ltd. They included a full restoration programme that saw the installation of 24 metres of deep retaining wall supported on cantilevered reinforced concrete foundations installed five metres below ground level.

A further 60-metre mass concrete wall founded on bedrock at a shallower depth was also constructed.

Almost 200 large hand-filled gabion baskets filled with stone now line the newly surfaced road to help prevent further landslides and 200 metres of new underground drainage pipes and six highway gullies installed to ensure adequate drainage have been installed.

Councillor Daniel Meredith, portfolio holder for highways and housing at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “I would like to thank local residents and businesses for their patience while works were ongoing. The in-depth work undertaken on Dell Road has been a long process, with the bulk of it not actually visible to the naked eye, but now back open thanks to investment, the road provides safe access for walkers, cyclists, horse riders and motorists.

“I encourage visitors to take advantage of the beautiful surroundings, which include the River Spodden, delightful scenery, an award-winning tea room, walking trails and spectacular waterfalls.”

Mark Sherratt, director of FW Sherratt Ltd, added: “FW Sherratt Ltd were delighted to continue their working partnership with Rochdale Borough Council’s bridges & structures team to reconstruct the sections of Dell Road that were failing, thereby restoring access to the ever popular Healey Dell.”

The newly completed road was officially opened on Wednesday, 26 October 2022, by the Mayor of Rochdale, Councillor Ali Ahmed.

Do you have a story for us? Want to tell us about something happening in our Borough?

Let us know by emailing newsdesk@rochvalleyradio.com

All contact will be treated in confidence.

More from Local News

Seven Sisters tenants reaction to the news they could soon be removed

Billy Jackson has called Rochdale’s Seven Sisters home for 40 years. But shock decision means 2025 will be his final year in the iconic tower blocks.
Festive magic arrives in Bury as North Pole Safari Trail transforms town centre

Free augmented reality trail, festive lights switch-on and family events launch Christmas celebrations in Bury
Replacement mosque plans approved despite concerns about parking

Plans to knock down and rebuild a mosque in Prestwich have been approved despite a 1,630 person petition opposing it.
Andy Burnham ‘taken aback’ by decision to move hundreds out of Seven Sisters towers

Andy Burnham was ‘taken aback’ by a decision to clear Rochdale’s iconic ‘Seven Sisters’ tower blocks, forcing hundreds from their homes.
Nine-bed HMO built ‘without permission’ discovered after neighbours complain

Council enforcement officers discovered a nine-bed HMO had been created without permission after a complaint from neighbours, councillors have heard.
Rochdale’s music legacy takes centre stage with iconic Cargo Studios reunion

Rochdale’s rich musical heritage was centre stage at a packed launch event marking the beginning of a new borough-wide celebration called ‘Rochdale Music Stories’, featuring big names like Peter Hook, Clint Boon and Andy McCluskey.
Naked man stops traffic on Rochdale Road in Bury in shocking mid-morning incident

A naked man caused disruption on a busy Bury road on Wednesday morning, swatting at cars and attempting to open vehicle doors before being detained and taken to hospital.
Seven Sisters tower blocks to be emptied over safety concerns

Residents of the iconic tower blocks that have dominated the skyline of Rochdale since the 1960s have been told they will be evicted due to safety concerns.
Culture Co-op secures £1 million to give Rochdale residents more say over arts and creativity

Rochdale’s Culture Co-op has been awarded £1 million to put local people at the heart of cultural decision-making, as part of a £42 million national programme run by Arts Council England.
Hollin pupils turn happiness into poetry during magical session in Middleton

Middleton Library plays host to spellbinding session with Rochdale’s poet laureate Sammy Weaver
Waugh presses government to ensure grooming inquiry tackles race and class ‘head on’

Rochdale MP Paul Waugh says national grooming inquiry must win survivors’ trust and 'follow the evidence wherever it leads’
Goodbye garlic bread? Sandbrook Park Pizza Hut to shut as 68 UK branches axed

Rochdale’s Pizza Hut restaurant is among dozens of UK branches set to permanently shut, after the company that operated the brand in the UK fell into administration.