Norden Ward Councillor Peter Winkler has spoken this week at the Rochdale North Township Committee meeting, urging the committee to vote against plans to release Cutgate Precinct car park from council control.
The car park which is located adjacent to Edenfield Road is part of the community shopping precinct but also serves a variety of other local amenities including the church, doctors surgery, and dentists. Plans brought before the committee would see the Council's long-standing management of the car park released back to the landowners and jeopardising the future of this well-used public facility.
Cllr. Winkler said: "I wanted this well-used car park to remain free, open, and accessible for use by local people. This car park is used by lots of local people from Cutgate and surrounding areas including Norden and Bamford. I have heard many complaints following new rules that have been imposed at #Bamford Precinct and shared a note of caution with the committee about how valuable parking availability is for local communities. Even though there is a cost to the council to maintain this car park, sometimes we need to consider the benefits that facilities like this provide."
Unfortunately despite his best efforts, the committee voted to release the car park back to the landowners meaning that we will have to wait and see what effect this will have on local businesses, amenities, and residents.
