The Irk, a narrow, coal-black, foul-smelling stream, full of debris and refuse – Friedrich Engels , 1844

According to The New Gazetteer of Lancashire (1830) the Irk had more mill seats upon it than any other stream of its length in the Kingdom.” and that “the eels in this river were formerly remarkable for their fatness, which was attributed to the grease and oils expressed by the mills from the woollen cloths and mixed with the waters.

The Area has been rundown so that now the area only has one of the last independent paint manufactures in the UK, still family run since its foundation in 1930, a few smaller units doing various industries ranging from wood yards, tyre recycling to dog grooming and kennels. the rest of the land now turned over to car parking for the office workers in the nearby city centre.

The area has been earmarked…