News: Summer timetable for Rotherham bus station redevelopment decision
Plans for a multimillion pound revamp of the interchange car park in Rotherham town centre have been approved but it is only a fall back option if other development opportunities do not progress.
Investigations had shown that the car park on the site of the bus station requires £4m worth of repairs. Plans have been approved for the detailed design of the renovation and re-cladding of the four-storey car park where highly durable anodised mesh panels will be used to replace the poorly implemented current cladding, with the junctions and recesses in the structure used to break the building into an appearance of three blocks.
Planners at Rotherham Council said that the current building is utilitarian in appearance and looks run-down, and that it does not contribute visually to the town centre. They expect the proposed cladding, in three tones of brown and gold, to greatly improve the overall appearance of the building in the day time and at night.
As part of the plans, the internal areas, which in some places are now in a poor state of repair, would be totally revamped.
Opened in 1971, the car park, which sits between Frederick Street and the River Don, has since developed widespread defects and the existing tight spaces and drab appearance mean that occupancy levels only average approximately one third of its 678 capacity.
However, the work and planning application is to protect the South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE), who own and operate the car park, in the event of other development opportunities not progressing.
The bus station also includes a retail development covering 55,000 sq ft and consisting of 18 units. Potential redevelopment has been discussed for a number of years.
Discussions have been ongoing with the landlord with a view to developing the interchange site. The SYPTE, Rotherham Council and the owners, Norseman Holdings, met to discuss potential alternative development options for the site and Norseman committed to review the options of a leisure facility at the site and report back on options.
The proposal now on the table would totally reconfigure the layout of the bus station, from a drive through operation to a Drive in Reverse Out (DIRO) interchange.
This design uses space more efficiently and often allows for the concentration of facilities and passengers in one securely managed concourse, with buses reversing out of stops on departure. It is used effectively at Barnsley Interchange (pictured, right).
In a report to the new Sheffield City Region Combined Authority Transport Committee, Julie Hurley, interim director of strategy at SYPTE, said: "The proposal has been approved in principal by the key operators and discussions on the details are ongoing. A decision on whether there is a deliverable scheme is expected to be made in the summer of 2014."
The long term plan and required funding for car park repairs continues to be investigated by officers. The SYPTE had budgeted for £2.4m to be spent on the project in 2014/15.
SYPTE website
Images: Aedas / Jefferson Sheard
Investigations had shown that the car park on the site of the bus station requires £4m worth of repairs. Plans have been approved for the detailed design of the renovation and re-cladding of the four-storey car park where highly durable anodised mesh panels will be used to replace the poorly implemented current cladding, with the junctions and recesses in the structure used to break the building into an appearance of three blocks.
Planners at Rotherham Council said that the current building is utilitarian in appearance and looks run-down, and that it does not contribute visually to the town centre. They expect the proposed cladding, in three tones of brown and gold, to greatly improve the overall appearance of the building in the day time and at night.
As part of the plans, the internal areas, which in some places are now in a poor state of repair, would be totally revamped.
Opened in 1971, the car park, which sits between Frederick Street and the River Don, has since developed widespread defects and the existing tight spaces and drab appearance mean that occupancy levels only average approximately one third of its 678 capacity.
However, the work and planning application is to protect the South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE), who own and operate the car park, in the event of other development opportunities not progressing.
The bus station also includes a retail development covering 55,000 sq ft and consisting of 18 units. Potential redevelopment has been discussed for a number of years.
Discussions have been ongoing with the landlord with a view to developing the interchange site. The SYPTE, Rotherham Council and the owners, Norseman Holdings, met to discuss potential alternative development options for the site and Norseman committed to review the options of a leisure facility at the site and report back on options.
The proposal now on the table would totally reconfigure the layout of the bus station, from a drive through operation to a Drive in Reverse Out (DIRO) interchange.
In a report to the new Sheffield City Region Combined Authority Transport Committee, Julie Hurley, interim director of strategy at SYPTE, said: "The proposal has been approved in principal by the key operators and discussions on the details are ongoing. A decision on whether there is a deliverable scheme is expected to be made in the summer of 2014."
The long term plan and required funding for car park repairs continues to be investigated by officers. The SYPTE had budgeted for £2.4m to be spent on the project in 2014/15.
SYPTE website
Images: Aedas / Jefferson Sheard
3 comments:
another scheme to wasre european & Council taxpayers money i bet they re-clad it to match the look of tesco's new shop.
This is not what we want inRotherham, the bus station is dark, damp and needs an update, but a brighter more open feel to it would be better, needs to be an 1 way entry and 1 way exit, i reverse system is no good and not alot of space, this could be a potential health risk to general public, also buss's that do laps through bus station needs to be stopped
its about time that it was moved and the bus station to be knocked down and redeveloped and make a new bus station more open and clean
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