News: Rotherham padel plans upgraded - new facilities added

Having already secured approval, applicants have gone back to the drawing board to update proposals for a new padel facility in Rotherham - the first of its kind in the borough.

Rothbiz reported last year on approval for plans by Top Play to convert a vacant 33,654 sq ft warehouse at Hellaby.

Padel is a form of tennis that originated in Mexico in 1969, grew across South America before making it to Spain. The sport is now rapidly expanding across Europe.

Plans from Top Play show how nine padel courts could be created in a vacant building on Sandbeck Way, with one court described as a match court, surrounded by glass and viewing areas. The plans also included an ancillary café / bar for users of the facility.

Approved without going before the council's planning board, officers concluded that the "proposals are compatible with adjacent existing and proposed land uses and any impact on amenity can be appropriately mitigated."

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Now a new application has been submitted for the same building, with a few changes.

The padel court layouts remain the same, including the glass match court, but new plans for the ground floor show the reception, bar and kitchen remaining but with office space removed to make way for a gym. Changing rooms are now shown on a new area not on the original plans down the side of the building.

Upstairs on the mezzanine level, the seating and viewing area remains but original plans for changing rooms and office space have been replaced by studio space and a room for "fire and ice" treatments through a sauna/steam and an ice bath.

The courts could provide 12 staff positions and the proposed opening hours are Monday to Friday 7am - 10pm and Saturdays and Sundays 8am - 9 pm.

52 parking spaces are included in the plans and there is potential for further parking within the site curtilage. Sandbeck Way is subject to a no waiting at any time restriction.

Images: CPP / LTA

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News: More Booth family companies enter administration

A host of companies connected to the operators of CF Booth Limited, one of the UK’s leading metal recycling companies, have joined the historic Rotherham firm in appointing administrators.

Rothbiz reported first that James Lumb and Howard Smith from Interpath had been appointed following the group posting significant losses and the sad death of a director.

Over 100 staff have already been made redundant and operations at the company’s vast facility, known as the Clarence Metal Works, has ceased whilst the potential of a sale is explored.

Within a week of administrators being appointed at CF Booth Limited on January 16, another five companies had done the same.

The companies are Northfield Aluminium Limited, Booth Transport Limited, C.F. Booth (Engineering) Limited, C.F. Booth (Doncaster) Limited and Booth Steel Stockholders Limited.

The compaies all share Booth family members as directors and all have appointed Interpath.

Demex Limited, the Booth family's demolition company has not appointed administrators.

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An update on CF Booth Limited from the administrators said last month that "the Company had experienced significant trading difficulties over recent months, exacerbated by rising energy and copper prices, as well as increases to the National Living Wage and the impact of environmental legislation, VAT and HSE penalties, and other regulatory pressures, all of which impacted cashflow. In response, the directors took steps to explore the options available, including options for sale and reinvestment; however, with no solvent outcomes available, they took the difficult decision for file a Notice of Intention to Appoint Administrators."

As previously reported by Rothbiz, the company's latest financial accounts reported sales of £113.6m for 2024 that were 16.30% lower than the £135.7m achieved in the previous financial year. The company posted a loss of £5.9m.

After the year end C F Booth received notice that its appeal against an historical VAT Penalty assessment was unsuccessful resulting in a penalty of £1.4m becoming payable to HMRC. The company was also fined £1.2m by the HSE after an investigation following the death of an employee on site.

December 2025 saw the death of Ken Booth Jr, who oversaw significant expansion at the family firm alongside his brother James.

Interpath website

Images: Google Maps

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News: Rotherham wind farm sold

OnPath Energy, a long-standing developer of renewable energy plants operating in the uK, has sold a number of its wind farms, including one in Rotherham.

Italian company, ERG has snapped up seven onshore wind farms in accross the country in a deal which has an enterprise value of £112.9m.

A development of six 132m turbines at Penny Hill Farm in Ulley in Rotherham was part of the deal. The operators, The Banks Group, secured planning permission for the 20MW capacity site in December 2010 and an extension was later secured allowing operations to continue until 2053.

In 2023, Brookfield, a leading global asset manager with $850bn of assets under management, acquired Banks Renewables and its wind farms. THe company was renamed OnPath Energy.

ERG operates around 4,000 MW globally and, following this transaction, 412MW of installed wind capacity in the UK with a growing portfolio of wind and solar energy projects across nine European countries and in the United States.

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Richard Dunkley, CEO at OnPath Energy, says: “The sale of these seven wind farms was a core part of the business plan that was developed when Brookfield acquired OnPath in 2023, and we are very pleased to have now completed this transaction with such a well-regarded counterparty.

“Acquisitions and divestments are a critical part of our growth strategy, where proceeds from selling mature assets can be used to develop and acquire pipeline with potential for value creation leveraging our team’s deep renewables expertise.

“We will now be bringing forward a range of new proposals for onshore wind farms across Great Britain over the next 12 months that will build on our existing plans to invest around one billion pounds in total in clean energy projects by 2030.”

OnPath Energy said that it will continue to manage Penny Hill Wind Farm on behalf of ERG while the £22,900 annual community benefit fund will be maintained under their new ownership over the project’s lifetime. 

OnPath is currently constructing a £60m, 49MW project called Common Farm Solar Park on green belt land to the west of the Todwick Road Industrial Estate in Dinnington.

OnPath Energy website
ERG website

Images: OnPath Energy

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News: Redevelopment plans put forward for Rotherham pub

A prominent public house in Rotherham could be about to be brought back to life following a period of inactivity.

Newly submitted plans include a restaurant and a convenience store.

Occupying a prime spot on Kimberworth's High Street, The Green Dragon is a large, imposing pub that comes with restaurant dining to the rear and first floor function room.

According to CAMRA, the pub was acquired by national operator Stonegate and was extensively refurbished before reopening in August 2022. It closed before reopening again in 2024 alongside Maisha Spice, which specialised in Indian style cuisine.

Currently closed, Rothbiz reported last year that the freehold of the pub had gone up for sale for £400,000.

A change of use planning application from Harbham Odedra shows that the ground floor would change from a pub to a restaurant with the retention of first-floor residential accommodation. The proposals also include the removal of existing outbuildings, and the construction of a single-storey retail extension.

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The proposed retail unit to the right of the existing entrance fronting High Street. Plans show that it would have an approximate gross internal area of 3,200 sq ft and is designed as a "One Stop–type convenience store."

The plans, drawn up by Dan's Architectural Services, state: "The design approach seeks to retain and enhance the existing building while introducing a modest and well-considered extension that responds positively to the character of the surrounding area. The proposal represents an efficient and sustainable reuse of an existing community building, without resulting in overdevelopment of the site.

"The proposal ensures the continued active use of a long-established community building, avoiding vacancy and decline. The restaurant will continue to provide a welcoming social environment for residents and families, function and meeting spaces for private and community events, a family-friendly venue that supports inclusive social interaction.

"The convenience retail unit will provide an important local service, particularly for residents with limited mobility or without access to private vehicles.

"The application seeks permission for the loss of a former public house use that has been vacant for a prolonged period and is demonstrably no longer viable. The premises have been actively marketed for continued licensed use by specialist hospitality agents at a realistic rental level, with no viable operator interest forthcoming."

Images: Savills

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News: Demolition work set to begin at £9.9m Rotherham regen scheme

The redevelopment of Wath town centre is set to reach a major milestone, with demolition of the existing library building due to begin in the coming weeks.

Planning permission was granted for a new library at Wath in 2024 as part of a scheme that is backed by government funding.

A new two-storey building will be built on the site of the existing library, as part of a £9.9m community and commercial development being delivered by the council. Last year a Stage 1 Pre-construction contract was awarded to Tilbury Douglas following a competitive tendering exercise.

To safely prepare for the demolition, part of the Biscay Way car park, located behind the existing library, will be temporarily closed from Monday 9 February to Friday 24 July 2026.

The closure is required to accommodate a works compound, as asbestos identified within the building must be removed safely using controlled procedures and specialist equipment.

To help reduce the impact of the temporary car park closure, on-street parking restrictions in Wath town centre have been extended from one hour to four hours along Sandygate, and on the south side of High Street, providing additional longer stay parking during the works.

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To support blue badge users, three new disabled parking bays will be created to replace the existing spaces that will be temporarily closed during the demolition works, ensuring continued accessible provision in the Biscay Way Car Park.

The demolition is expected to be completed in July 2026, at which time the hoardings will be pulled back to fully reopen the car park.

Cllr Lynda Marshall, Cabinet Member for Street Scene and Green Spaces, said: “This work marks an important step forward in delivering the new library that Wath has been waiting for. It’s an investment in Wath’s future and part of our wider commitment to create thriving, safe and clean places across our borough.

“To make sure the demolition can be carried out safely, part of the Biscay Way car park will need to close temporarily. We know this may cause some shortterm inconvenience, and I’d like to thank residents and businesses for their patience and understanding while this important work takes place.

“Supporting the whole borough is a key priority for the Council, and this project is a positive step towards creating facilities the whole community can be proud of.”

The temporary library service remains open at 4 Sandygate, providing the full range of library services, including meeting spaces, public computers, WiFi, children’s activities and Makerspace sessions.

RMBC website

Images: RMBC

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