News: Rolls-Royce's government-backed £2.5bn research and technology programme could support future growth in Rotherham

The UK Government and Rolls-Royce have announced plans for a joint 10-year, £2.5bn research and technology programme to develop cutting-edge gas turbine technologies for civil and defence aerospace, unlocking the biggest opportunity to transform advanced manufacturing across the UK for a generation.

Ministers believe that it provides an opportunity to support future growth in Rotherham.

The programme would advance more efficient and lower-emission jet engine technologies – as Rolls-Royce looks to secure a UK engine position on the next generation of commercial aircraft in the fast growing, high-volume, ‘narrowbody’ market segment – including through an engine demonstrator project. It would also sustain vital development and testing capabilities, strengthening national resilience by supporting the UK’s critical sovereign capabilities in defence aerospace.

Chancellor John Healey made the announcement during his budget speech, stating that it would support thousands of jobs across the Midlands, Bristol and the UK. The investment is expected to support for 3,300 existing jobs over the next few years, with the potential for tens of thousands of new roles beyond that.

Delivering the initial stages of the plan, which is subject to a final agreement being reached, will support 3,300 UK jobs at Rolls-Royce and supply chain partners by the end of 2029. Securing a UK engine position on new narrowbody aircraft would create tens of thousands more. As a result, Rolls-Royce and the Government will work together on a jobs and skills development plan to provide the necessary pipeline of future talent. The investment plan will also benefit the UK’s academic institutions, with university departments carrying out new research.

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Tufan Erginbilgic, CEO, Rolls-Royce, said: "This is a landmark moment for the UK’s aerospace industry. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to lay the foundations for decades of sustainable economic growth across the UK, creating high-value jobs and transforming the country’s advanced manufacturing supply chain. Aerospace is a growing and globally attractive market and this programme with Government is vital to enable the UK to compete. Working together, we can also sustain the nation’s capability to power military aircraft and secure its position as one of only two countries that can design, develop, make and service the jet engines that power the world’s commercial airliners.”

New jobs are expected to cover a range of areas from engineering and research to manufacturing – creating roles which run from the design stage all the way through to the factory floor.

The vast majority of these will also be created outside London and the South East – tapping into the numerous sites and supply chains Rolls-Royce maintains across the country.

Rothbiz revealed last year that the world-leading engineers were planning to invest in Rotherham and in March this year came the the confirmation of a £21.3m expansion project at the Advanced Blade Casting Facility (ABCF) on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham. The £110m facility is where turbine blades are manufactured for Rolls-Royce's world-leading aeroplane engines. Output is set to double by 2030.

The AMP is also where Rolls-Royce has carried out cutting edge research with long-standing partners, The University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) and where a parcel of land for development sits next to its castings facility.

In a letter to Sarah Champion - Rotherham's MP, the Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said: "For areas like Rotherham with a significant Rolls-Royce presence this agreement provides an opportunity to support future growth, help retain highly skilled jobs and strengthen the UK's position as a global leader in aerospace engineering and manufacturing."

Rolls-Royce website

Images: Rolls-Royce

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News: Rotherham Council gets £2.63m boost for addressing derelict buildings

Rotherham Council has been awarded £2.63m to help bring prominent long term vacant or derelict buildings back into productive community or commercial use.

The government has published Hope on the High Street, a new strategy for Britain’s high streets, backed by a new Derelict Buildings Fund, investing £125m across 60 English local authorities.

Governemnt data from last year has the commercial vacancy rate in the Rotherham built up area at June 2025 as 19.1%, nearly double the England average of 10.4%. Out of the 75 built up areas receiving government cash (where data is recorded), Rotherham's vacancy rate is the fifth highest behind Grimsby (22.6%), Dewsbury (21.1%), Hartlepool (19.7%) and Accrington (19.6%).

Government guidance states: "High streets and neighbourhoods are at the heart of our towns and communities, and their condition shapes how people feel about the places they call home. Prominent long term vacant or derelict buildings can become lasting symbols of decline, undermining confidence and holding back the wider high street. Yet bringing these sites back into use is rarely straightforward. Local partners often lack the capacity to intervene, while fragmented or unclear ownership, costly heritage requirements and differing incentives among property owners can leave important buildings empty for years.

"The Derelict Buildings Fund will help change that. It will give local authorities the funding and support needed to take action, whether through acquiring long-neglected buildings, addressing barriers to redevelopment, closing viability gaps, or supporting the transfer of valued local assets into sustainable community or commercial ownership. By unlocking projects that might otherwise stall, the Fund will help attract investment and turn visible signs of decline into opportunities for renewal."

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Funding could be used for the acquisition, restoration and reuse of high street buildings, including shops, offices, former places of worship, department stores and other heritage buildings, pubs, theatres or cinemas. The end use could include community, cultural, commercial, public-service or mixed uses.

With a level of community involvement, local authorities will have flexibility to determine the most appropriate projects and future uses, informed by local needs, community views and wider regeneration plans.

The building doesn't have to be in Rotherham town centre. Councils are being asked to prioritise buildings located on high streets, in town or district centres, or that have the potential to become important anchor. Local authorities are not required to own or acquire the building(s) supported.

Within the town centre, Rotherham Council has been working on projects for a number of vacant properties, many that it has acquired. Housing schemes are being developed for cleared brownfield sites, a Health Hub is being created in the former Boots retail unit, the former Alma Tavern had been earmarked as a live music venue and the future of the former Mecca Bingo hall has yet to be announced.

By the end of 2026, Rotherham Council should begin community engagement and longlist buildings for support. Delivery of projects is expected in Spring 2027.

Images: Google Maps

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News: Rotherham Council reiterates issues with Whitestone solar proposals

Rotherham Council's issues with a massive solar farm proposed in the borough are set to be discussed this week.

Plans recently moved to the next stage for Whitestone Solar Farm - a generating station with an estimated capacity of up to 750MW connecting to the National Grid Brinsworth Substation in Rotherham.

Whitestone is classified as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP), which means that it is applying for a Development Consent Order (DCO) to authorise its construction, operation and decommissioning. The final decision on a DCO application will be made at the national level by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero.

Local councils are statutory consultees for NSIPs and a report is due to be presented to Rotherham's planning board this week before the Planning Inspectorate's preliminary meeting takes place next month.

On the use of Green Belt land, Rotherham Council set out that the solar farm conflicts with the Rotherham Local Plan and national policies, in that "the development would introduce substantial built form and industrialising features into land intended to remain open and to safeguard the setting and separation of settlements."

Promoters of the scheme, Green Nation, say that the proposed development is located on "grey belt land because the site does not strongly contribute to Green Belt purposes" and go on to say that "even if this position is not accepted, there are Very Special Circumstances that clearly outweigh any harm identified in terms of the five Green Belt purposes."

Rotherham Council does not agree with Green Nation's conclusion about land being grey belt given that there are historic towns nearby, that the land checks unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas and helps prevent neighbouring towns merging into one another.

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Rotherham Council has also raised issue with the loss of Best and Most Versatile (BMV) agricultural land and over the issue of the 60 year timescale, given that national policy is 40 years.

Concern has also been raised relating to the "scale, concentration and persistence of significant landscape and visual effects", particularly the impact on settlements such as North Anston, Wickersley, Ulley and Harthill, and various public rights of way and recreational routes.

Rotherham Council is also concerned about the harm to the setting of heritage assets and the proximity to a Local Wildlife Site at Brampton Common has been raised.

Concerns regarding the suitability and capacity of the proposed substation and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) location have been raised and on Biodiversity Net Gain, a way of creating and improving natural habitats, Rotherham Council said that "expressing an intention to achieve a 10% minimum gain does not go far enough."

The report concludes: "Whilst the Council recognises the contribution the proposal could make towards renewable energy generation and national net zero objectives, it maintains that a number of significant issues remain unresolved and require further assessment through the examination process."

The authority will continue working on its Local Impact Report - a comprehensive assessment of the likely impacts of the proposed development on the borough and one of the Council's principal pieces of evidence during the examination. It will also engage on the Statements of Common Ground, an important part of the examination process.

The planning inspectorate is currently accepting submissions from interested parties until October 27 before the formal examination process starts on November 10 with a preliminary meeting in Rotherham to establish the procedures, timetable and arrangements for the examination.

Images: Pexels / Mark Stebnicki

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News: University spin out scales up with £1.3m investment

Rotherham-based Productive Machines is eyeing expansion in Europe and the US following investment in its patent protected manufacturing machining technology.

The company is a spin out from the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) and was founded by CEO Erdem Ozturk and CTO Huseyin Celikag, PhD experts in the field of machine dynamics and vibration.

Based within the Advanced Manufacturing Park's (AMP's) Technology Centre, Productive Machines uses a software simulation process called digital twinning to accelerate milling process design, reduce cycle time, eliminate quality problems and maximize productivity. Creating virtual replicas helps companies machine parts right the first time.

"SenseNC" software enables component manufacturers to optimise their machines for "first time right" machining, saving time and money by reducing material waste, increasing machine tool utilisation and improving quality.

The £1.3m investment has been led by existing investor Finance Yorkshire’s seedcorn fund with follow-on funding from ACT Venture Partners and Mercia Ventures.

South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) has also invested in Productive Machines – its first equity investment in high value companies in South Yorkshire, supporting employment and commercial growth in leading digital manufacturing innovation.

The investment round was further supported by a £1.1m loan from Innovate UK.

The investment will support the company’s growth ambitions by creating local jobs and attracting more clients.

Target clients include large operators in the aerospace, defence, automotive, medical and precision engineering sectors.

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Erdem said: “Our clients machine complex, high-value components where a single scrapped part is costly. Our software removes the trial and error from their processes. SenseNC optimises the cutting conditions digitally before the machine touches metal so they get it right the first time and get more out of the machines they already own."

Productive Machines chairman Matthew Scherba added: “The investment from SYMCA and continued support from our existing investors enables us to help local manufacturers reshore back to the UK, including South Yorkshire, more aggressively commercially scale up our existing products in European and US markets and commercially launch our exciting new innovation.”

Finance Yorkshire Chief Executive Alex McWhirter said: “Productive Machines has proved the potential of its SenseNC software products which are enabling companies to optimise their component manufacturing.

“Finance Yorkshire is pleased to be part of a substantial investment round which will enable Productive Machines to grow through further innovation and the capture of new clients across Europe and the US.”

South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard said: "Productive Machines is a great example of the talent, ideas and innovation we have right here in South Yorkshire. Our £450,000 investment, combined with private sector backing, will help them expand their capacity, bring new products to market, and reach new customers both here in the UK and around the world.

" I want South Yorkshire to be a place where ambitious businesses with good ideas can start up, scale up, and succeed. When local companies like Productive Machines grow, they create good jobs, drive innovation and help to build a bigger and better economy.”

Productive Machines website

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News: Rotherham Council refuses plans for 24hr gaming centre

Plans to convert a vacant former bank in Rotherham town centre into a 24 hour adult gaming centre have been refused.

Rothbiz reported last month on plans from London-based Chongie Entertainment UK Ltd which trades as Little Vegas and Little Macau.

A relatively new entrant in the adult gaming centre (AGC) UK market, the Little Vegas brand was established in 2020 and now has 18 venues, mainly across the South East of England.

The website explains: "Little Vegas brings the feel of the casino right to your local high street. We offer the latest slot machine games, giving players an authentic and modern gaming experience."

Plans showed how the 1,500 sq ft unit would be brought back to life with rows of modern video slot machines around the edge with two islands of screens in the middle of the gaming centre.

A new lobby, toilet and coffee station are also shown on the plans which would create 7.5 FTE jobs.

The former Alliance & Leicester and Santander branch on College Street was most recently used as part of a family arcade.

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In refusing the plans without going through the council's planning board, officers concluded that a 24 hour operation would result in unacceptable noise and disturbance to neighbouring residents.

It was agreed that noise from within the premises could be controlled using mitigation measures but the same couldn't be said for noise generated outside the premises during the night,

The planning officer's report reads: "The proposal would result in customer arrivals and departures throughout the day and night, generating noise, activity and general disturbance in close proximity to residential properties. Unlike noise arising from within the premises, such impacts would be difficult to control or mitigate through planning conditions and, given the close relationship with nearby residential accommodation, are likely to adversely affect living conditions, particularly during night-time hours.

"The proposal is considered unacceptable and would result in significant harm to residential amenity."

Rotherham Council does operate a policy for supporting night-time entertainment uses but only when they "improve the range and diversity of uses within the town centre and do not give rise to unacceptable impacts on residential amenity." The policy further advises that uses operating beyond midnight will only be encouraged within the Westgate, Market Place and Corporation Street areas of the town centre.

The report said that the AGC use "does not support or contribute towards the retail function of the frontage" of the building which is on the town's primary shopping streets, and adds: "The proposal would not contribute positively towards the Council's strategy for directing and managing evening economy uses within Rotherham Town Centre and would fail to support the creation of a diverse and attractive town centre offer for a broad range of users."

The operator has had some success on securing planning permission for other towns on appeal, some for 24 hour operations and others with restricted hours.

In Rotherham, Rothbiz reported in 2022 that Merkur Slots had opened in a vacant unit following a partly successful planning appeal. It wanted a 24 hour operation but was restricted to operating between the hours of 8am and midnight.

In 2023, Royal Amusements secured planning permission for a vacant unit on Effingham Street for an AGC. Planners concluded that: "There is no doubt that the proposed use would not generate the level of footfall from a retail use, but in comparison to a vacant premises this would still be a benefit, including associated linked trips and employment."

Rotherham Council said that a 24-hour a day operation could not be supported and a condition was imposed to ensure that an otherwise unacceptable development could be made acceptable by limiting the opening hours to between 8am and midnight. An Adult Gaming Centre Premises Licence enabling 24 hour use of Category B machines here was approved by the Council's Licencing team earlier this year.

Images: BRH

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