News: Why is demolition planned for Millmoor and what is the future of the former home of Rotherham United?
The new owners of Millmoor are looking to regenerate the site.
Rothbiz revealed first that a planning application had been submitted reagrding the demolition of what remains of the stadium that was previously home to Rotherham United.
Ron Hull Group, the new owners of CF Booth Ltd, took on the old football ground when it acquired the assests of the historic Rotherham firm that had entered administration.
The owners are working with local Rotherham firm, Eton Construction, on plans for the area - the 35-acre site that includes the ground and the large Booth operations at the Clarence Works at Armer Street in Masbrough.
The new owners said in a statement: "Ron Hull Group, are to demolish parts of the Millmoor Football Ground due to it’s poor condition. But there is no getting away from the fact that the football club now has a new home at the NEW York Stadium, and this ground has been vacant and under used since the club left.
"The buildings and structures selected in the current application to demolish are all in a poor condition due to years of neglect and are suffering from a general lack of maintenance, specifically elements like roof finishes and the structures themselves. It is assumed this situation accelerated in the period since Rotherham United Football Club vacated the site.
"The current main stand is only partially completed, and has been exposed to the elements since at least 2007. The high cost of repair, yet alone proceed to complete this stand would be excessive given that there are very limited numbers of possible users of the ground. Thus meaning it is unbuyable.
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"As stated in the application the Tivoli entertainment space, with its living accommodation over are in a high state of disrepair, the accommodation having being vandalised and a lack of roof maintenance has allowed water into the building and building structure causing decay and partial collapse due to long term exposure to this water. This is a similar situation with the Press Box / Police Office.
"The Tivoli Stand and part of the Millmoor Lane Stand are all clad in asbestos sheeting, which is beginning to breakdown / dislodge in places, all showing signs of decay due to a general lack of maintenance. The same lack of repair and general up keep is also true for the uncovered area and lighting columns. The condition of these parts of the ground, and the long term lack of a viable user for the ground is what has lead to their inclusion within the current demolition application.
"So at present the priority / order to demolish is : The incomplete main stand, Tivoli, Admin building, and Tivoli stand first, followed by the terrace, uncovered stand and Part Millmoor Lane stand , lighting columns and then the other associated building stated in application. As this process is at its very early stages. some decisions are still to be made, at present no decision has been made about the pitch, and the remaining stands which are not included in the current demolition application. There condition will be assessed, and any future use considered if it is viable, or demolition if necessary.
"Ron Hull Group, are looking to regenerate the site, but no decision has yet been made at this point."
With regard to the future of the site, the scrap yard was allocated as Industrial & Business Use in the borough's 2018 local plan. The stadium and surrounding area was allocated as a Mixed Use Area.
The listing from 2018 stated: "The area remains suitable for a mix of uses and lies adjacent to the football stadium vacated when Rotherham United moved to their new ground. The car park has an extant temporary B8 storage plannig [sic] permission. As such it is proposed that the mixed use area is extended to include the former stadium and car park. The area remains appropriate for a mix of uses include business use (excluding offices), housing, residential and non residential institutions and assembly and leisure uses." A recommendation was made to retain the mixed use area and extend it to include the community allocation use covering the adjacent football ground.
Millmoor was featured in the recent draft of Rotherham's new playing pitch strategy. It is described as having "one good quality adult pitch that has spare capacity of 0.5 match equivalent sessions per week discounted due to unsecure tenure."
The strategy recommended low priority actions that would sustain the pitch quality and that long-term agreement is sought between the landowner and its site users to establish actual spare capacity for clubs.
Ron Hull website
Images: RUFC /
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Rothbiz revealed first that a planning application had been submitted reagrding the demolition of what remains of the stadium that was previously home to Rotherham United.
Ron Hull Group, the new owners of CF Booth Ltd, took on the old football ground when it acquired the assests of the historic Rotherham firm that had entered administration.
The owners are working with local Rotherham firm, Eton Construction, on plans for the area - the 35-acre site that includes the ground and the large Booth operations at the Clarence Works at Armer Street in Masbrough.
The new owners said in a statement: "Ron Hull Group, are to demolish parts of the Millmoor Football Ground due to it’s poor condition. But there is no getting away from the fact that the football club now has a new home at the NEW York Stadium, and this ground has been vacant and under used since the club left.
"The buildings and structures selected in the current application to demolish are all in a poor condition due to years of neglect and are suffering from a general lack of maintenance, specifically elements like roof finishes and the structures themselves. It is assumed this situation accelerated in the period since Rotherham United Football Club vacated the site.
"The current main stand is only partially completed, and has been exposed to the elements since at least 2007. The high cost of repair, yet alone proceed to complete this stand would be excessive given that there are very limited numbers of possible users of the ground. Thus meaning it is unbuyable.
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"As stated in the application the Tivoli entertainment space, with its living accommodation over are in a high state of disrepair, the accommodation having being vandalised and a lack of roof maintenance has allowed water into the building and building structure causing decay and partial collapse due to long term exposure to this water. This is a similar situation with the Press Box / Police Office.
"The Tivoli Stand and part of the Millmoor Lane Stand are all clad in asbestos sheeting, which is beginning to breakdown / dislodge in places, all showing signs of decay due to a general lack of maintenance. The same lack of repair and general up keep is also true for the uncovered area and lighting columns. The condition of these parts of the ground, and the long term lack of a viable user for the ground is what has lead to their inclusion within the current demolition application.
"So at present the priority / order to demolish is : The incomplete main stand, Tivoli, Admin building, and Tivoli stand first, followed by the terrace, uncovered stand and Part Millmoor Lane stand , lighting columns and then the other associated building stated in application. As this process is at its very early stages. some decisions are still to be made, at present no decision has been made about the pitch, and the remaining stands which are not included in the current demolition application. There condition will be assessed, and any future use considered if it is viable, or demolition if necessary.
"Ron Hull Group, are looking to regenerate the site, but no decision has yet been made at this point."
The listing from 2018 stated: "The area remains suitable for a mix of uses and lies adjacent to the football stadium vacated when Rotherham United moved to their new ground. The car park has an extant temporary B8 storage plannig [sic] permission. As such it is proposed that the mixed use area is extended to include the former stadium and car park. The area remains appropriate for a mix of uses include business use (excluding offices), housing, residential and non residential institutions and assembly and leisure uses." A recommendation was made to retain the mixed use area and extend it to include the community allocation use covering the adjacent football ground.
Millmoor was featured in the recent draft of Rotherham's new playing pitch strategy. It is described as having "one good quality adult pitch that has spare capacity of 0.5 match equivalent sessions per week discounted due to unsecure tenure."
The strategy recommended low priority actions that would sustain the pitch quality and that long-term agreement is sought between the landowner and its site users to establish actual spare capacity for clubs.
Ron Hull website
Images: RUFC /
