News: Hundreds more apartments for Rotherham town centre in Capital&Centric's "Foundry" plans

Social impact developer Capital&Centric's multimillion pound regeneration plans for Rotherham town centre are moving ahead.

Rothbiz revealed earlier this year that the Manchester company, a specialist in unlocking and transforming "unloved" brownfield sites into vibrant, design-led neighbourhoods, had been awarded a Rotherham contract that could reach up to £100m in value.

The next phase involves Rotherham Council using £2.42m from its remaining Local Regeneration Grant secured from the government for pre-development work and feasibility studies to create full business cases for five council-owned brownfield sites.

Plans to extend the Riverside Residential Quarter onto The Statutes and two sites on Sheffield Road are for residential-led schemes that are estimated to deliver 226 new homes including both apartments and townhouses.

Early stage planning documents for the "Foundry" scheme, seen by Rothbiz, show three blocks of apartments at The Statutes - the cleared site that was previously home to the Magistrate's Court and now operates as a car park. Up to four storeys, the unit mix here includes 39 larger, two bedroom flats, 12 one bedroom flats, and four studio flats.

For the current Westgate Car Park on Sheffield Road, called the Post Office site by Capital&Centric, plans show the erection of seven apartment blocks creating 146 homes. Up to three storeys, there are plans for approximately 12% studios, 58% one-bedroom and 30% two-bedroom accommodation. Just over 1,000 sq ft of retail / commercial space is also planned to be included here.

Designs for a "suitably urban scale of development" have evolved to respect and enhance the Grade-II listed Cutlers Arms nearby.

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At the SIG site, the Sheffield Road site most recently acquired by Rotherham Council, plans are for five blocks creating 25 two and three bedroom townhouses - broadening the overall housing offer.

Previous council papers indicate that Capital&Centric's current funding strategy is for the new homes to be developed for private rent with Capital&Centric acting as landlord. The issue of affordable housing provision is to be addressed as plans progress.

Capital&Centric are exploring a proposal to fund the development of these sites through its Impact & Places Partnership, which is a joint venture between Swiss Life Asset Managers, Homes England and Capital&Centric.

Plans, drawn up by Urbana Town Planning, state: "All three sites form RMBC'S Town Centre Strategic Sites which will work to achieve the continued diversification of Rotherham's offer through attracting new uses, services, residential and leisure opportunities and moving away from the traditional retail market.

"Successful projects undertaken to date, or being undertaken within RMBC include Forge Island leisure destination, Town Centre Public Realm improvements, Riverside Gardens, Council led housing development at Westgate, the Markets and Library redevelopment and the town centre Health Hub.

"Taken together, the proposals would deliver significant social, economic and environmental benefits through the provision of new homes, the productive reuse of brownfield land, increased support for town-centre businesses and services, reduced reliance upon private car travel and the physical regeneration of an under-utilised part of the River Don corridor."

Capital&Centric website

Images: Capital&Centric

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News: Redevelopment plans passed for Rotherham pub

The owners of a prominent public house in Rotherham have been given approval to bring it back to life following a period of inactivity.

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

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

Rotherham Council has recently approved a change of use planning application from Harbham Odedra that 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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According to CAMRA, the pub was acquired by national operator Stonegate and was extensively refurbished before reopening in August 2022. It closed but reopening again in 2024 alongside Maisha Spice, which specialised in Indian style cuisine.

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

The plans stated: "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."

Rotherham Council's planning board voted to approve the plans, which come with a number of conditions, relating to things like extraction systems, drainage, restricting the retail unit to Class E(a) only, and marking out the car parking area.

The restaurant use can only be open to customers between the hours of 12:00 and 22:00 and the retail use can only be open to customers between the hours of 07:00 and 22:00 in order to safeguard the amenities of the occupiers of nearby properties. No deliveries to the site can be made between the hours of 21:00 and 07:00 for the same reason.

Images: Savills

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News: 141 houses planned for former Rotherham college site

A national housebuilder has been appointed to bring forward a large development on part of a former college campus in Rotherham.

In 2020, RNN Group reorganised its post-16 education provision, and whilst much of the former Dinnington Campus remains in educational use by Elements Academy and Newman School, a large part of the site became surplus to requirements.

Following discussions with other potential public sector users and a period of marketing, Homes by honey were identified as preferred developer for the site on Doe Quarry Lane following an open market disposal process.

At approximately 4.69 hectares, the site comprises two redundant teaching buildings, associated hardstanding and former agricultural training land characterised by open grassland, which is subdivided into a series of former training paddocks.

The developer has now submitted a planning application for 141 dwellings, together with associated access, landscaping, public open space and supporting infrastructure.

The site, with a net developable area of approximately 3.87 hectares, is considered a part-brownfield site. In Rotherham's Local Plan, it was designated for an Education Community Facility.

Plans show that existing access is currently obtained through the campus; however, the proposed development will be served by a new dedicated vehicular access directly from Doe Quarry Lane at the Manor Road / Laughton Road end.

A new priority-controlled T-junction onto Doe Quarry Lane is proposed supported by the demolition of the existing former teaching accommodation and associated structures located within the southern part of the site.

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The plans are for 141 houses with a range of sizes, from 2-bed semi-detached properties to 5-bed detached dwellings, with a variety of house types proposed. 25% of the total houses are set to be classed as affordable housing - 35, 2-bed houses.

However, the unused buildings on site will also mean that the development should qualify for Vacant Building Credit (VBC) which can be used to reduce the affordable housing contributions required when redeveloping brownfield sites with empty buildings.

The majority of dwellings are two storeys in height, with a limited number of 2.5-storey and three-storey dwellings, reflecting the prevailing scale and character of the surrounding residential areas.

The plans, drawn up by consultants, Nineteen47, state: "The educational use formerly undertaken on the Site has ceased and the associated buildings have remained vacant for a considerable period following the relocation and consolidation of educational operations elsewhere within the RNN Group estate.

"The Site no longer performs its allocated educational function and there is no reasonable prospect that the former use will recommence. The redevelopment of the Site therefore represents an opportunity to secure the beneficial re-use of a vacant and underutilised site within a sustainable settlement, whilst avoiding the continued deterioration of redundant buildings and land."

Applicants also say that the highly sustainable site is "exceptionally well located in relation to local facilities and services" and add that: "The submitted assessments demonstrate that safe and suitable access can be achieved, that the local highway network has capacity to accommodate development-generated traffic and that opportunities exist to encourage sustainable travel choices amongst future residents."

The plans conclude: "The proposal will transform the Site into a high-quality residential neighbourhood delivering significant economic, social and environmental benefits. These include much-needed housing delivery, a meaningful contribution towards addressing the Council's housing land supply shortfall, investment in the local economy, support for local services and businesses, new public open space, biodiversity enhancements, landscape improvements, green infrastructure and associated supporting infrastructure."

Honey launched in 2022 and is backed by private equity firm Alchemy Partners. It has previously brought forward sites in Rotherham at Waverley and Maltby. Early stage plans have also emerged for a site at Harley.

Homes by honey website

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News: Rotherham bar operator targets town centre

The operator of popular venues in Rotherham has announced plans to open another in the town centre, reports Visit Rotherham.

A craft beer specialist, Roadhouse Bar & Bottles originally opened in 2021 in the former supermarket store room at Stag Roundabout. It has hosted art events and live music and also operates as a bottle shop offering beers, wines and spirits.

In 2024, the same vibe was created in a former opticians on Laughton Road in Dinnington.

Now the team has revealed that it has set its sights on an empty property on the heritage High Street in Rotherham town centre.

A post on social media, picked up by Visit Rotherham read: "It's now official!

"After everything that’s happened since we opened our first Roadhouse, we’re incredibly excited to finally announce... Roadhouse Bar & Bottles is coming to Rotherham!"

The post hints that the new Roadhouse will offer great beer, great wine, live music, tasting nights and events and shows 29 High Street as the new location.

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Part of a complex of mixed-used retail outlets focusing on listed buildings, the Georgian Town House contained the remains of the Italian restaurant and was painstakingly restored with a new Victorian shop frontage and Doric door. The unit was previously The Craft Corner and Bears' Den and a bridal shop.

The listed building, once occupied by the Badger family, a notable family of solicitors and lawyers, now contains four self-contained residential apartments, a two-bedroom cottage and a ground floor retail unit.

In 2024 Roadhouse's Stag premises closed for the "forseeable future" "due to circumstances outside of our control" but reopened in the summer of 2025.

Later in 2025, Chris Roadhouse joined with new directors to convert a vacant former pet shop, also at Stag, into a new wine bar. Antler & Vine opened earlier this year with a different offer to Roadhouse next door which instead focuses on craft cocktails, fine wines and champagne.

Roadhouse website

Images: Veritas

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News: Rotherham street traders move back to market hall site as indoor traders report drop in footfall

Some traders on the outdoor market that have temporarily been using the main streets in Rotherham town centre have moved back to the markets site as regeneration work progresses.

Indoor traders in the new Market Hall are hoping that it will boost footfall in the area following a slow summer.

Rotherham outdoor market relocated from the outdoor covered market to Effingham Street in 2023 as works progressed on the regeneration of Rotherham Markets.

As part of the £46.844m scheme, traders from the old indoor market have moved temporarily into the New Market Hall until the work on the indoor market is complete (previously scheduled for Autumn 2027). When these traders move back into their revamped home, street traders are due to make use of the new Market Hall.

Operator, Rotherham Council, has now made the decision to move the Monday and Friday general market from the street onto the public space around the Rotherham Market Hall.

As part of the works, a new public realm area has been created between the market and Eastwood Lane and the college campus.

It is not yet known if the general outdoor market on a Saturday, Tuesday street market, Wednesday Antiques & bric-a-brac market, or Rotherham Bazaar on a Thursday, will follow.

Rotherham MP, Sarah Champion recently visited stall holders trading temporarily in the new Market Hall to discuss issues impacting their businesses.

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Having raised the issues with Rotherham Council, the authority admitted that traders and visitors had faced "temporary challenges" as the construction work on the new library and indoor market continues around the new Market Hall.

In reply to the MP, John Edwards, chief executive of Rotherham Council, said: "We are aware that traders have raised concerns regarding footfall in recent weeks. A number of factors are likely to have contributed to this, including the summer closure of the College and the exceptionally hot weather experienced during the period. However, we recognise that accessibility issues and ongoing construction activity may also have had an impact. We continue to monitor visitor numbers and work proactively to support traders and increase market activity.

"The Council is actively promoting the market through a programme of marketing, events, wayfinding improvements, and town-centre promotional activity designed to increase visitor numbers and encourage repeat visits. These initiatives have been developed in partnership with traders to ensure they respond to the needs of businesses and help maximise customer engagement and footfall."

On accessibility, Edwards acknowledged that there had been issues with the lift accessed via Henry Street which had experienced "a number of operational issues in recent weeks" that have since been addressed by the contractors.

Edwards added: "To further improve accessibility, a platform lift will also be installed within the public realm area. Unfortunately, manufacturing delays meant that this could not be installed before the market opened, however the Council continues to work closely with the contractor to deliver this improvement as soon as possible."

Work has recently completed on the signalised crossing linking the markets with Drummond Street car park. Temporary traffic lights had been causing traffic issues in the area.

The council is also considering extending its rent free period for traders "in recognition that some temporary challenges remain."

Rothbiz reported in May on the authority's support for traders involved.

Edwards concluded: "We remain confident that, once the remaining accessibility and public realm improvements are complete, the new market will provide a high-quality, accessible, and sustainable destination that supports both traders and visitors. We will continue to work closely with traders to ensure that the market achieves its full potential as a key part of Rotherham town centre's regeneration."

Images: RMBC

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