News: Rotherham-based retailer Maplin enters administration

Rotherham-based electronics retailer, Maplin, has collapsed into administration, putting around 2,500 jobs at risk.

Manvers-based Maplin sells a range of products to tech-savvy hobbyists as well as general consumers and operates from 217 stores.

Maplin was sold for £85m to current owners Rutland Partners in 2014 and recent media reports warned that the owners wanted to secure new investors to save the business.

Graham Harris, who became chief executive only last month, said: "I can confirm this morning that it has not been possible to secure a solvent sale of the business and as a result we now have no alternative but to enter into an administration process. During this process Maplin will continue to trade and remains open for business.

"The business has worked hard over recent months to mitigate a combination of impacts from sterling devaluation post Brexit, a weak consumer environment and the withdrawal of credit insurance. This necessitated an intensive search for new capital that in current market conditions has proved impossible to raise. These macro factors have been the principal challenge not the Maplin brand or its market differentiation.

"We believe passionately that Maplin has a place on the high street, and that our trust, credibility and expertise meets a customer need that is not supported elsewhere.

"We will now work tirelessly alongside Zelf Hussain, Toby Underwood and Ian Green, from PWC, who have been appointed as the as Joint Administrators of Maplin Electronics Limited, to achieve the best possible outcome for all of our colleagues and stakeholders."

Eversheds Sutherland is advising PwC. The legal firm was involved on the 2014 sale to Rutland. Montagu Private Equity bought the business for a reported £244m in 2004.

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For the year ending 31 March 2017, turnover at the electronics chain increased to £235.8m from £234.6m in the previous year. Earnings before tax (EBITDA) was recorded at £8.9m, down from £12.7m and pre tax losses widened from £2.1m in 2015/16 to £3.9m for 2016/17.

Recent initiatives include a new website, a focus on support and installation services and a link up with GAME over concession space. Maplin said it saw strong trading over 2017 Black Friday with sales up 5% year-on-year including its biggest ever trading day in digital.

However, Christmas trading was below expectations and credit insurers have been cutting their exposure to the company.

Launched by two technology enthusiasts in 1972 who were frustrated by the lack of good quality electronics components, Maplin Electronics became the experts' choice, with a reputation for the best product range and expertise.

Founded in Essex, Roger Allen and Doug Simmons remained in their full-time jobs for two years, and the company didn't make a profit. In 2008 the firm moved to a 220,000 sq ft state of the art distribution centre and head office at Manvers in Rotherham.

Last year, the firm transferred operations and now has a "front office" of the commercial, marketing, ecommerce and digital function based together in London, with a "back office" of the HR, finance, IT, warehouse and distribution and contact centre functions based in Rotherham.

Maplin website

Images: Maplin

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News: Expansion plans back in for blooming Rotherham garden centre

The popular Wentworth Garden Centre in Rotherham has resubmitted expansion plans that could create 35 new jobs.

The destination garden centre is situated in sixteen acres in the former walled kitchen, Italian and Japanese gardens of Wentworth Woodhouse and in the picturesque historic village of Wentworth. It attracts approximately 284,000 visitors each year.

Established for more than 30 years, the family owned independent centre has undergone a number of improvements and investment projects, with historic gardens, a craft centre, family farm and a landmark 260 seat restaurant.

An earlier planning application for a new courtyard development was withdrawn last year and now updated plans have been submitted.

The latest application, drawn up by Malcolm Scott Consultants, explains: "The application was withdrawn following concerns expressed by the case officer regarding the height of the two storey proposed development and its location in the Green Belt. The planning and conservation Officer also raised a concern regarding the height of the proposed development and its impact upon the wider setting of the Grade II* Listed Historic Park and Garden.

"The Highway Authority also required additional information regarding the adequacy of the existing car parking capacity to meet the increase demand should the development be approved."

The proposals have been amended so that the two storey high building has been reduced to a single storey. Updated information on the car parking and increased traffic has also been included.

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The garden centre, leisure areas and nursery employs 132 full and part time staff (plus casual staff) and the plans explain the need for expansion with office, staff and catering facilities all outgrown.

The plans add that the existing customer catering facility is now overcrowded, the kitchen facilities are working beyond their design capacity and the customer toilet facilities are inadequate.

A revised development scheme is for 9,600 sq ft of space split into three buildings. It involves replacing the existing conservatory display area and replacing it with high quality structures. The design will create a courtyard which links to the existing courtyard.

Along with new kitchens and staff offices, there is also set to be a small retail area, a food hall and a new coffee shop to relieve pressure on the existing Walled Garden Coffee Shop.

With the growth of the business, the garden centre is looking to employ a further 15 full time staff and 20 part time (plus casual staff).

Developed in the late 18th century as the pleasure grounds and kitchen garden by the Fitzwilliams of Wentworth Woodhouse, from 1750 until 1786, the gardens were formally reorganised into a kitchen garden. Created under the supervision of renowned York architect John Carr, the kitchen gardens' principal role was to provide an abundance of fresh fruit, herbs, vegetables and cut flowers for the house throughout the year.

Foundations for the 12 foot high perimeter walls were begun with the North and South facing walls being designated "hot" walls (they once contained an ingenious system of heated flues). Glasshouses erected against these walls would have supplied the finest and most delicate fruits such as peaches, melons, grapes, pineapples and apricots, a major challenge for gardeners of the day.

Inevitably, much of the cultivated area fell into disrepair after the Second World War, until the creation of the garden centre in 1976. The gardens, which include a rock garden created within and around an old stone quarry in about 1868, were recently accepted into the RHS Partner Gardens scheme.

Wentworth Garden centre website

Images: Malcolm Scott Consultants

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News: Chamber Women in Business to celebrate International Women’s Day

For a third year, Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber's Women in Business working group will be joining millions of men and women across the globe to recognise and celebrate the contributions made by women to daily lives, communities and the business sector.

Supported by the Chamber, the group meet regularly to come up with ideas and opportunities for creative, inspiring and interactive ways for women to network, learn, signpost and share with each other.

Taking place at Holiday Inn Barnsley on Thursday March 8, the event is designed to share, reflect on and be inspired by women's personal journeys, achievements and challenges both professionally and personally.

This year's theme is #PressforProgress, which marks the 100th anniversary certain women got the vote following the passion and determination of the Suffragette movement. Although the Chamber is apolitical, the event will provide the opportunity for attendees to reflect on whether women would have the same freedom and choices should this momentous change not have been achieved.

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Throughout the day, a number of speakers including local author Kathryn Littlewood, managing director of Gulliver's, Julie Dalton. Chamber president Lisa Pogson, will be taking centre stage to help working women blend and manage work life and family life, as well as exploring how businesses in the future can attract and retain talent to create a workplace which is reflective of a more diverse society.

There will also be a number of "Sofa Chats" taking place, hosted by mothers and their children including Grimm & Co founder Deborah Bullivant and her son Luke, who will share their story of the life of a working mum from both sides, inspired by the Listening Project, developed by the BBC and National Archives.

Jackie Freeborn, chair of Women in Business and co-host of International Women's Day, said: "We are delighted that for the third year in succession we are hosting our International Women’s Day Conference. Once again, we have a fantastic line up of speakers who will be sharing their inspirational journeys, their achievements, the challenges and the funny, as well as their motivation, drive and words of wisdom for all to learn from. Press for Progress is this year's theme and is very fitting as this is the 100th year anniversary of the start of female voting rights in the UK.

"All are welcome in helping us celebrate the massive contribution that women make to our lives, in business, in the community, in family. As always our aim is to inspire as well as providing a relaxed environment for business networking."

Prior to the event, the Chamber's Construction Forum will be hosting a Women in Construction event from 12 noon to 2pm. Key women in the construction industry will be sharing their experience of working in a typically male dominated sector, followed by a presentation of workwear for the modern woman in construction by sponsors Blåkläder.

BR Chamber website

Images: International Women’s Day

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News: Rotherham Council set to approve budget

Rotherham Council is set to approve its latest budget at a full council meeting this week as it looks to make £15.1m of budget savings in the next financial year.

The focus has been on identifying "efficiency savings" and also on maximising income generation opportunities in order to minimise the impact on front line services to the public.

A report to the council states: "Over the last seven years from 2011/12 to 2017/18, the Council has had to make ongoing savings of £162m, mainly as a result of the financial reductions imposed on local government as part of the Government's austerity programme."

Budgets have been stretched further by the Governance improvements required and implemented since the Jay and Casey reports of 2014 and 2015 and with the increasing demand on social care services.

The authority admits that it is not possible to commit to future delivery of the full range of services currently provided.

The Council does say that it will remain a key lever for growth and investment in Rotherham and the wider Sheffield City Region and one key focus is to "drive inclusive growth and ensure Rotherham's residents are connected to local good quality job opportunities."

The current proposed revenue budget for 2018/19 is £216.876m and the Capital Programme includes £425m of capital investment over the five years 2017/18 to 2021/22. If approved, Council Tax will increase by 5.99%.

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The capital investment strategy is targeting critical infrastructure and housing, and there is a focus on strategic development projects / sites including the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District; widening the network of Business Incubation Centres and driving the pace of the Town centre masterplan with the Forge Island development.

Along with adopting a more commercial, outward facing approach, the hope is that the investment will boost income to the Council through the New Homes Bonus, Council Tax income and retained Business Rates.

Income generation is expected from projects such as the £4.7m Beighton Link investment and the new £4.7m camping and caravan park at Rother Valley Country Park.

The regeneration team is tasked with working to attract investment and new business, while ensuring that the borough's existing businesses receive the support they need to grow and make further investment. This is likely to focus on integrated transport, housing, vocational skills and good quality green spaces and cultural offer.

As previously reported by Rothbiz, the Rotherham Youth Enterprise service is under threat with budget proposals set to cut the team down to two staff.

The capital strategy includes projects such as the £4.6m revamp of College Road Roundabout where the Council is set to provide match funding of £1.390m. £1.312m has also been set aside for much-need repairs to Crinoline Bridge.

Other projects include the £42m planned to widen the Parkway, the £9.8m Waverley Link Road, £16m to invest in the town centre, and a £5m Growth Fund to support businesses.

Cllr. Chris Read, leader of Rotherham Council, said: "It is an incredibly challenging time for local government across the piece. Some of the numbers we have seen nationally over the last few weeks bear witness to the challenge that all councils are facing at this time of austerity and at a time of growing demand for both adults and children's social care.

"All those factors come together to place pressure on authorities like ours so we are prioritising protecting both adults and children's social care in this budget. That does mean that there is an impact then on other non-social care budgets.

"We are also trying to move towards more revenue generating activities, particularly around regen and environment, and lots and lots of activity is taking place, particularly in finance, around how else we can best finance that budget in order to protect frontline services."

Images: RMBC

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News: Sheffield-Rotherham AMID making waves across the Atlantic

A high-level delegation from the US Congress visited Rotherham recently to take in the emerging Sheffield-Rotherham Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District (AMID).

Recognising that high value manufacturing can be key to driving innovation, productivity and exports, civic leaders have committed to the idea of "supercharging" the areas of advanced manufacturing in the Sheffield-Rotherham Economic Corridor. Based around the expanding Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham and surrounding Enterprise Zone, the aim is to develop Europe's largest research-led advanced manufacturing cluster.

Visiting the area were Ron Kind, US Representative for Wisconsin's 3rd congressional district, is an expert on small businesses, while Derek Kilmer, who represents Washington's 6th congressional district, has worked in economic development for over a decade.

Rep Kind said: "Visiting Sheffield City Region was yet another reminder of the importance of community and University partnerships. As I see in similar projects across western and central Wisconsin, collaboration makes our communities and nations stronger and more productive."

Rep Kilmer added: "When I'm back home I say often that the role of government is to create more opportunities for more people in more places. It is clear that's what's happening in Sheffield City Region. I’ve learned a lot on my visit, and I hope that it leads to even stronger partnerships which create great jobs here and back home."

Rotherham is home to a number of American-owned firms including Jeld-Wen, Cooper & Turner, ICD Alloys and General Dynamics. Figures show that in 2015 the Sheffield city region exported manufactured goods worth £450m to the US.

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The Congressmen were accompanied by Mr Kilmer's Chief of Staff, and Mr Kind's Legislative Director. Also on the visit, arranged by the Department for International Trade, were Grant Kerr, Senior Congressional Advisor at the British Embassy in Washington, and Meghan Ormerod, the Senior Trade Policy Advisor at the Embassy.

The visit was accompanied by Mark Robson, DIT Regional Director Yorkshire; Cllr Denise Lelliott, Cabinet Member and Paul Woodcock, Assistant Director for Planning, Regeneration and Transport for Rotherham Council; and David Campbell-Molloy, senior programme manager, and Tony Corby, senior business development manager, both from Sheffield City Region, and Alan Lyons, SME business network manager.

The group saw the advanced manufacturing technologies on display and talked to senior personnel at the Rolls-Royce "Factory of the Future" which makes up part of the University of Sheffield's Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC). The AMRC has been integral to the continuing success of the area.

Chris Scholey, chair of the Trade and Investment Board of the Sheffield City Region, said: "The University of Sheffield's AMRC is a resource rightly valued and respected around the world, and we are very proud to work with its staff. Helping to bring Boeing and MacLaren in as neighbours to the AMRC was very important to the City Region, and we invested significant funding to help that happen.

"We have a strong business ethic here – our approach is simple, straightforward and pragmatic. In the Region we grab each opportunity and make the most of it, whatever the size of the company, whatever its sector and whatever its ambition. We do this daily with domestic and international business partners alike."

Adrian Allen, executive director of the AMRC, added: "It was great to meet our friends from America who were very interested in how the AMRC has been the catalyst for the transformation of the Sheffield City Region. They were especially interested in how our research and innovation assets, coupled with top quality skills and training, are acting as a powerful magnet for inward investment.

"The before and after images of what this part of our region looked like little more than a decade ago, and what it looks like now, with two new production plants for McLaren and Boeing being built, speaks volumes for the scale of change. And there is more to come."

Cllr. Lelliott said: "I'm delighted to welcome visitors from the United States, and it has been a great pleasure to show them the AMRC which is a huge asset in the Rotherham district. It symbolises the forward-looking nature of our area."

Images: RMBC / AMRC

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News: £1m to support rural economy

£1m is still available for projects in the Sheffield city region (SCR) which create jobs and growth in the rural economy.

Food processors, rural businesses that want to develop, and tourism infrastructure are all eligible to apply for the Growth Fund grants from the Rural Development Programme.

Grants of £35,000 up to £500,000 are available but an Expression of Interest must be submitted by May 31.

Rothbiz reported on the Growth Programme last year.

Priority projects for the SCR in the food processing sector include ideas for exporting, new techniques and processes, increasing productivity, and creating the equivalent of one full-time job for each £25,000 of grant.

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In the business development area, it is also looking for ideas that allow farming ventures to diversify into non-agricultural activities, create new services and / or make new products.

And for tourism infrastructure grants the SCR will prioritise capital investments which create year-round work instead of seasonal jobs, create opportunities for the young and unemployed, bring more visitors to the area, create or develop infrastructure for outdoor activities, and create new or upgrade visitor accommodation.

Neil MacDonald, chair of the SCR's Business Growth Board, said: "Enterprise has always been at the heart of what we do in the City Region. For businesses that decide to apply, this funding could be invaluable in helping them grow."

David Grimes, head of the business growth team at SCR's Growth Hub, added: "We have hundreds of exciting small rural businesses in this region, and they have lots of talent and fresh ideas. I really would urge any business owner out there to think about applying for a grant if you have an innovation or product that will create growth opportunities."

Rural Development Programme website
SCR Growth Hub website

Images: Lawns Farm Shop

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News: Historic Rotherham building wrapped up in legal claim

Progress on converting the historic Howard Building in Rotherham town centre looks unlikely anytime soon after a court injunction was granted that prevents its sale.

A tangled web of development and investment companies, and their directors, has been served with a freezing injunction with liquidator, Louise Brittain, alleging that money from investors has been wrongfully diverted to a number of companies.

The assets have been frozen as the liquidator of Absolute Living Developments hunts to recover money for investors and creditors left out of pocket when schemes failed to be completed, or in some cases, even started.

Revised plans to convert the Howard Building into self-contained studios and apartments were approved by the planning board at Rotherham Council in 2015.

With little evidence of the conversion into twelve, one bed apartments and 60 studio apartments at "Howard Residencies", the applicants, AVRO Developments headed into insolvency, with Rotherham Council leading the petition in 2015 to have the company wound up - likely to be for non-payment of business rates.

Suffering from vandalism, and damaged even before a fire last year, the prominent four storey building opened in the 1930's. It previously operated as part of the college and also housed the council's environmental health teams and a day nursery before being sold prior to going to auction in 2014.

Crown Union Ltd and DS7 Ltd submitted plans in 2016 to amend the scheme. A company called 2380 REVERSIONS LTD is now responsible for paying rates on the building.

Crown Union Ltd was dissolved last month although its website, complete with adverts for studio starter pads and 1-bedroom apartments for sale within Howard Residencies, remains online.

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AVRO, Crown Union Ltd, DS7 Ltd and 2380 REVERSIONS LTD all share directors and links to previous "dubious" property investment schemes where directors are alleged to have created companies to place assets beyond the reach of investors.

Rothbiz reported in 2016 how the Rotherham scheme is linked to Absolute Living Developments, Fresh Start Living and Empirical Property, all highlighted in the media as leaving buy-to-let investors out of pocket.

Court documents, seen by Rothbiz, show that the asset freeze explicitly states that 2380 Reversions Limited "must not in any way dispose of, deal with or diminish the value" of the Howard Building.

The documents add that 2380 Reversions Limited has assets of £1.65m with the interconnected parties having assets in the region of £74m, the liquidator claims.

Also in the documents, the liquidator highlights that millions of pounds were transferred to DS7 with £294,351 applied towards the purchase of the freehold of the Howard Building. It adds that the identity of the purchaser was unknown but the property is now registered to 2380 Reversions Limited.

This was repeated a number of times regarding properties across the North of England. With the same people, namely, Andrew John Camilleri and Charles Alexander Clunie Cunningham, acting as de facto / shadow directors of the companies, the claim is based around dishonesty and breaches of fiduciary duties.

The related parties are accused of involvement in incorporating companies "in order to give effect to a dishonest scheme designed by Mr Camilleri and Mr Cunningham to divert monies payable by investors ... thereby enabling those monies to be transferred to Mr Camilleri, Mr Cunningham and their associates whilst ensuring that the investors did not have any recourse."

Private prosecution was brought against Mr Camilleri, who was declared bankrupt in 2011. Andrew Marshall, partner at Edmonds Marshall McMahon, said: "This was an elaborate deception that Andrew Camilleri maintained in order to mislead his creditors to give himself a clean slate, leaving his creditors with a pittance."

Last month, Camilleri was unanimously convicted by a jury at Manchester Crown Court of making false representations in an Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA) proposal.

Further action is expected.

Images: Avro Developments / SY Fire & Rescue

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News: Canadian government R&D contract for Metalysis

Innovative Rotherham firm, Metalysis, has landed another overseas Research & Development contract regarding the creation of alloys from rare earth elements.

The Manvers company holds the worldwide exploitation rights to the FCC Cambridge process which sees specialist powder metals created in a simple, cost effective process with significant environmental benefits. It is in the process of commercialising the technology to produce titanium, tantalum, and related high value alloys. These are used increasingly by major worldwide industries such as aerospace, marine, medical, chemical, automotive and electronics.

Backed by investors and grants, Metalysis, a Cambridge University spin out, secured £20m of investment and opened a Materials Discovery Centre in a 22,000 sq ft unit on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP), also in Rotherham. It is also scaling up production of titanium at its Farfield Park premises.

Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), has now announced a new contract for work on the production of rare-earth-element (REE) oxides and alloys. And experts from Metalysis will be involved.

NRCan is the Canadian government department that oversees the responsible development and use of Canada's natural resources and the competitiveness of Canada's natural-resources products.

During the research project, REE solutions will be prepared at the facilities of Ontario-based Process Research Ortech Inc., followed by the precipitation and calcination of REEs from these solutions to produce high-purity REE oxides. Innovation Metals Corp. (IMC) will then work with Metalysis to study the co-reduction of the REE oxides with other metals to produce REE alloys.

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Last year Metalysis formed with Mkango Resources Ltd, a Canadian listed mineral exploration and development company, to work on rare earth permanent magnets that are at risk of shortage. It is also working with Kazakhstan to develop high value metals and alloys for additive manufacturing.

Dr Gareth Hatch, president of Innovation Metals Corp, said: "The cost-effective production of REE metals and alloys from separated REE oxides is an essential component of developing an independent REE supply chain outside of China.

"This project is a natural progression of our previously successful work on the production of separated REE oxides via IMC's RapidSX process. We look forward to working with Metalysis to demonstrate an effective, integrated path for REE alloy production."

REEs exhibit a range of special properties. Their use in components manufactured from a wide range of REE alloys and compounds are essential to the performance of numerous engineered systems for the green-energy, electronics, defense, aerospace and other sectors.

Dr Ian Mellor, managing director of Metalysis' Materials Discovery Centre, said: "We are pleased to partner with IMC and NRCan and eagerly anticipate the results of combining our know-how during this project.

"Metalysis' process can produce a wide range of advanced alloys and REEs are an area of substantial research interest, which we look forward to exploring together."

Canada is investing in R&D as it has significant critical metal reserves and an opportunity to supply some of the global demand.

Honourable Jim Carr, Canada's Minister of Natural Resources, said: "This research supports the Government of Canada's commitment to a low-carbon future. Environmentally friendly and energy-efficient technologies will drive Canada's sustainable growth in the mining sector for generations to come."

The research project is expected to be completed in the Spring of 2018.

Metalysis website

Images: Metalysis

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News: Sky-House appoints PBS Group for innovative Waverley scheme

Urban development specialist Sky-House has appointed the PBS Group of Doncaster as its principal contractor for its innovative back-to-back housing development at Waverley in Rotherham.

Planning permission was granted at the end of 2017 for 44 starter homes and is part of an ambitious campaign funded by the Homes and Communities Agency to bring more than 200 new homes to the Sheffield City Region and beyond over the coming years.

Sales will be handled by estate agency Redbrik when the project has its official marketing launch in Spring 2018.

The Sky-House Co was founded by David Cross of award winning Sheffield multi-disciplinary practice CODA Studios and Property Developer Philip Prince of Broadfield Holdings having worked together as Architect and client for over 15 years.

Cross said: "This is our first Sky-House project and one about which we are all extremely excited. We have spent nine years since the crash developing new housing typologies to provide sensitive urban solutions for first time buyers and young families alike.

"Our aim is to provide affordable starter homes that are beautiful, environmentally sound and materially robust to fill the gap between the apartment market and the national housebuilders."

The plans include 40 two bedroom homes with rooftop gardens and four three bedroom homes with private gardens, set out in four terraced blocks. The back-to-back houses are three stories high. The plans also include 48 car parking spaces and a community pocket park.

CODA's 21st century take on the Victorian back-to-back house includes two double bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms, an open plan kitchen / diner and a private roof garden accessed from a private study area.

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Cross added: "The Sky House has been one of CODA's most talked about and applauded concepts and one that we feel will fit in perfectly with the Waverley development plan.

It has taken us several years of detailed negotiation with site owners Harworth Estates, who have been amazing in their support to select the right location for us to deliver this unique contemporary development.

"Rotherham Council have also been extremely positive and encouraging in dealing with our application swiftly alongside the Homes and Communities Agency who have been incredibly helpful providing funding support to deliver this new concept.

"Complete with "Help-to-Buy" this is a style of property that will provide perfect entry level properties for both first time buyers and young families in an area of great economic growth."

Adam Murray, director of CODA Planning, added: "Our design compliments the other Waverley developments whilst offering something very unique for Rotherham residents; houses that will herald one of the most unique new build developments in the region creating unrivalled starter homes."

It is anticipated that the first of the Sky-House project homes will be available by December 2018 with the whole development finished by summer 2019. The project will also create around 60 construction jobs.

Sky-House website
PBS Group website

Images: Sky-House Co

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News: More problems for Sheffield-Rotherham tram-train project

Enabling works have been postponed for the innovative Sheffield-Rotherham tram-train service that is scheduled to reach the borough later this year.

New vehicles will eventually run as tram-trains between Sheffield city centre and Parkgate via Meadowhall South and Rotherham town centre. For now, they are being used on the existing Supertram network in Sheffield.

With funding from the Government, the £100m scheme is set to run for two years with a view to permanent operation. It is the first of its kind in the UK and if it is successful, it opens the way for tram trains to be introduced in other parts of the country.

Already delayed as Network Rail struggles to get to grips with the upgrades needed to the heavy rail sections of the route, work was scheduled to be carried out in the Tinsley area this weekend to connect the Supertram and Network Rail overhead power lines. Buses were set to replace trams between Meadowhall and Valley Centretainment.

An update from Stagecoach, the operator of the Supertram service now states that: "Due to the contractor not receiving vital components from the supplier, the overhead power line work at Tinsley planned for the 24th and 25th February 2018 will no longer take place. A normal service will now operate on all routes on these dates, and work will be rescheduled for a later date."

Last month, Carillion, Network Rail's lead contractor on the project, entered compulsory liquidation.

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Earlier this month, Stagecoach was forced to withdraw the new vehicles from its network in Sheffield after a "problem" with one of the new Citylink vehicles near Shalesmoor.

The operator said: "As safety is our top priority, a decision has been made to temporarily withdraw these trams from service while the issue is investigated. We are working with the manufacturer to identify and rectify the problem."

The Department for Transport (DfT) is the client in the project and South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE) is responsible for the delivery of all of the light rail modifications, rail replacement and procurement of the vehicles. Network Rail is separately responsible to DfT to deliver the heavy rail modifications required for the project.

A report from the National Audit Office (NAO) criticised the management of the trial when it revealed that by December 2016, the cost of the works, which had been given an initial estimate of £15m, had quadrupled to £75.1m, pushing the overall cost of the scheme over £100m.

The Government's Public Accounts Committee looked at the issues of cost increases and delays, the under-estimation of the scale and complexity of the works, and the risks involved in delivering new technology. It said that it had all the makings of a "how not to" seminar for future projects.

First mentioned in 2009, a revised construction programme will see infrastructure complete during Summer 2018.

Images: SYPTE / Network Rail

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News: Further details of proposed new Rother Valley caravan park

Rotherham Council is set to invest around £4.7m in developing a new caravan site within the popular Rother Valley Country Park (RVCP).

In setting its budgets, the authority has recognised that a more commercial approach, focused on income generation and using the borough's assets and resources creatively, will help to ease budget pressures on some front-line services.

In 2016, Rothbiz reported that a business case was being developed for a touring caravan site in an effort to boost the income of the country park and compliment the plans approved for the £37m Gulliver's theme park on adjacent land.

Now a detailed planning application has been submitted by the Council setting out how six hectares within the site could be used to create an attractive caravan site which complements the country park and combines the leisure facilities.

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Permission is being sought for 129 touring caravans and 34 tent pitches for the exclusive use of holidays and it is proposed that the Greenbelt site is open all year round.

The aim is to provide a top quality campsite applying the highest standards to the design (aspiring to match or exceed the AA 5 pennant standard) to ensure the camping experience is one that will bring visitors back to the area.

The plans, drawn up by Council architects, also include ancillary buildings for toilets/laundry, a reception building with café and shop, a bike lock up and children's play area.

Access will be via Mansfield Road and then Delves Lane. A network of footpaths will connect the various elements of Rother Valley Country Park.

The plans state: "As part of the Rother Valley County Park it will add to the value of the area, its economical sustainability as well as providing an opportunity for further recreational activities."

"As part of a wider context including the proposed Gulliver's Theme Park, Rotherham, Sheffield and surrounding villages, it will provide a community resource including improved Public Rights of Way, link into the RVCP and café facilities with spectacular views."

On the economic impact of the proposal, the plans add: "Extensive work has been undertaken to develop outline proposals for a new caravan site at Rother Valley Country Park and to assess its business potential. Financial projections suggest that such a development could enable the park to generate a significant net revenue stream and boost future success of RVCP.

"Such a facility would make a substantial contribution to development of Rotherham as a tourism destination, stimulating the local economy and jobs, and projecting a positive and welcoming image of the Borough to visitors from across the whole of the UK."

Budget documents show that £4,781,000 has been set aside for the project from the Council's capital programme. A long-term loan has been discussed with the repayments and all day-to-day running costs set to be paid for entirely from caravan site income once the facility becomes established.

It is proposed that this will be an "invest-to-save" initiative with the income generated when the site opens in 2019 putting £339,000 each year back into Council coffers.

The authority has stressed the importance of a caravan site being operational by early 2019 to benefit from the publicity and associated demand arising from the opening of Gullivers in that year.

Gulliver's, the operators of theme parks in Warrington, Matlock Bath and Milton Keynes, is purchasing around 250 acres of the restored former colliery and opencast site from Rotherham Council. It is progressing plans for the first of its sites in the UK to encompass all of its major family entertainment elements in one location with new attractions exclusive to Rotherham.

RVCP website

Images: RMBC

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News: Rolls-Royce celebrates delivery of first A350-1000

Precision aerospace parts manufactured in Rotherham have been delivered to Qatar Airways as the airline receives the first Airbus A350-1000 to enter service, powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines.

The Trent XWB-97 is the 97,000lb higher thrust version of the Trent XWB, the world's most efficient large civil aero engine flying today and is also the fastest selling widebody jet engine ever, with over 1,700 engines ordered by 45 customers worldwide.

The other version of the Trent XWB, rated at 84,000lb, powers the A350-900 which first entered service in January 2015, again with Qatar Airways as the global launch customer. Today 290 of these engines are in service with airlines worldwide, having accumulated more than 1.3 million flying hours and achieving the best entry into service performance of any widebody engine, with outstanding reliability.

Chris Cholerton, Rolls-Royce, President – Civil Aerospace, said: "We are very proud to have worked with Qatar Airways and Airbus to deliver the engines for the latest version of the A350 XWB. Both are highly valued partners to Rolls-Royce and today marks another important step forward in our relationship together.

"We are excited to see the latest version of the Trent XWB entering service with Qatar Airways and look forward to this engine continuing to provide outstanding levels of reliability."

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The Trent engines include key components manufactured by Rolls-Royce in Rotherham.

The turbine blades made in Rotherham rotate at 12,500 rpm, with their tips reaching 1,200mph – nearly twice the speed of sound. At take off each of the engine's high pressure turbine blades generates around 800 horsepower per blade - similar to a Formula One racing car.

The most advanced turbine blade casting facility in the world was officially opened on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham in 2014. The 150,000 sq ft facility employs around 150 people and has the capacity to manufacture more than 100,000 single crystal turbine blades a year. The advanced turbine blade castings are produced for the company's most modern, high-thrust engines.

There are two types of turbine blade manufactured at the Rotherham facility: high pressure (HP) and intermediate pressure (IP) single crystal blades. There are over 65 in every iconic Trent engine and 182 turbine blades in each Trent XWB engine.

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Cholerton, added: "We are really proud of what this engine has delivered for our customers and to support that success we've invested heavily in technology and innovation, in manufacturing lines and new test facilities. At the peak we will be delivering one Trent XWB every working day from our facilities in Derby and Berlin.

"For the Trent XWB-97 we've delivered an extra 13,000lbs of thrust, and that thrust comes from the fan rotating more quickly and the compressors rotating more quickly. And the turbine needs to work harder to do that. But our engineers were up to that challenge and we've managed to improve the fan system - get more airflow through the same diameter, we've grown physically the core of the engine, and we've inserted new materials and coatings to protect the engine life."

In Rotherham, making a blade as a single crystal using a modified version of the directional solidification technique eliminates grain boundaries, a source of weakness in a high stress application.

Single crystal casting, exotic alloying additions and protective coatings have enabled Rolls-Royce to increase metal temperatures by approximately 300°C over the last 50 years, a figure that can be doubled when the temperature of the gas stream itself is considered.

Rolls-Royce website

Images: Airbus

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News: AMP attracts more manufacturing occupiers

The most recent commercial development on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham is fully let as new high profile tenants are announced.

The R-evolution development where current occupiers include Maher, X-Cel Superturn, Metalysis and Nikken, was expanded last year when the second phase of units were practically completed creating 52,000 sq ft of prime space.

Owner and developer, Harworth Group plc has announced that joining the park is Spendor Audio Systems Limited which is taking the 25,962 sq ft Unit 8 building on a 15-year lease. Spendor is a British designer, engineer and builder of loudspeakers. Gaining rave reviews, its premium products use polymers, magnesium alloys, aerospace-grade adhesives and Kevlar.

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The 15,063 sq ft Unit 7A is let to British Steel Limited on a 15-year lease. The company was created when Greybull Capital bought the Scunthorpe-based Long Products Europe business of Tata Steel in 2016. It continued to have a Research & Development presence at Swinden Technology Centre in Rotherham which has recently closed.

These lettings have achieved a new headline rent of £7.50 psf for the park. Knight Frank and Gent Visick acted as joint agents for both lettings.

In addition, Bodycote looks set to take the 11,000 sq ft Unit 7B. The world's largest and most respected provider of heat treatment services and specialist thermal processes, Hot Isostatic Pressing and surface technology, has secured planning permission for new signage and a new transformer housing.

It means that the first two phases are now fully let.

The strong demand for space at the AMP has now led Harworth to begin construction of its third phase of R-evolution at the AMP, comprising 55,750 sq. ft of additional commercial space to be built to institutional specifications for advanced manufacturing occupiers.

Planning permission was granted at the end of last year and the scheme is due to practically complete in September 2018, with JF Finnegan Limited acting as Harworth's principal building contractor.

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David Travis, director of business space at Harworth, said: "With our second phase of R-evolution at the AMP now fully let, increasingly strong demand from advanced manufacturing occupiers and other supply chain businesses for readily available commercial space at the AMP means that it is an ideal time for us to commence our third speculative phase of R-evolution.

"I am confident that we'll be able to secure further occupiers of the same ilk as Spendor and British Steel in advance of practical completion being achieved later in 2018, thereby supporting the future success of the AMP and the Advanced Manufacturing sector in the North of England."

Rebecca Schofield, partner at Knight Frank in Sheffield who acted for Harworth as joint agent, added: "The Advanced Manufacturing Park continues to go from strength to strength and has attracted some great occupiers, it is now widely recognised as the leading manufacturing park in the UK. Following the announcement of Harworth's third phase of R-evolution, we are already seeing good levels of early interest in potential pre-lets of several units within the scheme."

The AMP is part of the wider Waverley development being brought forward over the next 20 years where there is the potential for over 2,000 new jobs to be created through further development.

Harworth Group website

Images: Harworth / Knigh Frank / Gent Visick

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News: Flats plan for empty uni building

Vacant for ten years, a large University of Sheffield building in Rotherham could be converted into housing, under new plans.

Humphry Davy House was built for the university at Manvers, Rotherham in 1998 and was previously home to its School of Nursing and Midwifery. Totalling 45,460 sq ft, it comprises of an imposing academic building constructed over ground and three upper floors. It is situated opposite to the main campus of Dearne Valley College.

Now a planning application has been submitted signalling prior notification for the proposed change of use from an office use to dwellinghouses.

Prior approval means that a developer has to seek approval from the local planning authority that specified elements of the development are acceptable before work can proceed.

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The applicant is Barnsley-based lettings and management service provider, The Lettings Room Ltd.

Currently set out with offices, teaching areas and an open plan library, the plans, drawn up by RJF Designs, show that the building could be converted into 109 units - one bedroom studios and flats across all the floors.

The School of Nursing and Midwifery was established in 1995, following the integration of Sheffield and North Trent College of Nursing and Midwifery into the University. It operated from Humphry Davy House and Samuel Fox House and Bartolomé House in Sheffield.

In 2004, the South Yorkshire Strategic Health Authority (SYSHA) went out to open tender for midwifery and nursing programmes with the University being offered 50% of the new contract, with the other 50% offered to another higher education institution. The University was unable to accept the offer on financial and operational grounds.

Once with a reported 4,000 students, the last intake of Midwifery Studies degree students was in July 2006 and the building went up for sale a year later.

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Agents, SMC Chartered Surveyors is now listing the property, which is on a long-leasehold until 2122, as being under offer.

The site was previously occupied by the National Coal Board.

Humphry Davy was a British chemist best known for his experiments in electro-chemistry and his invention of a miner's safety lamp.

Images: SMC Chartered Surveyors

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News: Council planning service shows Rotherham is open for business

Rotherham Planning Service is a finalist in the category for Local Authority Planning Team of the Year at the Royal Town Planning Institute's (RTPI) Awards for Planning Excellence 2018.

The RTPI Awards are the most established and respected awards in the UK planning industry. Running for over 40 years, they celebrate exceptional examples of planning and the contribution planners make to society.

Cllr Denise Lelliott, Cabinet Member for Jobs and the Local Economy at Rotherham Council, said: "Rotherham is proud to be recognised as the top performing planning authority in the country, but also one which has a flexible, positive and pro-development attitude, creating the right conditions for growth and regeneration in Rotherham.

"The team is a strong asset for the Council and the borough in pursuing its aim to encourage new development in our area and championing our message that Rotherham is "open for business.""

The team sets high standards with 100% of major planning applications determined within 13 weeks and 98% of minor planning applications determined within eight weeks.

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In addition to demonstrating the good quality planning work, which is completed within a timely manner, Rotherham's bid is peppered with quotes from customers who praise the planning service, including: "Applications are dealt with promptly and efficiently - an approach that allows development to commence without delay," "The best planning team we have dealt with in 25 years of regeneration," "Rotherham planners are amazingly supportive of innovative schemes" and "The best planning authority we, as a national housebuilder, deal with nationally."

Bronwen Knight, Head of Planning at Rotherham Council, added: "We are delighted to reach the finals of the RTPI awards. It is credit to our well-motivated, hard-working planners and gives further confidence to businesses looking to invest in jobs, homes and developments within Rotherham."

John Acres MRTPI, President of the Royal Town Planning Institute, added: "This year's finalists reflect the important contribution planners and planning makes to creating great places and tackling the challenges we face across the UK. Planners are taking on new and innovative projects and the finalists show they are succeeding. It's a huge achievement just to be shortlisted this year given the 6% rise in entries to the awards and the high calibre of entries will make judging very difficult."

The winners will be announced during a ceremony held at Milton Court at The Barbican, London in May.

Rotherham Council website

Images: Smeeden Foreman

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News: Council's jobs hope for Fortem

Rotherham Council bosses are hoping that the restructuring of one of its main housing contractors will lead to more jobs being created in the borough, despite around 20 staff currently at risk of redundancy.

In 2016 Willmott Dixon's property repairs and maintenance specialist Willmott Dixon Partnerships announced that it was changing its name to Fortem.

From a base at Templeborough, Fortem works with Rotherham Council to deliver a repairs and maintenance service to 10,500 homes in the areas of Wentworth South, Wentworth Valley, Rother Valley West and Rother Valley South.

In 2010 the company secured the five and a half year contract worth £58m with possible extensions up to 2020.

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Fortem recently announced that it was preparing to make around 20 of its Rotherham staff redundant. The redundancies are principally in administration and managerial roles and some of the work is to be transferred from Rotherham to the organisation's head office in Hitchin, Hertfordshire.

At the same time, discussions are ongoing around Fortem creating a new academy and bringing additional jobs to the borough.

The Improving Places Select Commission at Rotherham Council recently discussed the work of Fortem, along with fellow contractor, Mears.

Mark Nearney, housing contract services and development manager at Rotherham Council, updated the meeting on the announcement.

Nearney said: "Overall, in the package, there will be job creation from Fortem with the "Learning Academy for Life." The net figure is that there will be more jobs in Rotherham. Yes, it'll be different types but it'll be healthy, full time employment, but some of the admin work will move down to Hitchin. We'll be keen to make sure that that doesn't affect service delivery."

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Cllr. Dominic Beck, Cabinet Member for Housing at Rotherham Council, added: "We've paid a lot of attention to this. It is a large contractor of ours and we need to be managing them and what they propose to do with their redundancies.

"I've spoken to people at Fortem and there will be some really positive news around the academy that they will be establishing with Rotherham College down in Dinnington, which will create 13 brand new jobs and a further 20 jobs in Rotherham at what they are calling their Northern Support Hub to support other contracts that they have got in the North.

"They are obviously undergoing some restructuring nationally as an organisation and we do have a relationship with them that is challenging. We know what happens when a contract isn't managed well but we have challenging, professional relationships with Mears and Fortem where we can have these sorts of discussions.

"Our thoughts are with those in danger of losing their jobs but hopefully there will be some positive news as well and there is a possibility of some of those people being redeployed."

The local branch of the Unite union said that it was preparing for industrial action having approached Fortem over the redundancies only to be told that the union had been derecognised.

Fortem website

Images: Fortem

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News: Kirkstall secures export deal

Rotherham biotechnology company, Kirkstall Ltd, has secured an export deal which is expected to result in its advanced cell culture system being used by researchers around the world.

Based in Templeborough, the firm is pioneering the Quasi Vivo System that provides "in-vivo" like conditions for cell growth.

Kirkstall was established in 2006 and has an exclusive world-wide licence for patented cell culture technology from the University of Pisa in Italy. The technology, often referred to as "organ on a chip", provides a way to model the behaviour of multiple human organs interconnected by a flow system that mimics the flow of blood in the body.

Kirkstall recently signed a worldwide marketing and distribution agreement with a leading Swiss life-science company, Lonza.

Lonza Group is a multinational, chemicals and biotechnology company that is headquartered in Basel and employs over 14,000 full time employees in over 30 countries. Sales for 2017 hit CHF 4.6 billion (£2.6 billion).

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A common issue faced by drug discovery scientists who use conventional in vitro culture systems is their poor translatability to humans. To address this problem, Kirkstall developed the Quasi Vivo System, which consists of interconnected cell-culture chambers and a peristaltic pump to create a continuous flow of media over cells. As a result, cultures are exposed to more physiologically relevant conditions, increasing the predictive value of in vitro experiments.

Dr Malcolm Wilkinson, CEO of Kirkstall, said: "The Quasi Vivo System complements so many of Lonza's existing products. It is already used in more than 70 labs worldwide across a wide variety of applications, and we look forward to working closely with Lonza to ensure the number of researchers benefiting from the system increases rapidly."

Braveheart Investment Group plc, the fund management and strategic investor group, owns around 40% of Kirkstall and added that it sees this deal as a significant step in the roll-out of Kirkstall's Quasi Vivo technology, giving the company access to Lonza's sales team across the world and product shipments have already commenced to Germany and the US.

In September 2017, Rothbiz reported that the board of Kirkstall was seeking to raise up to £2.5m in a private placing at a pre-money valuation of £5.6m.

Braveheart believes that if the private placing is successful it would transform Kirkstall, allowing it to rapidly expand the Quasi Vivo product portfolio to meet the requests of existing customers. It would also strengthen the sales and technical teams, in order to support distributors at the same time sales building direct sales.

Kirkstall website

Images: Kirkstall

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News: AMRC impresses Northern Powerhouse minister

Northern Powerhouse Minister Jake Berry recently visited the The University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) in Rotherham to witness world-leading research and the training of the manufacturing workforce of the future.

With significant state of the art facilities on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham, the AMRC is a partner in the HVM Catapult (the Government's strategic initiative that aims to revitalise the manufacturing industry). It carries out world-leading research into advanced machining, manufacturing and materials and has more than 100 industrial partners, ranging from global giants like Boeing, Rolls-Royce, BAE Systems and Airbus to small companies.

The AMRC works with its partners to help improve productivity, de-risk investment decisions, and accelerate the early adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies to improve performance and quality. It is a place where digital meets manufacturing, with world-class expertise in augmented and virtual reality, robotics and automation; intelligent machining; digital twins; data analytics and more.

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Mr Berry, a University of Sheffield alumnus, was taken on a tour of the AMRC's Factory of the Future, Factory 2050 and its Training Centre during his visit.

More than 1,000 young people, employed by 250 small and medium sized companies across the Sheffield City Region, have been trained at the AMRC Training Centre - a multimillion pound facility on the AMP.

Northern Powerhouse Minister, Jake Berry (pictured, top centre), said: "I was delighted to visit my alma mater, the University of Sheffield, including its state-of-the-art AMRC Training Centre which is helping to train the next generation of engineers and manufacturers in the Northern Powerhouse.

"The University of Sheffield is at the forefront of higher education in the UK and joins a number of British universities commanding high positions in global rankings – they contribute enormously to the international standing of the Northern Powerhouse and its reputation as a world-leader in research and academic excellence."

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The University of Sheffield used the visit to sign up as Northern Powerhouse partner.

Professor Keith Ridgway, executive dean of the AMRC (pictured, top right), added: "It's been a pleasure to show the Minister just how integral we are to future of the Northern Powerhouse.

"Our research and innovation assets, coupled with a strong skills and talent base, are making the Sheffield City Region the go-to place for global manufacturing companies like Rolls Royce, Boeing and McLaren. All three have chosen sites alongside the AMRC to build their own factories of the future. This is transforming the Sheffield City Region into the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District of the North: the place in the UK where digital meets manufacturing."

Ridgway added: "The AMRC model is now being rolled out in the North West of England and in North Wales. We are opening an AMRC North West near Preston and we will be operating the £40m Advanced Manufacturing Research Institute on Deeside, supporting the "wing of tomorrow" project for Airbus. We also are helping to shape the destiny of the £60 million National Manufacturing Institute for Scotland, an industry-led international centre of manufacturing excellence near Glasgow.

"If you join the dots between these centres of excellence you have a powerful story of manufacturing renaissance in the North driven by research and innovation assets linked to universities."

AMRC website

Images: AMRC

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News: Sale to save Maplin - reports

Rotherham-based electronics retailer, Maplin, is in talks to save the business, according to reports.

Manvers-based Maplin sells a range of products to tech-savvy hobbyists as well as general consumers and operates from 217 stores. It employs around 2,500 staff.

Maplin was sold for £85m to current owners Rutland Partners in 2014 and now Sky News is reporting that Rutland wants to secure new investors by the end of this week, with a pre-pack administration being considered as a viable option if a solvent sale cannot be concluded.

Montagu Private Equity bought the business for a reported £244m in 2004.

In a statement, a Maplin spokesperson said: "We are in advanced talks with a number of parties and expect to be in a position to announce a solvent sale of the business within days.

"Once secured this will stabilise the business to the benefit of all stakeholders and provide Maplin with the financial firepower to deliver its 2020 multichannel strategy focused on smart tech."

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For the year ending 31 March 2017, turnover at the electronics chain increased to £235.8m from £234.6m in the previous year. Earnings before tax (EBITDA) was recorded at £8.9m, down from £12.7m and pre tax losses widened from £2.1m in 2015/16 to £3.9m for 2016/17.

Recent initiatives include a new website, a focus on support and installation services and a link up with GAME over concession space. Maplin said it saw strong trading over 2017 Black Friday with sales up 5% year-on-year including its biggest ever trading day in digital.

Previous media reports hinted at financial woes with stories over credit insurers cutting their exposure to the company. The CEO of Maplin, Oliver Meakin, recently moved to Argentine steak restaurant chain, Gaucho.

During the period, the firm transferred operations and now has a "front office" of the commercial, marketing, ecommerce and digital function based together in London, with a "back office" of the HR, finance, IT, warehouse and distribution and contact centre functions based in Rotherham. As a result, Maplin recruited 60 new staff to its support centres.

Launched by two technology enthusiasts in 1972 who were frustrated by the lack of good quality electronics components, Maplin Electronics became the experts' choice, with a reputation for the best product range and expertise.

Maplin's current turnover is a world away from the early days in Essex when founders, Roger Allen and Doug Simmons, remained in their full-time jobs for two years, and the company didn't make a profit.

In 2008 the firm moved to a 220,000 sq ft state of the art distribution centre and head office at Manvers in Rotherham.

Maplin website

Images: LSH

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News: Magna 34 development approved

Plans have been approved for a large scale speculative development at Templeborough, a year after initial plans were refused by Rotherham Council.

A planning application was resubmitted last year to enable new commercial units to come forward on remaining plots at the popular Magna 34 site.

The first phase of works at the £31m Business Park were completed in 2008 where Sheffield-based joint venture partners, Loxley Land and Property and Jaguar Estates, predicted it would eventually create around 600 jobs for the region.

The 19 acre park located off Junction 34 of the M1 is on the historic site of the former steelworks, and before that, a Roman fort.

10,000 sq ft of office and industrial space is currently home to the likes of HS Atec, Grayson Fixings and Sortec Software Development. The massive 152,421 sq ft distribution unit, empty since completion in 2008 was taken by Parcelforce in 2014.

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The latest plans, drawn up by Self Architects for Jaguar Estates, are for three terraced business units and two single units, totalling 38,000 sq ft.

The development plots at Magna 34 are allocated within the Sheffield Enterprise Zone which offers business rates relief worth up to £275,000 to a business over a five-year period.

2016 plans for the site were refused by the planning board in February 2017. The planners consider the site to be on a key gateway into the town and the decision for refusal showed that planners were unhappy with the their design and siting facing Sheffield Road, stating that it would "represent a poor form of development that fails to take the opportunities available for improving the character and quality of the area."

The updated plans went to planning board last week and members voted unanimously to approve the application.

Nigel Hancock, assistant planning manager at Rotherham Council, explained: "We had no issue with the principle of the development but we were concerned that the buildings that were being proposed were not suitable for what we consider to be a gateway site into the town. It didn't reflect the quality of the buildings that have been erected in the immediate vicinity over the last few years.

"We were concerned that the last proposal would have been a backward step in the regeneration of the area, despite the jobs it would create, and we were seeking to get better quality development on what we consider to be a prominent site."

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The design of the buildings facing Sheffield Road have been updated. Before, they were just designed as industrial sheds with no architectural merit. The new design is still for industrial sheds but it does now include an element of brickwork, different types of cladding materials and glazing panels to the side.

In 2004, Euro Dismantling Services and developer Jaguar Estates were appointed by Corus (now Tata Steel) as joint developers for the former Mayer Parry and Rolling Mills sites on Sheffield Road.

Jaguar Estates website

Images: Jaguar Estates / Self Architects

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News: Gala Technology appoints CEO

Gala Technology, the Rotherham based company specialising in developing secure digital payment solutions for the card not present (CNO) mail order/telephone order (MOTO) channels, has appointed Mike Cheshire as CEO.

Mike has extensive experience gained over 25 years in the data security and telecommunications industry. He first became aware of Gala Technology whilst running his own company BBF Data Security Limited, where he recognised the benefits of its SOTpay product.

Jason Mace, director of Gala Technology, said: "Mike joins us at a very exciting time for our business, with our Secure Order Transfer (SOTpay) payment protection technology ready to go to market and a number of major retailers interested in using the technology.

"Mike's experience in data security will be invaluable as we enter an era when many businesses are concerned with compliance to GDPR regulations introduced this May and meeting PCI DSS requirements. He will also play a key role in developing new business opportunities for SOTpay through innovative new platforms."

SOTpay (Secure Order Transfer) has been developed to prevent fraudulent telephone transactions and ensure businesses can deliver to third party billing addresses with confidence. The technology ensures a retailer or seller remains compliant, whilst making payment services more efficient and cost effective.

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The unique system was developed after the parent business fell victim to fraudsters in 2014. Chargeback or "friendly" fraud sees the merchants rather than the banks left accountable when fraudsters request a chargeback from the banks having received goods ordered online.

Mike Cheshire, CEO at Gala Technology, said: "I spotted straightaway that SOTpay was an excellent product and that my experience in security compliance and GDPR could help to move this technology forward. I will be working closely with the payment service providers (PSPs) and Payment Card Industry (PCI) to ensure that SOTpay becomes widely recognised as the leading mail order/telephone order security system for businesses.

"SOTpay is essential for any business that carries out mail order or telephone order transactions. We will be demonstrating to businesses, large or small, how they can protect themselves and their customers from fraud – and do this affordably. This technology will potentially save businesses across the UK millions of pounds by preventing fraudulent transactions."

SOTpay was winner of the Security Innovation Of The Year​ at the National UK IT awards.

The technology is quick and cost effective to deploy and is set to revolutionise the way businesses handle telephone transactions globally. With card fraud at £618m in 2016 in the UK alone, SOTpay helps businesses to meet PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) and GDPR requirements that organisations of any size must comply with or face hefty chargebacks, penalties and reputational damage.

SOTPay website

Images: Gala Technology

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