News: Rotherham manufacturer wins another Queen’s Award for Enterprise for Innovation

AESSEAL, a mechanical seal manufacturer with its Head Office in Rotherham, has received the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the Innovation category for a specialised mixer seal of the type required in vaccine manufacture and other complex industrial operations.

This is the 12th Queen’s Award received by AESSEAL plc and the 14th for the AES Engineering Ltd. Group.

The Short Canister Mixer Seal which is the subject of the latest award is the world’s first Zone 0, 1 and 2 range certified mixer seal, based on a modular platform and is capable of sealing the most difficult applications in the world by design.

AESSEAL is the last remaining UK manufacturer of a full line of mechanical seals after their largest competitor moved its UK manufacturing base to the Czech Republic a decade ago.

While mechanical seals are a relatively hidden component of global manufacturing processes they are also vital. The best sealing technology makes a major contribution to the reliability, profitability and environmental performance of industrial applications. Without mechanical seals there would be no power generated, no refining, no fine chemical industry and a very limited pharmaceutical industry.

AESSEAL does not claim to be the unique UK supplier of mechanical seals, but it still proudly manufactures a full product range from its Yorkshire base at Templeborough while continuing to operate globally in a strategically important area of precision engineering.

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As pharmaceutical products in particular cannot tolerate any contamination into the Mixer or Reactor seal vessel, an inert gas is often the preferred choice of barrier fluid. By design AESSEAL always intended to add an internal and external gas lift version to its Short Canister Mixer Seal and, continuing the company’s relentless pursuit of excellence, it will be introducing a full range of Zone 1 and Zone 2 certified gas lift seals, suitable for use in the production of vaccines, on the 1st June 2021.

Chris Rea, Managing Director and Founder, said: “Without a shadow of doubt a Queen’s Award is the greatest single honour that can be bestowed on a business and the value to the morale and motivation of myself and my colleagues is incalculable.

“Part of our drive for excellence has been the motivation to be able to fly a Queen’s Award for Enterprise flag continuously since 1989 and now we will have the right and privilege to be able to do so for the next five years.

“Although this is a time of celebration it is also a time of mourning and reflection. The late departed His Royal Highness, The Duke of Edinburgh, chaired a committee in 1965 which led to the creation of the Queen’s Award for Industry as it was initially called. The very positive and motivational impact this initiative has on myself and my colleagues, particularly at this difficult time for both the Royal Family and the world, is incalculable.

The morale and motivation of people is a huge ingredient in the success of any enterprise and the injection of both that our organisation gets from the receipt of this award will help drive the business to be the best that it can be in the future.”

AESSEAL website

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News: Marsden secures Queen's Award for Innovation

A Rotherham-based medical device company which helped an A&E nurse to realise the potential in her idea to administer potentially life-saving treatment has been awarded a Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Innovation.

The award was secured by Marsden in recognition of the work the company has undertaken in developing a unique Patient Transfer Scale, which is used to provide accurate weight measurements when a patient is admitted to hospital. Launched in 2018, today, the Marsden Patient Transfer Scale is used in 65% of all NHS Trusts across the UK and also sold worldwide.

Rothbiz reported in 2018 how the innovative product was developed when a nurse called Gillian Taylor witnessed first-hand the discomfort and delays to treatment caused when medical staff attempted to weigh immobile patients using traditional hoists.

When a patient suffers a stroke or is diagnosed with sepsis it is vital for medication to be administered as quickly as possible. However, before treatment can begin a patient must be weighed to identify the correct dosage required. It was recognised that cumbersome hoists could lead to delays in the time taken for a patient to receive treatment. Drawing on her nursing expertise, Gillian was determined to do something to try and solve the problem.

NICE Guidelines require every patient to be weighed when they are admitted to hospital and reviewed regularly during treatment. Gillian hit on hit on the idea of combining a weighing device with a patient transfer board, used when moving a patient from a trolley to a hospital bed after looking at the thin weighing scales she used in her kitchen.

After developing a prototype of the invention, Marsden was approached for help in realising the potential offered by the unique product which enables accurate weight readings to be taken within a matter a seconds, helping to reduce delays in life-saving medication being administered.

Marsden, which has its HQ at Templeborough, refined the design and secured the vital Class III certification, enabling the product to be sold in NHS and EU hospitals. Today, the Patient Transfer Scale can weigh patients up to 250kg (39 stone) and provides accurate readings up to 500g and following its launch, the invention is today being sold around the world.

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Gillian Taylor, Clinical Consultant and inventor of the Patient Transfer Scale (pictured), said: “As a nurse I realised when it came to treating conditions like strokes and sepsis, every second really does count and there was clear need to weigh patients quickly to enable treatment to begin as promptly as possible.

“When patients are admitted to hospital, getting accurate weight measurements is vital because it determines the amount of medication needed. I first began thinking about this when I saw my young son and one of his friends playing together. Under the guidelines of the time, the medication prescribed to children was based upon formulas, determined by their age. It struck me that there was such a significant difference in the height and weight of the two children that it could potentially lead to incorrect dosages being administered and so I began thinking about ways in which patients could be weighed quickly and more effectively.

“I looked at my kitchen scales and had something of a lightbulb moment. During my research, I began to realise the invention could have other practical uses within a hospital and after developing a prototype we approached Marsden, to see whether they could help transform the idea into a product capable of saving lives.

“The support I’ve received from Marsden has been incredible and I feel incredibly proud that as a result of all our collaborative efforts, the scales I imagined are now being used to help patients across the world. I’ve been amazed by the positive reaction and I feel incredibly honoured that our work has been recognised by the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Innovation.”

Mark Holdaway, Chief Executive Officer, Marsden, said: “Marsden has a long history of innovation in the healthcare sector and when we were approached with the original idea, we knew it could potentially be a product which would change the way in which patients were treated across the world.

“We felt the Patient Transfer Scale could act as a catalyst towards driving positive change within a healthcare environment. The need for healthcare professionals to obtain accurate weights is not only vital when it comes to delivering appropriate care, but helps to eliminate the guessing of patient weights in cases where traditional hoists cannot be used.

“The invention is a genuine first for the healthcare industry and a product which will clearly help to save lives, abide with NICE guidelines and ensure better patient outcomes are achieved. The success the product has enjoyed is a testament to the hard work, determination and passion which has driven the development of the product, one which was borne from the idea of an experienced nurse, who understood the challenges and limitations of existing solutions and was determined to do something about it. I’m thrilled that our collective work has resulted in a Queen’s Award, but of course, we’re keen not to rest on our laurels and we hope to ensure that even more hospitals and healthcare providers will be able to benefit from this truly unique product.”

Now in its 55th year, the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise are the most prestigious business awards in the country, with winning businesses able to use the esteemed Queen’s Awards emblem for the next five years.

Established in 1926, Marsden specialises in producing a range of bespoke weighing solutions to the healthcare, veterinary and industrial sectors. In 2001 the company opened a dedicated manufacturing facility within Rotherham and is a member of the UK Weighing Federation and is accredited by SGS Limited. Long-time family shareholders stepped away from the company in 2019 when it was sold to Alcuin Capital Partners.

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News: Metals firm recognised for international trade

SJM Alloys & Metals Ltd is celebrating a Queen’s Awards for Enterprise – the UK’s most prestigious business awards.

The company was established in 1993 and is headquartered in Loughton, Essex but has its main operations base in Rotherham. It is a dealer, processor and recycler of super alloys, specialty steels and refractory metal scraps.

For outstanding achievement in international trade, SJM will be able to fly The Queen’s Awards flag.

SJM deals in a wide range of special metals, with particular expertise in Cobalt & Cobalt Alloys, Nickel & Nickel Alloys, Tungsten & Tungsten Alloys and Molybdenum and serves the Automotive, Aerospace, Oil & Gas, Electronic, Medical, Foundry and Mining industries.

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Investment was made to expand its warehouse facilities on the Barbot Hall Industrial Estate last year to improve efficiency.

Overseas sales have increased year on year over three years from £16.1m to £40.8m a total growth of 152.7% with overseas sales accounting for over 90% of total sales. The company sells across Europe, USA and Asia and its top five markets currently are Germany, USA, Luxembourg, France and Japan. Its newest market is Japan.

The company wins the Queen’s Award for International Trade for Outstanding Short Term Growth in overseas sales over the last three years.

SJM Alloys & Metals website

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News: Automotive manufacturer proposes closure of Rotherham facility

Japanese-owned auto parts manufacturer, Toyoda Gosei UK Ltd (TGUK), is proposing to close the business in the UK - both plants at Rotherham and Swansea are affected.

The company said that its decision was due to changes in the global automotive sector and reduced demand in the UK. Some European manufacturing has already been moved to the Czech Republic.

458 jobs are at risk at the UK plants.

Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd, which is based in Kiyosu, Japan and celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2019, opened in the UK in 1999, manufacturing weatherstrips for a range of car makers. The Rotherham site at Templeborough was its first in Europe.

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A statement said: "TGUK will now enter a formal period of consultation with its employees regarding the proposed changes. The proposal is in response to continued changes in the global automotive sector, and a significant reduction in key UK customer demand. Due to these changes, Toyoda Gosei does not foresee growth of its business there and has decided to make this proposal."

In its most recent accounts, for the year ending March 31 2019, loses at the UK subsidiary increased by £1.5m to £8.4m. Turnover dropped by £17m to £60m due to the end of production on some platforms. The accounts said that this decrease would continue, as would consolidation and a focus on cost reduction.

The accounts added that: "The potential impact of Brexit, further associated customer shutdowns and the new challenges of COVID will impact sales and profitability."

A statement from Toyoda Gosei Co Ltd, added: "Restructuring of its global business is one part of Toyoda Gosei’s efforts to achieve sustainable growth into the future.

"The company has taken previous steps to reorganize its business in Europe, selling its shares in a production subsidiary for automotive parts in Germany in December 2019 and moving some of production to its main European manufacturing site, Toyoda Gosei Czech, s.r.o. (TGCZ). It will continue to improve productivity and strengthen its European business with TGCZ in a central role."

Toyoda Gosei website

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News: No change for proposed Rotherham gaming centre

Operators have got no change out of Rotherham Council after an application for a High Street adult gaming centre (AGC) in the town centre were refused.

Council officers were unhappy with the proposed 24 hour operation.

Cashino Gaming Ltd venues do not offer Fixed Odds Betting Terminals (FOBTs) like betting shops but instead contain machines that offer low stakes ranging from 10p to a maximum of £2 and bingo being played on tablets.

The change of use application would've seen Merkur Slots open in a vacant unit on Frederick Street, a former bookmakers.

Praesepe is a subsidiary of the €2.58 billion a year turonver, Gauselmann Group, that operate 700 venues across Europe under the Merkur Brand, including 170 AGCs in the UK under the Merkur Slots brand.

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The applicants argued that there had been little interest from retailers in the unit since it was vacated in 2017 and that AGCs can "compliment retail and service uses and help to contribute to a town's evening and night time economy."

Despite the applicant stating that the AGCs are recognised and common town centre uses, Rotherham Council officers refused the plans, concluding that it was contrary to local plan policies.

A planning report stated: "The proposed use is not one listed as appropriate in Primary Shopping Frontages and no evidence has been presented which would be considered as a material consideration to outweigh that there are vacant premises outside of Primary and Secondary Shopping Frontages where the use could be accommodated."

The company was only interested in taking the Frederick Street unit and not one that wasn't classed as a Primary Shopping Frontage in the local plan.

The report added: "The Council considers that the proposed use by virtue of its 24hr operation in close proximity to residential properties would lead to unacceptable levels of noise nuisance and general disturbance to local residents from comings and goings during the evening and night time hours in an area where uses opening beyond midnight is not encouraged."

The applicant put forward that it was not a noisy neighbour and pointed to recent decisions that have seen planning permission granted on appeal.

Merkur website

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News: Courier Logistics expands to better deliver for the SME community

Rotherham-based Courier Logistics, part of The APC network - the largest independent parcel delivery network in the UK - has opened a new operational parcel depot in the region.

The opening, the first of two planned in 2021, comes following significant growth for the business - having recorded 24% overall year-on-year growth - spurred by a continued surge in online shopping across the region amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

Courier Logistics, which has its head office and a depot on Barbot Hall Industrial Estate, now has a new depot at 31 East, the last part of the former Dinnington Colliery to be redeveloped.

The new depot provides 29,000 sq ft of premium warehouse space, allowing the business to build on its Overnight and Sameday parcel collection and delivery service offerings to local businesses across all S postcodes, supporting growth of these businesses, and through the nationwide coverage of the APC parcel network, enabling them to reach an ever expanding national customer base.

Daniel Franey, director at Courier Logistics, said: "It’s so encouraging to see how businesses across Sheffield have proven their resilience and entrepreneurialism despite the challenges in the last year, with many of our customers thriving. SMEs across the region have had to adapt their business models, products, and accelerate their online presence in order to survive in recent months, and continue to do so. We are dedicated to supporting their agility and determination, providing them with improved service options and a local team on hand, working hard in partnership with them, to help them flourish in the years ahead."

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Across the region, Courier Logistics' top five customers have achieved an average of 100% year-on-year growth. Among its top customers, the food and drink sector has shown the most significant growth locally, as consumers have found new ways of sourcing products they depend on through the pandemic, and in turn many SMEs have quickly adapted their business models to meet demands.

One example of this is local business, Abbeydale Brewery. Following the closure of pubs during last year’s lockdown the Sheffield based brewery quickly adapted its product range, supplying directly to smaller independent food and drink outlets, and also invested in its e-commerce site to supply directly to consumers, supporting changes in shopping habits. As a result of its agility Abbeydale Brewery saw a surge in online orders and within a week was sending out over 120 orders a night, ensuring that through an online presence and local delivery service, it could continue to supply its customers across the region and the rest of the UK.

Jonathan Smith, Chief Executive at APC Overnight, said: "The strength and resilience of the UK’s SMEs throughout the ongoing pandemic continues to shine through. Already in 2021, we are seeing further demand for delivery services, as consumers continue to shop online and businesses continue to rely on carriers to get these items delivered. The ongoing dedication and hard work of our colleagues at Courier Logistics will be key to supporting this, ensuring that the needs of customers are recognised, and working closely with them to ensure those needs are met."

Rotherham based developer EV Waddington Ltd has supplied much needed industrial and manufacturing accommodation at the 31 East site.

Courier Logistics website

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News: Demolition timetabled at Rotherham grammar school

A decade after plans were discussed to revamp education facilities in Maltby, the former grammar school buildings looked to have failed recent examinations.

Maltby Academy became operational in September 2009, the first in the Rotherham borough, and the academy trust had big plans to upgrade the facilities on Rotherham Road / Braithwell Road.

A change in Government funding put redevelopment plans in jeopardy but a £10.9m contract was awarded to BAM Construction in 2012 who transformed the existing site to provide over 100,000 sq ft of modern teaching facilities in both new and refurbished buildings.

Whilst some buildings were demolished, the iconic clock tower remained and is now derelict.

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A planning application has now been submitted by Maltby Learning Trust "to determine whether prior approval is required of the method of demolition and restoration of the site." The site being Maltby Old Grammar School.

Planning permission to demolish buildings is not required per se, but councils often need the opportunity to regulate the details of demolition in order to minimise the impact of that activity on local amenity.

2012 plans assessed the block, which dates from 1932 but is not a listed building, and earmarked it for demolition given the implications of updating its "inefficient plan form" and replacing its roof and windows.

At the time, the plans said that "the decision to accept an option that involved the removal of the old Grammar School building (Block B2) has not been taken lightly" and the prominence of the building and clock tower was recognised.

Local opposition for the demolition of the clock tower frontage was strong with Maltby Local History Society calling the decision "deplorable."

The academy and local community worked on a joint venture to secure funding to develop proposals to retain the clock tower. The local town council were even offered to take up the building but £350,000 costs were quoted.

Updated plans in 2013 involved demolishing further wings of the old school whilst retaining the southern two storey wing which fronts onto Rotherham Road and contains the clock tower.

Those plans said: "It is recognised that this appears to be a change of heart on the part of the Academy, however the Academy has always been aware of desire amongst the local community to retain the frontage to the old Grammar school building and clock tower, but this was just not practical within the constraints of the current project and the need to meet DDA requirements."

The redevelopment went ahead and the new Business and Enterprise centre opened in 2013. The historic frontage and clock tower has remained intact but derelict.

It has been the target of many "urban explorers" including the Yorkshire Explorers who posted the above picture to its Facebook page.

Images: Yorkshire Explorers

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News: Housing plans for historic site set for approval

Housing plans for the Swinden House site in Rotherham, are set to be discussed at the council's planning board this week.

Rothbiz reported last year that Keepmoat Homes had bought the Moorgate site from Tata Steel for an undisclosed sum and had moved quickly to submit its plans for 170 new dwellings.

With the 1940's laboratory buildings demolished, the historic buildings are set to be converted to 27 apartments and preserved as landmark buildings within the new development.

The planning application is being recomended for approval by council planners.

The use of the site changed from employment use to residential use in the local plan and Tata Steel considered that it is no longer a suitable home for the R&D arm and announced in 2014 a relocation to Warwick University.

Keepmoat wants to up the number of new houses from earlier plans, from 101 to 170 and is prepared to sell the listed buildings as a conversion opportunity to be delivered alongside its new homes development.

The new houses, in Keepmoat's style, are proposed to be across a range of different house types - semi-detached, detached and terraced. Plans have been updated to include 2 bed apartments within several blocks of three-storey buildings.

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Developers have agreed that eight dwellings in the development will be classed as affordable with a proposal for a further eight units for shared ownership to be provided through Great Places Housing Association.

A proposed Section 106 agreement (legal agreements between the councils and developers linked to planning permissions) also includes a financial contribution of £454,347 towards secondary education provision in the area, as well as money for local travel measures. The development is Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) liable at £55 per sq m of residential development. A number of conditions are also attached to a planning approval.

Access to the site shall be one-way from Moorgate Road down a tree-lined avenue with a new access/egress created in the northern boundary of the site onto Beaconsfield Road.

A number of objections have been made on issues including overdevelopment, the loss of mature trees, the proposed pedestrian access to Green Lane and the impact on the listed buildings.

The buildings set to be convert are Swinden House, Swinden House Stable Block, Swinden Lodge and Sitwell Lodge.

Swinden House, the former home of Rotherham solicitor Thomas Badger, is a Grade II listed building. Previously known as "Red House" it was completed in around 1880.

The green area to the front of Swinden House is to remain unaffected and will be enhanced through appropriate planting to create a central communal square.

United Steels acquired the site in 1946 and the facilities were claimed to be, by the 1960s, one of the largest research organisations devoted to metallurgy in Europe.

The proposals are due to be dicussed by the planning board at Rotherham Council on April 29.

A report to the board said: "It is concluded that notwithstanding the objections received the application represents an acceptable form of development on Residential allocated land which is of an appropriate design that would not adversely affect the character or appearance of the locality or the setting of heritage assets within the site.

"Furthermore, subject to conditions, the proposal would not adversely affect the amenity of existing and proposed residents, would not result in highway safety issues or drainage, ecological, environmental or land contamination issues, while providing some affordable housing."

Images: Keepmoat / Nineteen47

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News: CHIMERA makes Rotherham research facility unique

The construction of a unique testing machine for fusion components is underway in Rotherham.

The £22m Fusion Technology Facility being built on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) will enable the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) to work with industrial partners to put the UK in a strong position to commercialise nuclear fusion as a major source of low-carbon electricity in the years ahead.

At the heart of the research is a machine known as CHIMERA (Combined Heating and Magnetic Research Apparatus) which is designed to address the specific engineering challenges associated with fusion and validate complex, bespoke and high-risk manufacturing.

When it opens in 2022, CHIMERA will be the only device in the world able to subject critical fusion component prototypes to the combination of high heat flux with static and pulsed magnetic fields within a vacuum or inert atmosphere – an environment representative of a fusion power plant.

Key fusion in-vessel components like the blanket, divertor and diagnostic modules are expected to be tested.

Optical Digital Image Correlation and laser metrology will be used to map 3D surface deformations and damage due to the harsh testing environment. In addition to providing invaluable test results, these and other techniques will be used to generate and synchronise component digital twins – predictive models and simulations that will be crucial to the design and qualification of future fusion power plants. This ‘virtual qualification’ is a key strand of CHIMERA’s capability and will enable virtual testing of components under conditions that cannot be recreated in an experiment.

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Damon Johnstone, UKAEA’s Head of Operations, Fusion Technology Business Unit and Head of the Fusion Technology Facility, said: "CHIMERA is a unique world-first facility in which we will be able to simulate the extreme conditions found within a fusion power plant, but without any nuclear reactions taking place.

"This will enable a step change in our ability to verify and test components for all UK and international fusion research programmes. It therefore represents a hugely important national capability, enabling industry in the UK and internationally to design, and eventually qualify, components for future commercial fusion power plants."

Among the key components engineers want to test durability of are the vessel blankets. These cover the inner wall of the tokamak vacuum vessel (a device inside the reactor designed to harness the energy of fusion) in order to intercept high energy neutrons, protecting the vessel structure, breeding tritium fuel (by nuclear reactions with lithium) and enabling the extraction of fusion power for electricity generation.

The underlying technology remains relatively untested. CHIMERA will not simulate fusion neutron irradiation, nor will it test irradiated components, but by performing "semi-integral" testing in CHIMERA in parallel with advanced numerical simulation and digital twinning, the hope is to accelerate qualification of designs for fusion.

The site will help UK companies win contracts from the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) programme – the key international fusion project being built in the south of France.

A £14.3m contract for the design and construction of CHIMERA has been agreed between UKAEA and global professional services firm, Jacobs.

UKAEA website

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News: Inside the ropes with Pete Cowen

If Pete Cowen's golf academy was somewhere in America and not in Rotherham, the top coach is sure it would be a mecca for fans of the game.

Cowen is recognised as one of the world's elite teaching professionals and is based at his own academy at Kimberworth. He has coached the likes of Darren Clarke, Lee Westwood, Paul McGinley, David Howell, Henrik Stenson and Danny Willett.

On his new YouTube channel with Worldwide Golf, the coach discusses a number of issues, including working with Rory McIlroy and the rise of big drivers like Bryson DeChambeau. Cowen also talks about the impact of the Covid pandemic on his business in Rotherham.

Cowen has invested millions into the facility over the years and it now includes a driving range and bays, apitching facility, mini golf putting course and a clubhouse and pro shop. Professionals are employed, teaching members of the public and working to get juniors playing golf.

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Cowen said in the video: "Over the last year I think, in total, we've been shut down for almost seven and a half months so we've lost a lot of revenue.

"People have been frustrated with not being able to come to work so what we've been able to do is revamp the range, put new targets, redone the synthetic green, done the short game area. The lads have worked pretty hard trying to get it ready to open."

The globe-trotting coach also set up operations in Dubai and is unique in having a performance-based fee structure for the professionals that he works with. If they finish in the top 10, he gets a percentage of the winnings. If they don't finish in the top 10, he doesn't get paid.

On his setup in Rotherham and the talent in South Yorkshire, Cowen said that he doesn't think the local community or the North of England recognises just how big the likes of Willett, Westwood and Matt Fitzpatrick are in the world of golf.

He added: "They know who Westwood is and Willett is but they are not really big fans, so it has an affect but not a massive affect like it would be if we were in America say, and all those players were brought up from one particular town. All of a sudden it would be a golfing mecca of America.

"Not so much here. When I'm here behind the bar serving a pint, people ask me: "Does Pete Cowen come here very often?!"

Pete Cowen Golf Academy website

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News: Smart motorways through Rotherham need more measures to make them safe

Existing All Lane Running (ALR) motorways are set to have the technology to spot stopped or broken-down vehicles quickly fitted six months earlier than originally planned.

Highways England Smart Motorway schemes through the borough include the scheme on a ten mile stretch of the M1 between junctions 32 (south of Sheffield and Rotherham) and 35a (north of Sheffield and Rotherham) and a 20 mile stretch of the M1 between junction 28 (South Normanton) and 31 (Aston).

The multimillion pound projects include converting the hard shoulder to an extra traffic lane in both directions and variable mandatory speed limits and they deliver benefits at a significantly lower cost than conventional motorway widening, and with less impact on the environment during construction.

A legal case was launched last year after two men were killed when they were knocked down by a HGV near junction 34 of the M1 at Meadowhall. The Government published an action plan last year to boost safety, backed by a £500m investment.

ALR motorways are fitted with technology and features not seen on conventional motorways, such as set-back emergency areas, and red X signs on gantries to close live lanes. Radar detection to spot stopped vehicles is also being rolled out.

To accelerate improvements, by the end of September 2022, Highways England said that it would install radar technology on all existing stretches of ALR motorway, six months earlier than planned, upgrade special cameras ten months earlier than planned, so that they can be used to spot and prosecute motorists ignoring red X signs and illegally driving down closed lanes, putting themselves and others in danger, and install around 1,000 additional approach signs six months earlier than planned, alerting drivers to their nearest place to stop in an emergency.

Every new ALR motorway will open with the technology in place and more measures are expected when further research is complete.

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Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: "Despite the data showing that fatalities are less likely on All Lane Running motorways than on conventional ones, this doesn’t mean all drivers necessarily feel safe on them.

"That is why I tasked Highways England last year with delivering an action plan to raise the bar on safety measures even higher. This progress report shows the extensive work already carried out, but we want to do more.

"Alongside the raft of measures already undertaken, today I am announcing that all new All Lane Running motorways will open with stopped vehicle detection technology in place, as well as a programme to speed up the roll-out of the technology on previously built stretches of All Lane Running motorways to next year. This will help us further reduce the risk of accidents on the country’s roads."

"So-called smart motorways started to be built in 2001 and I am determined to ensure that technology and exacting standards are in place."

Highways England’s Acting Chief Executive Nick Harris added: "I want Highways England to continue to be an organisation that listens and puts the safety of road users first.

"We’ve made good progress delivering the improvements set out in the 2020 stocktake, but we are not complacent and are examining ways to improve safety further.

"We will continue implementing the findings, and will work with drivers to make increasingly busy motorways safer for everyone who uses them."

Claire Mercer from Rotherham, whose husband was killed on the M1, instructed Irwin Mitchell to fight for a judicial review of the decision to allow Smart Motorways to be brought in.

Sarah Champion, MP for Rotherham, welcomed the new technology but added that it "doesn’t address the fundamental problem."

Champion said: "While it can improve safety, in the end, all Highways England and the Government are doing is mitigating to a small degree a risk they themselves have created.

"Highways England continue to disingenuously offset the safety improvement that a managed environment delivers against the risk of removing the hard shoulder. But these are not mutually exclusive. A managed environment can be delivered while keeping the hard shoulder.

"If safety really was the number one priority, then delivering basic safety measures like properly spaced refuges would have been built into the design from the word go. Instead, we must wait two years from the publication of the initial report simply to learn the outcome of a review.

"I am gravely concerned that more lives will be lost whilst we wait. The Government should immediately commit to restore the hard shoulder pending work to install additional refuges. If it’s not be possible to deliver these safely, they should return to traditional operation, with a hard shoulder."

Images: Highways England

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News: New Indian restaurant opening in Rotherham

A new Indian restaurant has arrived in Rotherham and is ready to set tastebuds alight.

Experienced entrepreneur brothers, Mamun and Masum Ali (pictured), whose Goa Spice franchise has restaurants established across South and West Yorkshire, have set up their latest creative dining endeavour in Thurcroft.

Mamun said: “We are very excited to be expanding our reach into a great new location in Thurcroft. Goan cuisine consists of regional foods of the Goan state, which is located along India’s west coast on the shore of the Arabian Sea. It is sure to spice things up in Thurcroft.”

Purchased by local Entrepreneur and CEO of Gala Tent, Jason Mace, in 2013, the Double Barrel has long served the area as a steakhouse bar and restaurant. The venue, which is also licenced, will serve Indian lager on draught, plus a range of additional bottled refreshments and a selection of wines from around the world.

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Masum added: “We will be investing over £60,000 in new specialist kitchen equipment, mood lighting and authentic décor, everything down to the tablecloths are really high end as we want to compliment the building as much as possible. The menu is extensive, and we believe we have created affordable luxury for the local community to enjoy.”

“Our chefs have a real passion for creating quality Goan spicy food using fresh ingredients that will spice up you’re evening. To add further value, we will be offering a collection and delivery service so you can enjoy Goan cuisine in the comfort of your own home.

Mace added: "I have worked with Mamun and Masum previously with their Mexborough outlet within the Empress Building, which has been a phenomenal success due to the classic location and of course the amazing food they create.

"The Double Barrel will prove to be a much larger scale operation, as it is a huge venue which seats around 140 inside, and there’s space outside for more than 70 additional seats, so any COVID 19 retractions should not hold this restaurant back. The venue genuinely is one of a kind and specialises in large party bookings and exclusive room hire-out."

The Double Barrel was built in 1971 and since then has been a well patronised venue and large part of the community. The new themed Goa Indian restaurant and takeaways will certainly spice things thing up for locals and wider-field visitors alike.

A grand opening is scheduled for June 2021.

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News: Call for Government to step in before Liberty Steel becomes insolvent

Shadow Business Minister, Lucy Powell MP, is today calling on the Government to step in before Liberty Steel becomes insolvent.

The Government has previously said that it was monitoring the issues at Liberty Steel "extremely closely" but was unable to say what support it may offer as the steelmaker attempts to refinance.

The company, part of Sanjeev Gupta's GFG Alliance, employs hundreds of staff in South Yorkshire, including in Rotherham. GFG Alliance has been linked to Greensill, a specialist in invoice financing that operates with less regulation than the traditional banks and that is now in administration.

Last month unions were told that the group intends to secure a refinancing of the debt to provide the business with the necessary liquidity going forward.

The Government has confirmed that it has rejected GFG's request for £170m in financial support.

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Business Secretary, Kwasi Kwarteng said last week: "Liberty Steel sits under a company that is called GFG. To spell out what GFG is, that is the Gupta Family Group. It was the Gupta Family Group that asked for the money. If you look into the Gupta Family Group, it is not the most transparent organisation. It also has assets all over the world and employs something like 35,000 people all over the world.

"If the Gupta Family Group asks the British Government to give £170m of taxpayers’ money, it is incumbent on Ministers and officials to be sure, have some degree of surety, that that money will stay in the UK and will not simply be disbursed across the Gupta Family Group’s other steel manufacturing assets across the world. As far as I could understand, we did not have those guarantees. It was a very opaque structure and there was reluctance to give the group the money.

"I am very keen to see that these assets, which are good assets, and the company continue to operate. In this instance now, we cannot strip Liberty Steel from the wider group under which it sits. As Mr Gupta says, they are billions and billions of pounds in debt. This group is completely opaque as far as its financial position is concerned. We do not know the full extent of its liabilities.

"As officials and Ministers, we have a responsibility to taxpayers not to simply sign off £170m without any knowledge of where that money might eventually go. As I understand it, there are creditors already trying to get some sort of recourse from the Gupta Family Group. We had no idea where this money would end up and I think we came to the right decision in that particular instance."

When British Steel entered liquidation in 2019, the government provided the Official Receiver with an indemnity to cover the costs which enabled the company to continue to trade until it was bought by Jingye Group, a leading Chinese steelmaker, in 2020. The indemnity is reported to have cost in the region of £500m.

Labour has raised concerns over the impact of insolvency on 3,300 jobs in the supply chain. Rotherham MP Sarah Champion has estimated that for every steel worker, there are another 4.8 people employed in the supply chain.

Labour’s Shadow Minister for Business and Consumers Lucy Powell MP, said: "Liberty Steel plants support thousands of steel and supply jobs in towns across the country, and are of vital strategic importance for our economic prosperity and national security. Ministers are not spectators, they must intervene early to save these plants, or we’ll see businesses in places like Hartlepool, Scunthorpe, Rotherham, Stocksbridge and Newport go bust as invoices go unpaid.

"Steel communities have helped to build Britain. The Conservatives must now back British steel to secure its future, with real action after ten years of neglect. This means a proper plan to decarbonise the sector, boost business competitiveness, and ensure UK government infrastructure projects use British steel in their projects."

Images: Liberty House

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News: MP sets out his stall on Levelling Up Fund

Rother Valley MP Alexander Stafford is campaigning to encourage Rotherham Council to submit a strong bid for the government’s £4.8 billion Levelling Up Fund and, if successful, to use these funds to rejuvenate local high streets.

The competitive fund will invest in infrastructure that improves everyday life across the UK, including regenerating town centres and high streets, upgrading local transport, and investing in cultural and heritage assets.

Rotherham is in the highest priority list and will receive some initial money to work on bids. The council can submit two bids - one bid for every MP whose constituency lies wholly within their boundary (Rotherham & Rother Valley). For Wentworth & Dearne, either Rotherham or Barnsley Council should take responsibility as the lead bidder.

MP's are being asked to back one bid that they see as a priority and Alexander Stafford has accused Rotherham Council of previously neglecting areas in Rother Valley, notably with the Towns Fund application process, in favour of focussing on Rotherham central.

Stafford says that Rother Valley's bid should focus on high streets and shopping areas which "are in a state of unacceptable decline."

Dinnington High Street (pictured) is seen as an ideal candidate for the fund where up to £20m could be used to upgrade eyesore buildings and dated infrastructure, invest in secure community infrastructure and crime prevention, bringing public services and safe community space into the town centre.

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Alexander Stafford, MP for Rother Valley, said: "It is crucial that Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council submits a strong bid to secure the £20m available in grant funding for local projects here in Rother Valley as part of the government’s Levelling Up Fund.

"I believe that our bid should focus on improving our high streets and shopping areas across Rother Valley, making them fit for the future by making them an attractive place to visit and shop."

Conservative Party Chairman and Cabinet Member, Amanda Milling MP, visited Dinnington recently to back the local MP's campaign and hear from Dinnington Community Land Trust who have ambitious but deliverable plans to transform Dinnington High Street.

Milling said: "It was a pleasure to meet with local leaders in Dinnington to discuss plans for local rejuvenation projects as part of the government’s levelling up promise.

"Alexander Stafford MP is running a fantastic campaign to submit a bid for the £20m funding available from the levelling up fund.

"Alexander is leading the charge for levelling up across Rother Valley, from better bus services in Maltby to the rejuvenation of High Street’s across Rother Valley, and I wish him every success in his campaigns."

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News: The fragile state of Rotherham town centre

The impact of the Covid pandemic has contributed to the levels of vacancies in Rotherham town centre rising above 30% - its highest rate in two decades.

With lockdowns and restrictions starting in March 2020, the plight of the High Street has been well documented. A number of national retailers with large, traditional bricks and mortar locations, have gone bust, snapped up by online retailers. Other chains have reduced the number of stores.

For Rotherham town centre, this trend of big names leaving has been occuring for a number of years and the largest stores closing during the pandemic have been at out of town retail parks such as Outfit (Topshop, Burton's etc.) at Parkgate Shopping.

Notable names leaving Rotherham town centre during lockdown include H Samuel and Timpsons but it does have a larger percentage of essential retail stores, such as Tesco, Home Bargains and B&M that have remained open throughout much of the last year, along with Rotherham markets and a number of independent outlets.

Rotherham was highlighted by experts as being resilient and had the shift to this type of retail not already happened, when the traditional names began moving to Meadowhall and Parkgate, the situation for Rotherham town centre could have been even worse.

The make up of traders in the town centre is split 41% independent and 28% as "multiples" with the rest vacant.

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Rotherham Council figures show that vacancy rates in Rotherham before the pandemic were around 25% for September 2019. It had been hovering between 20% and 27% for four years although changes to the way figures were collected were made in 2018.

The vacancy rate for September 2020 in Rotherham town centre was 31%.

According to the Local Data Company, in the fourth quarter of 2020, the overall GB vacancy rate increased to 13.7%.

The footfall figures, obtained by a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, show a stark drop in the number of people using the town centre. Before Covid restrictions, footfall for Effingham Street was counted at 227,157 in March 2020. For April 2020 this was more than halved to 109,317.

Footfall has risen but the 202,316 figure for September 2020 is much less than the 295,093 recorded in the same month in the previous year.

Yearly footfall figures for Rotherham town centre have been declining since 2012. From just over 26 million in that year, reducing by a massive 10 million to 16 million in 2019, even before the pandemic.

Rotherham Council's response to vacancy rates in the short term is to knock down buildings like the former Primark and create open green space. As part of the Town Centre Masterplan, the approach is to shrink the amount of retail footprint.

Longer term, the masterplan made clear that retail is not the answer as the focus shifts to other town centre uses such as leisure and housing.

At Forge Island, a £40m leisure-led development including a cinema and hotel, public sector investment has been used in order to acquire the land, establish a development partnership with Muse and deliver flood defence infrastructure.

Much of the data is being used to show why a propsed new leisure development at Meadowhall would adversly affect Rotherham town centre.

Ryan Shepherd, senior planning officer at Rotherham Council has written again to Sheffield Council to clarify his authority's stance as it prepares to object to plans for a revised scheme at Meadowhall.

Shepherd said: "Some vacancy is important for town centres, to provide flexibility for business. However, levels in Rotherham town centre are well above that which would provide for an adequate level of churn.

"The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has undoubtedly contributed to the significant increase in vacancy rates during 2020; however from 2013 onwards the vacancy rate has consistently remained at over 20%, with the overall trend observed being an upward increase in vacancy.

"Monitoring data shows that the town centre remains fragile. It is recognised that significant public sector investment is taking place to drive improvements in the town centre; particularly focused on increasing the levels of town centre living, improving the environment and public realm and delivering new development on Forge island.

"However, such interventions remain susceptible to market changes and their positive impacts will only be fully realised in the medium to long term given the lead in time for developments."

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News: Trade Centre UK gears up for Rotherham opening

An expanding car retailer has revealed the opening date for its new store in Rotherham where it will create one of the largest car retail operations in the region.

Rothbiz reported last year that The Trade Centre Group had secured the necessary planning approval in order to take on the retail warehouse at Northfields that was previously occupied by Homebase,

The new site at Parkgate is due to open on May 7, creating 180 jobs.

The Trade Centre Group was established in 1999 and is now the fastest growing used car retailer in the UK with a turnover of £255m in 2019. Headquartered in Neath, the company originally had three showrooms throughout the South Wales region, before expanding into the West Midlands. A former Homebase unit in Rochdale was converted as the expansion continued North with plans to open eight or more new outlets over the next five years.

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The company acquired the 52,000 sq ft Rotherham warehouse in 2019, in a deal worth £6.75m, shortly after Homebase confirmed that the store would close.

The plans showed that the existing building will be used as a 174 bay indoor showroom together with ancillary spaces which include, a dry valet area, small workshop, offices, staff toilets, customer toilets, baby changing, storage, sign up area and waiting areas. The plan is to utilise the existing car park and vacant land that was earmarked for further development to create 812 external car sales bays plus staff and customer parking.

The Trade Centre Group reopened its five outlets in England and Wales last week, marking the reopening of non-essential retail with a record day of sales. The group sold 605 cars on the day, with value-driven car buyers eager to bag themselves a bargain in the group's £3,000 SALE event.

The campaign sees every single car significantly marked down in price, showrooms have been filled to the brim with stock replenished during lockdown and every car available to be driven away in one hour.

Tim Carr, CEO at The Trade Centre Group, said: "It was a phenomenal resumption of trading and it was clear that our customers relished the opportunity to go car shopping again. Whilst we knew that the offers, combined with the huge marketing investment, would make for a busy reopening day, I don't think that anybody imagined that we would sell so many cars.

"The team did a remarkable job in providing 5-star service to so many customers whilst taking pride in our COVID-secure policy which makes the Trade Centre the safest place in the UK to buy a used car."

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News: Campaign launched to keep Rotherham open

A new campaign will centre around the Let’s Get Rotherham Moving message and urge residents to help and keep shops and local business open by following COVID-19 rules and being considerate.

The new campaign will launch on social media and be followed by signage across the borough, specifically focussed in shopping areas, from bus shelters to signs attached to bollards, which will promote the key messages around COVID-19 safety:

- Follow the hands, face, space guidelines
- Get tested regularly
- Self-isolate if you test positive

Lateral flow testing is also being offered to businesses and the wider community to support these efforts, and those who test positive should self-isolate for 10 days. This means that those who have tested positive must stay at home and not leave unless you are getting a test at a local test site or accessing emergency medical help.

While many residents will be wanting to make the most out of the easing of the restrictions, they are being reminded that COVID-19 cases in Rotherham are still high and that they must continue to follow the guidelines to reduce the rate further.

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Rotherham Council’s Chief Executive, Sharon Kemp, said: “Since January, residents across Rotherham have worked hard to reduce the rates of COVID-19 so that Lockdown restrictions can be eased and businesses can reopen. While it is a testament to the dedication and sacrifices everyone has made over the past few months, it is important that we continue to follow best practice so we can keep rates low and avoid any further closures.

“Please, if you go out to the shops or when you go for your hair cut, make sure you follow the hands, face, space message: keep two metres away from those you do not live with, wear a face covering when you go indoors, and wash your hands regularly. Let’s work together so that we can keep Rotherham open.”

A range of businesses including retail, hairdressers, and outdoor hospitality will be able to open their doors to the public as Lockdown restrictions ease further. This will be followed by further easing of the restrictions no earlier than May 17 2021.

Rotherham Council is recieving £235,727 from the Government's £56m Welcome Back Fund which aims to help local authorities boost tourism, improve green spaces and provide more outdoor seating areas, markets and food stall pop-ups – giving people more safer options to reunite with friends and relatives.

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News: Free weekend parking across Rotherham town centre

Rotherham Council has extended free weekend parking across the town centre to support residents and businesses as COVID-19 restrictions ease.

As businesses including salons, pubs, cafes and non-essential retailers re-open for the first time in months, the Council has permanently removed Saturday charges at all twelve of its off-street car parks in central Rotherham.

Parking is free for two hours in the "red zone" in Drummond Street car park and all council parking is already free on Sundays (except Wellgate multi-storey, which opens Monday to Saturday only).

Simon Moss, Assistant Director for Planning, Regeneration and Transport at Rotherham Council, said: “COVID-19 restrictions have led to financial difficulties for many of our residents and businesses, and this is a practical way we can help them as restrictions ease and people find ways to go about daily life safely.

“With capacity limited on public transport, we suggest people coming into town walk or cycle if possible to reduce pollution and stay healthy, as well as save money. But we recognise some people will need to drive to use town centre facilities, and we don’t want parking costs to be an obstacle.”

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This week’s easing of restrictions will see Rotherham’s outdoor and indoor markets re-opening fully and returning shoppers will see a range of COVID-19 safety measures in place including one-way systems, signs and pavement markings to aid social distancing, and hand sanitising stations.

Those coming back to the town centre will also see a revamped Bridgegate, with new lighting, paving and colourful planters, as well as work underway on College Street to provide new landscaping, seating and on-street pay and display parking.

While many will be keen to make the most of the easing restrictions, the Council is reminding residents to continue to stick to social distancing guidelines as the COVID-19 infection rate in Rotherham is still at more than twice the national average.

People are encouraged to follow the hands, face, space and fresh air guidance, as well as making use of the regular lateral flow testing available through workplaces, schools and community test sites. Residents are also reminded that if they test positive, they must stay at home and self-isolate.

Rotherham Council’s Director of Public Health, Ben Anderson, said: “There is a lot of excitement now the lockdown restrictions are easing and it’s great to see the people coming back to the town centre. However there is a very real risk of a further wave of infection in Rotherham so it’s vital we all continue to social distance and follow all the COVID safety guidelines to avoid any need for restrictions to be re-introduced.

“Please, if you are going shopping, visiting the hairdressers or meeting family and friends outside at a café or pub, keep your distance, wash your hands regularly and wear a face covering when required. We must all do everything we can to keep Rotherham open.”

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News: Funding boost for Rotherham Theatres but reopening delayed

Rotherham Theatres has secured a further £55,272 but any reopening is unlikely to be until the Autumn 2021.

Rotherham Civic Theatre has not traded since March 2020 due to Covid restrictions and was hoping to reopen in the Spring.

Social distancing rules effectively meant that the auditorium could only accommodate 10% of its usual capacity, so reopening would not be viable and would not offer the quality of experience usually experienced by audiences.

Instead, operators, Rotherham Council took the difficult decision to close the facility for the entire financial year.

The closure, and loss of associated income, has led to a £453k pressure on Council budgets, but funding has been secured from the Government's £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund. £55,272 from the second round adds to the £131,644 secured from the first round of the Arts Council England administered fund.

The Council is now set to carry out a refurbishment of the front of house and bar areas at the Civic.

The theatre accommodates a range of touring and local musical, comedy and theatrical performances. The building on Catherine Street in the town centre is a converted church and was purchased by the Council prior to being converted into a theatre in 1960.

£540,000 was allocated by the authority in 2012 to carry out much-needed repairs and refurbishment of both the interior and exterior of the building. The works were expected to bring the theatre up to a condition which would give a further ten years life.

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An update to councillors said: "Rotherham Civic Theatre has not traded since March 2020 due to the restrictions applied to performing arts venues. During this time the service has hosted a number of online programmes including a monthly comedy club in partnership with ten other venues across the country and a social media pantomime which spanned well known landmarks and venues across the borough.

"In October 2020 the theatre secured £131,644 from the Arts Council England administered Culture Recovery Fund. The funding has enabled the service to retain its core staff team, invest in research & development and CPD [Continuing Professional Development] for the team to create new delivery models with a greater focus on outreach, engagement and learning.

"The theatre is not expected to open until Autumn 2021 as current government regulation has not allowed for companies to rehearse and strict guidance relating to performance venues remains in place. Over the next seven months there will be a programme of refurbishment for the front of house areas in the theatre ensuring that the venue offers a high-quality welcome to residents when restrictions are lifted."

The Council budget has also promised a price freeze at the theatre to encourage return of custom following Covid forced closure.

The Visitors’ Centre within the Makers' Emporium on the High Street has also remained closed for much of the pandemic and will reopen alongside government guidelines in Spring/Summer 2021. The Council said that: "Its location and offer are not focussed on tourism and the relocation of the box office back to the theatre will diminish footfall. A review will be undertaken in 2021 to consider alternative proposals, including an online alternative and ultimately a presence at the new library complex."

A new library is planned alongside a revamped markets.

Rotherham Theatres website

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News: Rotherham development plots sold to joint venture - Catalyst coming

Development sites with the potential to create around 1,000 jobs in Rotherham have been sold to a joint venture between Premcor Estates and Peveril Securities.

Plans were approved in 2019 to enable the successful Sheffield Business Park to expand into Rotherham. "Phase 4" is planned for a 17.9-acre site that was previously kept in the greenbelt when Sheffield City Airport was in operation.

Premcor, a private UK based property development company, has joined with Peveril Securities, a wholly owned investment and development division of Bowmer and Kirkland, on its first ever South Yorkshire site.

Land between Europa Link and the Parkway is set to be transformed to create a prominent business gateway to the Sheffield city region's wider Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District (AMID), with the proposals including building footprints ranging from 10,764 sq ft to 107,649 sq ft of B1b (research and development), B1c (industrial process), B2 (general industrial) and B8 (storage and distribution) facilities.

Following the deal, for an undisclosed sum, the project has been renamed "Catalyst" and will be developed as a mixture of industrial and logistics units totalling 285,000 sq ft in a landscaped parkland setting. Designs are being submitted with construction work scheduled to commence in the third quarter 2021.

Graham Sadler, managing director at Sheffield Business Park, said: "Phase 4 is one of the last remaining development opportunities on the park which is well placed to serve occupier demand and help drive forward Sheffield City Region’s economic growth.

"We have an excellent working relationship with the commercial property team at Keebles and have utilised their high-quality real estate team for a number of years."

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Rebecca Schofield, partner and head of the Yorkshire industrial team at Knight Frank, acted for Sheffield Business Park, and are retained agents with BNP Paribas on the scheme.

Rebecca said: "This site represents the last remaining plot of this size at Sheffield Business Park, easily accessible from Sheffield Parkway with convenient links to the north and south from the M1.

"The site and its development potential will address strong demand for industrial accommodation across the region as well occupiers looking to be close to the Advanced Manufacturing Park."

Led by Keebles’ Partner Richard Smith, the firm’s commercial property team acted as legal advisors to Sheffield Business Park. Richard said: "We were delighted to advise on the sale of Phase 4, which is in a prime position fronting Sheffield Parkway and close to the M1.

"It is always rewarding to advise on a deal which will bring further development opportunities to Sheffield, with some high-profile names having been based in the area for some time now."

Images: Premcor

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News: World's largest titanium casting made in Rotherham

Part of an industrial pump destined for Japan is thought to be the largest titanium casting ever poured into a ceramic shell, and it was made here in Rotherham.

Castings Technology International Ltd (Cti) is a world-leading provider of manufacturing, technology, expertise and services to the cast metals sector and global supply chain.

The company, which is based on the Advanced Manufacturing park (AMP), has casting capabilities in almost any type of metal alloy and has a 1,200kg titanium vacuum melting capability, which ranks it as one of the largest in the world. In conjunction with customers' design teams, CTI is casting complex components supplied into the aerospace, defence, chemical nuclear and marine markets.

Cti has recently produced the largest single component ever cast by the company in commercially pure titanium and it is probably the largest titanium part poured into a ceramic mould.

With an envelope of 1,000mm square by 600mm high and requiring over 1.2 tonnes of metal to be melted, the casting showcases several novel casting techniques developed in-house at Cti; the heart of cast metal innovation.

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This casting was part of an order from a Japanese OEM and will be used by their client in an industrial pump that handles highly corrosive media at elevated temperatures.

Titanium casting production is complex and requires expertise not only in metallurgy, but advanced foundry methodology.

Involved in the production of this titanium casting were George Appleby who joined CTi as an apprentice in 2018 and his training and development has led to him running the one of the largest ceramic shelling rooms in the world. Vilma Klimaviciene whose first role in engineering also started with CTi in 2018 works in the Titanium Finishing department.

Cti recently underwent a £2m fundraising and a management buyout (MBO) from the University of Sheffield.

Cti website

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News: Westgate Chambers work continues

The largest private-led regeneration project currently ongoing in Rotherham town centre is coming into view.

Renovation plans for Westgate Chambers were approved in 2018. A £10m scheme designed by Sheffield-based Self Architects involves the creation of a showcase commercial, retail and residential development that involves renovating the buildings that surround a landscaped internal courtyard, including a superb Georgian Grade II listed building, one of the oldest surviving historic structures in Rotherham town centre.

The buildings, close to the important regeneration site of Forge Island, were bought by the Council in 2006 but the authority's own redevelopment efforts were hit by the economic downturn and a removal of Government funding. Having sold the properties, the current scheme, by Peter Hill of developers HMP Bespoke Construction Ltd, is providing high quality retail, leisure and commercial space at street level with contemporary apartments above.

The development site originally contained six buildings which surrounded an enclosed service yard. Three buildings fronting Main Street, and the fourth listed building, has frontages onto Main Street and Westgate. Two buildings in a dilapidated condition fronting Domine Lane have been demolished.

The renovation part of the development involves the renovation, repair, and reorganisation of four existing buildings with an individual character. The New York View Apartments comprises of 29 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, many benefiting from their own private outside space.

On the first building (previously home to Planet and a taxi rank) new sympathetically designed shopfronts and a new entrance foyer now front Main Street. At the rear, the previously awkward roof geometry has be updated with simple pitched and flat roofs behind a new parapet. The old patchwork of brickwork to the southern elevation has gained a crisp render finish, inset with new windows in a contemporary dark grey.

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Parisian-style attic accommodation in the roof space of the next building (Body-Tec) has created penthouse flats with roof terraces hidden from street level by the existing parapet wall, giving valuable outside space (pictured, below).

Work continues on the "Westgate Centre" building on Main Street where a third floor is being created with the use of dormer windows.

On Domine Lane, work is underway on the new building that will create Westgate City View Apartments. The development "brings high-quality contemporary architecture, which will lift the street scene and continue the recent contemporary development" at the adjacent Old Market building.

Finally, on the corner of Main Street and Westgate stands the remains of a handsome Grade 2 Listed Georgian building, originally a fine residence built-in 1794 by the architect John Platt and occupied by him until his death in 1810.

Self Architects, who have submitted updated plans for the development, said: "We propose to reinstate that handsome Georgian façade by fitting appropriate 9 and 12-panel double glazed timber sash windows to the Main Street and Westgate facades and renew the shopfronts in a style complementary to the building."

New cladding, brickwork and a replacement roof are part of the plans. The red brick stairwell serving the back of the listed building, will be reinvented to form an attractive secure entrance foyer and stairwell. Some internal changes are being proposed.

The plans conclude: "The result of the proposed renovations would reinstate the buildings own identity as a handsome Georgian building, when viewed from Main Street and Westgate, and provide high-quality residential apartments with their own outside space, overlooking the courtyard.

"A new sympathetically designed roof will ensure the structural integrity for many years to come."

Images: Atollie Property Management

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