Wednesday, October 19, 2022

News: The housing projects bringing life back into Rotherham town centre

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New multimillion pound housing developments have begun breathing new life into Rotherham town centre.

Rothbiz reported in June that all the houses had been reserved and the first residents had moved in at a new development on the edge of Rotherham town centre.

Three Rotherham Council housing projects are due to be completed this year as part of the ‘Trilogy Collection’ - Westgate Riverside, Wellgate Place and Millfold Rise.

Tom Ellard, new homes expert at Crucible Homes, said: "As an estate agent, these houses have just been a dream to sell. Over the three developments there's going to be over 171 homes. So that's 171 families, couples, first-time buyers - a lot of people moving in to Rotherham town centre and a lot of life that that's going to bring with it as well.

"You are getting a lot more for your money than elswewhere in South Yorkshire. What's special about this house [at Wellgate Place] is its modern, open plan style of living, its great location - in easy reach of bars, restaurants and public transport links."

The estate agent has two bedroom apartments, listed to buy with shared ownership, with property values of £117,500. Two bedroom houses have a guide price of £142,500 and three bedroom houses have been listed at £185,000.

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The town centre masterplan, adopted in 2017, placed a greater emphasis on town centre living and leisure, as opposed to traditional retail uses, in continuing the regeneration.

The council aims to kickstart housebuilding in the town centre with its £31m projects but private sector developments are already underway. Westgate Chambers is the largest private-led regeneration project currently ongoing in Rotherham town centre.

Developer, Peter Hill said: "I think if we look round at the buildings, the quality of them in Rotherham is really quite exemplary. I started off quite a few years ago, 30 years ago in actual fact, converting the old Essoldo cinema into New York, New York and Martha's Vinyard."

At Westgate Chambers, which includes a historic listed building, a £10m scheme from Hill's HMP Bespoke Construction involves the conversion of the first and second floor offices to provide a mix of 1 and 2 bed apartments, alterations to the existing ground floor shop frontages, demolition of Nos. 2-26 Domine Lane and the construction of a new 4-storey building to provide retail/leisure space on the ground floor and a mix of 1, 2 and 3 bed apartments on the first, second and third floors.

On the first phases, Hill said: "These are 19 new apartments created to let and ten apartments that are already let with four commercial spaces below.

"It's a beautiful fronted building and I'm pleased to be back working on it and turning it into something else that will last, hopefully, another 200, 240 years.

"[The apartments] were put on the market and within two to three months they were let with a mix of people. We had three doctors move in to start with and young professionals, all that bring their own attributes to Rotherham town centre.

"It just shows how many people, families, are wanting to come and live back in Rotherham town centre."

New resident Connor said that he had moved to Rotherham from Sheffield due to the value for money. He said: "For the same kind of price in Sheffield you would get a small, studio apartment, whereas here we have a full, two bedroom flat with a massive roof terrace.

"And the commuting links to Sheffield mean that there is no impact on my commute to Sheffield. Everything is on your doorstep and you don't have to pay that premium of being in a city centre rather than a town centre."

Trilogy Collection website

Images: Crucible Homes

13 comments:

Anonymous,  October 19, 2022 at 1:06 PM  

As an estate agent, these houses have just been a dream to sell and change that into a nightmare in a few years.

Anonymous,  October 19, 2022 at 2:44 PM  

Fantastic to see such a positive response with all these homes being sold. A much needed step forward.

old git October 19, 2022 at 3:57 PM  

"Everything is on your doorstep "
including all the drunks and druggies that are the majority at night time in Rotherham centre.

Anonymous,  October 20, 2022 at 9:23 AM  

I'm not against the idea of increasing housing stock in the town centre. In many ways it's a positive move - creates footfall for retail, demand of the night economy.

The devil, as always, is in the detail. The flats on High Street in the former Muntus building *should* be highly desirable. But years of slum landlords chasing the RMBC housing cheques have had a devastating effect on that and the surrounding area. And that area includes the Minster, which is haven for druggies, alcholics and the dregs of society.

If this is a genuine attempt to increase home ownership, then its a good thing. However, if it's a mechanism for rogue landlords to line their pockets (Which I suspect will be closer to the truth), then RMBC are effectively adding to a problem of their own making.

Anonymous,  October 20, 2022 at 2:56 PM  

You've missed out those wonderful men who travel to UK by boat every day, they're so desperate to get to places like Rotherham,and enrich our society with there hard work!🤣🤣

Anonymous,  October 21, 2022 at 11:19 AM  

Totally relevant!

Anonymous,  October 21, 2022 at 2:39 PM  

I'd rather live in Ukraine than Rotherham Town Centre!

Anonymous,  October 21, 2022 at 6:37 PM  

"You are getting a lot more for your money than elswewhere in South Yorkshire" And there is a huge reason for that!

Gill,  October 21, 2022 at 8:14 PM  

If Rotherham is as bad as you all make out, and you would rather live in a war zone why are you all still here?

Anonymous,  October 21, 2022 at 8:42 PM  

It's so bad in Rotherham town centre,that the asylum seekers that have been sent here are getting dingys and going to Sheffield and Doncaster to claim asylum!🤣

Gill,  October 22, 2022 at 9:37 AM  

Houses have been built and sold, which is a success, yet all the comments are negative. Would you rather see derelict buildings still? I'm not sure what point people are trying to make?

Anonymous,  October 24, 2022 at 12:19 PM  

Problem is many have been bought by investors,and subsequently are rented out ....there lies the problem,the people who rent,just cos they're nice new house , doesn't alter fact town is inhabited by gutter snipes,and worse!

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