Monday, November 13, 2023

News: Burnt-out buildings "gone by Summer"

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Almost 20 years since the first fire created an eyesore on a key route into Rotherham town centre, the council now says that it anticipates that the burnt out buildings on Corporation Street will be demolished by Summer 2024.

The restaurant at no.7 suffered fire damage in 2005 with the nightclub above suffering a similar fate in 2007. The restaurant at no. 3-5 was also fire damaged in July 2011.

Rotherham Council has recently taken the decision to self-confirm a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) and acquire the properties.

At the same time as working on the CPO, the council also managed successful negotiations with the executors of the late owner’s estate in July 2023. Officers also worked to remove all objections to the CPO and the agreement to acquire the properties negated the need for a Public Inquiry.

Rothbiz understands that the price to acquire the properties is in the region of £250,000.

A report to the council states: "Dialogue is ongoing with the Planning Casework Unit [part of the Government's Department for Communities and Local Government] regarding the removal of the CPO objections and the timescale associated with the Council’s ability to self-confirm the CPO. It is anticipated that this will take place within three months of the transactions completing and the CPO should therefore be confirmed by February 2024.

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"Upon acquisition of the site and in anticipation of confirmation of the CPO, demolition of the existing fire damaged structures on site will take place at the earliest opportunity. Depending on the contractor's approach to the demolition, it may be necessary to obtain agreement, in the form of a licence, to access the site from neighbouring property owners. A Procurement Business Case to appoint a demolition contractor has been prepared and surveys have been undertaken.

"It is anticipated that demolition together with necessary party wall works will be completed by Summer 2024. Procurement of a developer is underway and running simultaneously with the demolition programme."

Rothbiz reported on the search for a developer for Corporation Street last month.

The proposal is to replace the buildings with a £6m residential-led, mixed-use development, comprising of apartments with commercial space on the ground floor. Plans were approved in May.

Handing over the land and plugging a viability gap, the Council is seeking to appoint a developer who will lead, finance, manage delivery, and retain ownership of the scheme. Tenders are due to be evaluated in January.

Demolition is timetabled to start in March 2024 and complete in June 2024.

Images: RMBC / AHR

23 comments:

Anonymous,  November 13, 2023 at 12:58 PM  

Well done for the prompt response to a fire ravaged building, 20 years must be some kind of record.

Anonymous,  November 13, 2023 at 2:44 PM  

There has been an empty and abandoned eyesore of a building on Fitzwilliam Road for about 50 years. Now THAT is a record. Oops same Council. Maybe Rhino's will beat the record for burnt out shell. Oops. same Council.

Anonymous,  November 13, 2023 at 3:00 PM  

“… an eyesore on a key route into Rotherham town centre…”

What constitutes the town centre if this is a route “into” it? A paving stone in All Saints’ Square? This is the town centre!

Anonymous,  November 14, 2023 at 6:43 AM  

Pecks building on Fitzwilliam Road was nowhere near the town centre the last time I looked. Your sarcasm is unnecessary by the way. Did you get out of bed on the wrong side or do you have "issues"?

Anonymous,  November 14, 2023 at 9:11 AM  

It’s Jez incognito

Anonymous,  November 14, 2023 at 11:16 AM  

Wow. £250,000 for two burned out buildings. I bet the current owners are laughing all the way to the bank.

On the other hand, for once, I'm pleased that RMBC is finally doing something with the site... and I suppose we should be thankful that at least it's not another pocket park!

Anonymous,  November 14, 2023 at 5:29 PM  

You seem to have a fixation with this Jez fella.

Anonymous,  November 15, 2023 at 9:59 AM  

I wonder how they came up with the value? Surely if the buildings are burned out, they've been stood empty for 20 years and the owner is doing nothing with them, the CPO should have been for £1. Why are we lining this person's pockets?

Didn't RMBC recently sell some of the buildings on the other side of Corporation St for a £1? So that shows the market value of the property, if anything.

The clue is in the name. Compulsory Purchase. I wonder who is making money out of this deal? Somebody is laughing all the way the bank and you can bet your bottom dollar it's not RMBC!

Anonymous,  November 15, 2023 at 10:35 AM  

Maybe £250k is cheaper than paying for a public inquiry?

Anonymous,  November 15, 2023 at 10:37 AM  

Or less than any compensation that would be due through a CPO?

Anonymous,  November 15, 2023 at 1:55 PM  

Personally, I wouldn't let a Child Protection Officer anywhere near

Anonymous,  November 15, 2023 at 2:06 PM  
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous,  November 15, 2023 at 3:33 PM  

Rotherham don't have any, do they?

Anonymous,  November 15, 2023 at 10:10 PM  

, Which comment?

Anonymous,  November 16, 2023 at 9:43 PM  

Da mosque comment, obviously 🤣

Anonymous,  November 17, 2023 at 1:24 PM  

Ah, I didn't see that one. One of our resident Islamaphobes presumably

Anonymous,  November 17, 2023 at 2:25 PM  

Nowt wrong with being afraid of something that is a genuine threat, I say!

Anonymous,  November 17, 2023 at 2:28 PM  

Well I am an islsmaphobe,too bloody right,I'm terrified of it and what threat it poses to me,my family and the country...don't you watch the news,or are you just very brave?

Anonymous,  November 17, 2023 at 6:20 PM  

By definition a phobia is an irrational fear. Therefore an Islamaphobe is behaving irrationally

Anonymous,  November 18, 2023 at 9:11 AM  

So were Brexit voters. That turned out well didn't it?

Anonymous,  November 19, 2023 at 9:09 PM  

They were Euro septics.

Anonymous,  November 22, 2023 at 9:20 PM  

They. would fight to the death in this country, in septic tanks

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