News: National retailer spots opportunity to expand at Parkgate

Signs are that a vacant unit at Parkgate Shopping in Rotherham will have a new tenant soon as interest remains high at the UK’s 2nd largest retail warehouse park.

Rothbiz reported in 2023 that Poundland was taking on the former Marks & Spencer unit at Parkgate to create one of the brand's largest stores.

Opening in March 2023, the 18,500 sq ft "supersize" store is over three times the size (6,000sq ft) of a normal Poundland and much larger than its previous Parkgate unit.

The move left a 9,900 sq ft Unit 7 vacant, but it appears to have enabled another brand to expand.

Plans have recently been submitted to Rotherham Council for a new shop front and signage showing that national retailer, Superdrug, is set to take on Unit 7, which is now listed as "Under Offer" with agents.

The leading beauty and health retailer currently occupies Unit 10c at Parkgate.

Advertisement
Superdrug recently announced that it was opening 25 new locations, extending seven existing locations and refitting 60 stores over the course of 2024 - its 60th year on the high street.

Nigel Duxbury, property director at Superdrug, said: “We’ve changed a lot in the 60 years since the first Superdrug store opened in Putney high street, but we remain as committed as ever to providing a seamless shopping experience for our customers, offering the very best in accessible health and beauty.

"This investment into bricks-and-mortar means we can grow our footprint in key locations and highlights our ongoing commitment to high streets and retail shopping destinations, which are an integral part of local communities and the economy.

"2024 will see some of the largest ever Superdrug stores open their doors, which is something we are really excited about, as these larger retail units give us the space to be able to offer new and exciting services and even more of the latest health and beauty products."

Parkgate Shopping spans over 40 acres and makes up the 2nd largest purpose-built retail warehouse park in the UK. With 577,837 sq ft of ground floor retail accommodation, the destination was sold for around £60m at the start of 2024.

ESH, one of the agents who are acting for new owners, Columbia Threadneedle, confirmed that: "Several new lettings, upsizes and relocations are either agreed or in legals and will be announced shortly as 2024 looks set to be a landmark year for this busy regional shopping destination."



Images: Cube

Read more...

News: Council tests market over Rotherham regen projects

Rotherham Council is going out to the market to see if the private sector is interested in helping to deliver £20m of regeneration projects in the borough.

In last year's Budget, the government announced that Rotherham will receive £20m for regeneration for Wath and Dinnington. It came after earlier bids for funding for the schemes were turned down twice.

Following a period of consultation, and as acquisition discussions continue with landowners, the authority is now carrying out a pre-tender exercise to engage with the construction industry to establish the level of interest in the redevelopment of the town centres.

Tender documents state: "The engagement explores local market conditions and aims to gauge the opinions on procurement routes and deliverables require to deliver within tight timescales in line with the funding availability."

With funding through the Department of Levelling Up, the £11m for Dinnington aims to tackle the declining physical infrastructure blighting the town centre with funding set to facilitate strategic site assembly and the demolition of burnt out and problematic buildings to pave the way for redevelopment.

The documents confirm: "Selective demolition and refurbishment of the shopping parade will open up a direct route from the bus station and car parks and create a clearer and safer gateway to the High Street. The development of modern flexible commercial space set around a new town square will signal much needed investment in the town, helping it to adapt and to sustain the future retail and service industry.

"The development will be complemented with high-quality public realm that also serves to increase natural surveillance and tackle anti-social behaviour hotspots. The scheme will also support a more attractive, modern, and safe market space.



Advertisement
"The proposal is to demolish the burnt-out building, the indoor market, the outdoor market, the colliery band building, and half of the shopping parade (36 - 44 Laughton Road).

"These structures will be replaced with six new commercial units, a pop-up market, a new commercial / community building to be used for public rental, and a fully landscaped area of public realm to create a new market square and clear routes between Laughton Road, the bus station, and well-used car parks.

"The remaining half of the shopping parade will be refurbished to complement the rest of the regeneration project."

In Wath, £8.9m of government funding is set to focus on high quality place making to restore the cultural heart of the town centre, increase footfall, boost the local economy, and restore a sense of pride amongst the community.

The documents confirm: "Although well used and well loved by the community, the current library building is underperforming and difficult to operate. The current library has few windows and provides very little overlooking of external spaces. Some areas around the building, such as the external staircase, are therefore vulnerable to anti-social behaviour.

"In a wider context, the large structure acts as barrier between Biscay Way and the Town Centre, with the library effectively turning its back on the key road into the locality, the site is therefore considered to be a key opportunity to open up and connect different parts of the town and boost levels of footfall through the use of active frontages.

"The redevelopment will deliver facilities of a modern standard, with sustainable and inclusive design. It will also tackle persistent anti-social behaviour issues through enclosure of the external stair core and passageway running between the library and the adjacent residential and commercial block.

"The proposed scheme, which is currently at stage 3 RIBA design, includes the demolition of the existing library and the creation of a brand-new library in its place to create a modern, inviting, and inclusive community facility. The redevelopment is being designed to enhance user experience between Biscay Way and the High Street to encourage visitors into the town centre. The new building has been designed to respond more positively to the surrounding area, with key frontages on three sides of the building to draw in visitors and create a greater sense of destination."

Both schemes are due to be completed in 2026.

RMBC website

Images: RMBC

Read more...

News: New investor chips in at Rotherham golf club

Rotherham Council has approved the signing of a new lease for a former municipal golf course in the borough, and is set to get back over £250,000 in rent and business rates.

Grange Park Golf Club at Kimberworth was laid out in the 1970's on former coal workings where the freehold ownership passed to the Council. The course and clubhouse was let to Grange Park Golf Club Limited in 2005.

The leases have both expired with the tenant having the right to renewal.

A report to Rotherham Council explains: "Grange Park Golf Club Limited has accrued have [sic] significant arrears of rent and business rates totalling more than £250,000 and it is unlikely these monies will be recoverable from the existing business / tenant. Jacob’s collection agency is engaged to manage / recover the rent arrears.

"The leases to Grange Park Golf Club Limited have both expired and the company is holding over in occupation pursuant to those leases. The company has a right to renewal leases and entered into negotiation with the Council as it was unwilling to grant a renewal lease or leases without the arrears being settled."

Advertisement
With the Council holding out for the money, the company has approached the Council and advised that it has secured an investor to invest in the business.

The report adds that: "This investment will see a significant refurbishment and upgrade to the current facilities. They have provided details of the proposed investment and a programme of when they propose to carry out the works.

"Part of the investment proposal is that all historic / legacy rent and other arrears are cleared in return for the grant of a single new lease on the site to the investor’s company, Top Play Limited."

Top Play shares directors with Pocket Sports Bars Ltd and other Eyre family businesses.

The only other option that the Council considered was to take back the property and put it on the market. This was discounted due to the sums involved in bringing it up to standard, no rent arrears being recovered and no guarantee of a new tenant being found.

Recommended reading: Unveiling the Potential of Rotherham Investment Opportunities

The agreement for the new lease is on the basis that the historic debts are settled at the point the new lease terms are agreed, failure to do so and the lease will not be agreed.

Grange Park Golf Club website

Images: Grange Park Golf Club / Facebook

Read more...

News: Rotherham mattress firm bounces into expansion with NatWest support

Leading e-commerce firm, MattressOnline, has announced plans to open up to three new retail premises over the next year, fuelled by a six-figure funding package provided by NatWest.

The Rotherham-based company, which celebrated their 20 year anniversary in December, is set to expand across Yorkshire marking a significant milestone in their journey and creating up to 30 new jobs. Operating for two decades with a strong emphasis on technology, MattressOnline has established itself as a pioneering force in the e-commerce landscape as the first to bring next day delivery to the mainstream. The decision to adopt a bricks-and-mortar retail arm represents a strategic shift that defies conventional trends and offers valuable insights into the future of the British high street.

With an annual revenue of nearly £30m, the Aldwarke company has made a notable impact in the digital sphere after founder and CEO Steve Adams identified a gap in the market for customers looking to buy a mattress without testing it first. The addition of physical stores in Skipton, Sheffield and Rotherham along with the recent opening in Doncaster underscores the company’s ambitions for enhancing customer accessibility and shopping experience.

This expansion is expected to create between 15-30 new jobs, further contributing to economic growth and employment in the region, with the company leadership envisioning a strong and sustainable approach to business characterised by their persistent innovation and approach to social responsibility.

Advertisement
MattressOnline has remained dedicated to environmental stewardship and community engagement. The company operates a not-for-profit mattress recycling programme and has, to date, taken 120,000 mattresses out of landfill, showcasing their commitment to sustainability.

Steve Adams, CEO of MattressOnline, said: “This expansion in our retail operation aligns with our mission to provide exceptional service and convenience to our customers while maintaining our positive contribution to the local economy and environment.”

“We’re delighted to have partnered with Aaron and the team at NatWest Corporate Banking as we embark on this new chapter of our business journey. Their understanding of our growth ambitions, diligent advice and professional approach to the transaction gave us confidence in the decision to choose them. I look forward to the long term partnership we’ll be building on.”

Aaron Carter, Relationship Director at NatWest, added: "We are proud to be supporting MattressOnline with their retail expansion. As a company, they have consistently innovated and we look forward to supporting their continued success. This investment will have a positive impact on the surround economy and communities they operate in across Yorkshire .”

BHP Deal Advisory acted as lead advisor for MattressOnline on this transaction and introduced NatWest to the opportunity. John Longstaff, Director, said: "MattressOnline is a high-quality business with a clear strategy for growth. We are delighted to have advised Steve and the wider team on this deal and in NatWest believe the business has secured an excellent long-term banking partner.”

MattressOnline website

Images: NatWest

Read more...

News: Aldwarke employment plans passed

Keyland Developments, the sister-company of Yorkshire Water, has secured outline planning permission for the transformation of a plot of unused land in Rotherham into a new industrial park, which they say would be big enough to create over 800 new jobs.

Rothbiz reported in 2023 on the subsidiary of the Kelda group identifying surplus land at its Sewage Treatment Works at Aldwarke with plans showing how it could accommodate some 330,000 sq ft of commercial buildings.

The 24.4 acre site opposite to the steelworks on Aldwarke Lane is partially developed and is currently occupied by engineered earth mounds and hard standing areas - previously used for drying sewage sludge. It sits next to the Waste Water Treatment Works and River Don.

The land was opencast until 1983, with underground workings ending in 1957 and was allocated for employment use in Rotherham's local plan. Outline proposals are for eight buildings of various sizes that can be subdivided. The use classes would be B2 General industrial and B8 Storage or distribution. An indicative proposed masterplan shows units ranging from 4,000 sq ft to 75,000 sq ft and designs show a 30% split for B2 and 70% for B8.

Plans, drawn up by Sheppard Planning and KPP Architects, state that, when fully operational, the development could generate between 402 jobs and 859 jobs.

Approved without going before the Council's planning board, outline approval comes with a number of conditions.

Advertisement
The planner's report states that the proposed site access off Aldwarke Lane "has been modelled and it has been demonstrated that the junction will operate well within its design capacity" and adds that the impact on nearby Mushroom roundabout "cannot be classified as severe."

The report also shows that investigations were made into whether a former access, an existing rail underpass off Waddington Lane, could be re-opened to the public, following a request from the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA). It was ultimately discounted, mainly due to landowner issues.

Other conditions relate to biodiversity net gain.

Planner conclude: "Overall the Council is of the view that the proposed development has a number of benefits, including economic benefits for Aldwarke and the wider area through job creation which could generate between 402 jobs (B8) and 859 jobs (B2) on an allocated employment site. The proposal is considered to generate between £28m and £59m of GVA annually."

The outline approval comes at the same time as outline plans for land at nearby Parkgate were approved. 434,862 sq ft of new commercial space is proposed on brownfield land next to Parkgate Shopping.

Keyland Developments website

Images: Keyland Developments

Read more...

News: Parkgate employment plans passed

The development of 434,862 sq ft of new commercial space on brownfield land in Rotherham have taken a step forward.

Rothbiz reported in 2023 on outline plans from The Stadium Group, which successfully developed Parkgate Shopping retail park in the Enterprise Zone created on the former Parkage steel works, for the remaining 22 acre plot of land bordered by Aldwarke Lane, Parkgate Shopping, the railway line and the new link road.

With the delayed £12m link road and Park & Ride due to complete later this year, Rotherham Council has now approved the latest application.

Plans, drawn up by Tetra Tech and DLA Architecture, explain that the land was historically used to dispose of blast furnace slag associated with the former Parkgate Steel works and formerly contained coke ovens, a tarred slag works, railway sidings, liquid waste lagoons and a subsequent aggregate working plant.

Outline plans show five units for B2 General industrial and B8 Storage or distribution with a gross external area of 434,862 sq ft.

With the new link road, access would be from Aldwarke Lane and Stadium Way / Stonerow Way.

Approved without going to the council's planning board, it comes with a number of conditions.

Advertisement
Remaining undeveloped, the site was designated to be a mixed use area in the borough's local plan in 2018. As storage and distribution is not generally supported in mixed use areas, At this early stage, the developers envisaged that approximately 65% of the floorspace will be for B2 use, and 35% of floorspace will be for B8 use. A planning condition is included to limit B8 use to that percentage. The local road network and the presence of low bridges on Aldwarke Lane were also taken into account.

Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust objected to the loss of habitats and conditions have been included around some biodiversity enhancements on-site in the form of bat roosting features, bird nesting boxes and hedgehog holes.

Given the site's previous uses, another condition relates to carrying out Intrusive Site Investigations to assess for the potential presence and extent of contamination within the soils and groundwater.

South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) also requested that the Stadium Group look at re-opening an existing rail underpass off Waddington Lane. The developers declined to seek agreement with Network Rail, noting, that: “the railway underpass is third party land and is therefore outside the Applicants control, as well as being outside the application site boundary. As such, the Applicant has no authority to provide access under Network Rail (NR) land.”

Previous plans from the Stadium Group for the land have included a 2004 scheme based around an 11 pitch soccer dome with a health and fitness club and swimming pool, plus new retail and restaurant units.

The plans were recommended for approval but developers withdrew when the council included a condition that permission would only be granted with a £1.6m contribution towards the construction of a new road between Stonerow Way including a bridge over the railway line.

The outline approval comes at the same time as outline plans for land at nearby Aldwarke were approved. 330,000 sq ft of commercial buildings are proposed on land next to the Waste Water Treatment Works.

Images: Google Maps

Read more...

News: Bridgegate bank building could be brought back to life

Another vacant building in Rotherham town centre could be getting a new lease of life, under recently submitted plans.

It has been nearly three years since Barclays Bank announced plans to close its branch in Rotherham town centre, its last remaining branch in the borough.

In 2022, offers around £495,000 were being invited for 38 - 40 Bridgegate which extends to 6,800 sq ft.

With the property under new ownership, a planning application has been submitted for the empty building.

A change of use planning application shows that TNK Lettings Ltd, a Hertfordshire company, wants to redevelop the property, converting into into nine flats over three floors.

The plans show that the ground floor area fronting Bridgegate will not be used for access to the floors above and will remain part of the retail frontage and be re-let for retail purposes.

However, the first, second and attic floors, previously used as offices and meeting rooms by Barclays, are set to be turned into apartments, with access via the bank staff access located on Upper Millgate.

Advertisement
Plans show eight 1-bed flats and one 2-bed flat.

No external alterations have been proposed to the building which is within the town centre conservation area.

The application states: "The creation of residential units in retail centres helps to create more active frontages in town centres which helps to enliven what is generally considered to be a contributing factor to depressed town centres and this scheme will help in that regard in this area."

According to Rotherham District Civic Society the bank makes up part of the former White Hart Buildings at All Saints Square. The "new" public house, with entrances to Upper Millgate and Bridgegate was, commissioned by Mappins Brewery and was designed by James E. Knight, Architect. The 1920s building, incorporating lock up shops and a suite of offices, was described as being late Georgian in design.

The public house opened on the 12th December 1929 and closed in March 1969 following its acquisition by Barclay's Bank Ltd.

At nearby 16A Bridgegate, plans have been submitted for a change of use to the upper floor from office to studio apartments and construction of extension to rear at second floor.

At 36 Bridgegate - Ashwoods Furniture - plans have been approved to allow the three storey mid-terraced commercial property to be converted into flats - 3 one bedroom apartments and 1 three bedroom apartment.

Plans have also been updated for a new mixed use development that would replace the former Rhinoceros pub over the road that has been wrecked by fire.

Images: Google Maps

Read more...

News: King's Birthday Honours for Rotherham execs

Rotherham Council Chief Executive Sharon Kemp has been awarded an OBE in the King’s Birthday Honours list, for her services to business and to the community in Rotherham and South Yorkshire.

And Sarah McLeod, the CEO steering the regeneration of Wentworth Woodhouse in Rotherham, arguably the UK’s greatest heritage restoration challenge of a generation, has been awarded an OBE for her services to the heritage sector.

Joining Rotherham Council in 2016 as part of a whole new senior leadership team brought in under Government appointed Commissioners, Sharon led the organisation on an improvement journey which saw its Children and Young People’s Services first being rated as ‘Good’ by Ofsted in 2017 and the organisation come out of special measures and intervention in 2018.

The Council was recognised as the 'Most Improved Council' in the country at the Local Government Chronicle (LGC) Awards in 2022, followed by an LGA peer review which described the Council as ‘an impressive organisation which serves the town well’ in 2023.

Sharon was appointed Transformation Commissioner for Nottingham City Council in May this year, whilst continuing to serve the people of Rotherham in her role as Chief Executive of the Council.

Sharon said: “This is an incredible honour, and I will be accepting in recognition of the Council, the borough, and all councillors, colleagues, partners and communities that work together to make Rotherham the amazing place it is.

“It is a privilege to do this job and to be part of such a dedicated team. I have had the honour of working with Cllr Chris Read as Leader of the Council, in driving forward the improvement of the Council and want to take this opportunity to thank those past and present who have not only supported the Council’s journey so far but continue to work together to create an even better future for Rotherham and the wider region.”

Cllr Chris Read, Leader of Rotherham Council said: “Sharon has been central to the Council’s improvement journey over the past eight years and her energy, drive and unrelenting focus on delivering the best services possible for the people of Rotherham has been evident throughout our work together. She has played a key role in developing and improving partnerships across the borough and South Yorkshire, increasing collaboration and maximising opportunities for the area.

“As we continue to tackle the challenges facing our borough over the coming months and years, Sharon’s steadfast commitment to good quality public services and to our communities will continue to drive further success.”

Advertisement
Sarah joined Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust (WWPT) as CEO in May 2017 after having to be persuaded to apply as “I didn’t think I knew enough about country houses.”

It was, she says, both the biggest challenge, and the biggest risk, she had ever undertaken.

Weeks earlier, the Trust, spearheaded by Dame Julie Kenny DBE DL, had bought the dilapidated Grade I listed Georgian country house in Rotherham for £7m.

The task ahead was described in the sector as the ‘UK’s greatest heritage restoration challenge of a generation’. The estimated cost was £130m and every penny needed to be raised over the coming decades.

Seven years on and the house is boosting the region’s economy, providing jobs, nurturing skills and enabling local people to participate in new creative and cultural activities.

Sarah McLeod has developed and guided the WWPT from a start-up to a busy trading business now turning over £3.5m a year and growing, and has successfully raised funding for, and delivered, almost £30m of capital works. She also spearheaded and launched both the Trust’s overarching Masterplan and its Cultural Strategy, creating over 100 new paid jobs and over 300 volunteer roles.

"I’m so glad I took on the challenge,” says Sarah. “Wentworth Woodhouse is so much more than a restoration project; We are creating something really special, and my role has allowed me, and the people I work with, to be really creative and innovative in our thinking. We do things differently to other country houses and we are very proud of that.

“I am honoured and so proud to receive an OBE for my work. I feel incredibly lucky to work in heritage and am very grateful to everyone who has given me opportunities and supported me throughout my career,” said Sarah.

“For me, this award represents the hard work of everyone who works to protect and restore our historic places.”

RMBC website
Wentworth Woodhouse website

Images: RMBC / WWPT

Read more...

News: Plans approved to enable Sheffield fast food favourite to open in Rotherham

Plans have been approved that will enable "Britain's best takeaway" to open in the revamped Westgate Chambers development in Rotherham town centre.

Westgate Chambers is a large private-led regeneration project - a £10m scheme designed by Sheffield-based Self Architects involving the creation of a commercial, retail and residential development that involves renovating the buildings around a courtyard, including a Georgian Grade II listed building.

Rothbiz revealed in November 2023 that Sheffield-based burger restaurant, Munchies, had applied for a change of use application for a unit on Main Street.

With three locations across Sheffield, Munchies garnered national acclaim earlier in 2023 when it won The Best Takeaway In Britain Award at the Just Eat Restaurant Awards.

The brand is famed for its burgers and milkshakes and describes itself as having a "generous menu that satisfies big cravings from a business which is big on personality and bigger on flavour."

The plans for the 1,800 sq ft unit at 4 Main Street show kitchen and preparation areas to the rear and booths and banquette seating at the front.

A design statement submitted with the application hints at a playful interior, neon lights and an "instagram-worthy atmosphere."

Advertisement
The Council’s Adult Care, Housing & Public Health Department have raised objections to the proposals in terms of clustering of takeaways in the Town Centre and within the Boston Castle Ward.

Planning policies exist in Rotherham to limit the number of takeaways in prime town centre streets. In this case, planning officers conclude that Main Street is not a Primary or Secondary Street Frontage, adding that: "this takeaway business is considered to be appropriately located within an area of the Town Centre which is dominated by the night time economy, which this use is considered to be complimentary to."

Another policy states that new hot food takeaways are not acceptable within 800 metres of a school or tertiary college facility, except in defined town or local centres, which this site is within.

A report from the planners concludes: "Whilst it is recognised that hot food takeaways may provide some healthy eating options, evidence demonstrates the link between fast food takeaways and health concerns for Rotherham's communities.

"In this instance as Rotherham Town Centre is already well served by a number of fast-food takeaways, the additional takeaway will unlikely make a difference. Any college or school children in the area already also have access to range of hot food takeaways."

Conditions include restricting opening hours to 11:00 until 23:30 Sundays to Thursdays, and 11:00 until 02:30 Fridays and Saturdays.

Munchies website

Images: Munchies / Imperial Signs

Read more...

News: Deal finalised for AMP firm

A Rotherham-based manufacturer of industrial valves for the control and regulation of liquids and gases has been acquired by a German investment group.

Colson X-Cel, developed as part of the successful X-Cel Group on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham is now wholly owned by the INDUS Group.

INDUS buys and develops “hidden champions” with a clear technological focus. In March 2024, Pneumatic Components Ltd (PCL), a subsidiary of the INDUS portfolio company HORNGROUP, signed the contracts for the acquisition of the company.

With around 40 employees, Colson generates annual sales of around €7m and specialises in producing precision machined components. It predominantly supports the petrochemical (including down hole drilling, surface, and subsea applications) power generation, aerospace and construction industries.

Colson’s range of double block and bleed and instrument valves are machined, assembled, tested and quality assured in-house at its facility on the AMP in Rotherham.

INDUS said that increasing automation in sectors such as the energy industry, the chemical industry and the manufacturing industry is driving market growth for products for regulating liquid and gas flows. New opportunities lie in the future field of environmental and energy c, such as hydrogen applications.

Advertisement
Axel Meyer, member of the INDUS Board of Management responsible for the Engineering segment, said: "With its direct access to the UK and US markets and its globally oriented activities, including in the Middle East, Colson fits very well into our internationalization strategy.

"In the further development of our portfolio companies, we are actively focusing on opening up new markets. Local presence is becoming increasingly important, especially in times of growing protectionism."

Andrew Taylor, previous owner of Colson, added: "Based on its strong position in the UK market, COLSON is increasingly tapping into international growth potential, for example in North America and the Middle East.

"As the new owner, INDUS offers the financial strength and the corresponding expertise to expand the market.”

The company will continue to be managed by existing directors James Hinchliffe (Sales) and Dean Groombridge (Production), with James Houston, Dean Battersby and Lee Wright also joining the board of directors.

Lee Wright, Managing Director at PCL, said: “I am delighted to introduce Colson X-Cel as a new and valued member of the family. The company’s South Yorkshire roots and dedication to UK manufacturing, coupled with its exacting standards for product performance, safety and reliability, make Colson the ideal addition to our fold, where customer satisfaction comes first. It’s clear that we share many of the same values and ideas.

“As we look to understand more about the differing market and product profiles, our aim is to support and facilitate future growth, as well as begin to understand how we might unlock synergistic benefits for both businesses over the longer term.

Colson X-Cel website
INDUS website

Images: PCL

Read more...

News: Rotherham development fits the bill for national energy firm

British renewable energy group Octopus Energy has taken the largest unit at Mirastar’s flagship development, Sheffield Catalyst.

The Catalyst development is on the part of Sheffield Business Park which is within the Rotherham borough boundary, close to the Parkway. It has been built on a 17.9-acre site that was previously kept in the green belt when Sheffield City Airport was in operation. Developer Premcor Estates, together with joint venture partner, Peveril Securities sold the development for an undisclosed sum last year.

A relative newcomer, Octopus only started out in 2016 and now supplies over six million homes in Britain with a focus on customer service and green technology. Last year it was announced that existing investors would deploy $800m in a funding round, valuing the company at almost $8 billion. Octopus said that the investment was expected to create 3,000 green jobs in UK alone in 2024.

Octopus has taken 91,923 sq ft in Rotherham and is expected to use the warehouse for its Octopus Energy Services part of the business which is spearheading the transition to greener, cheaper energy through the installation of in-home technologies; from smart meters and electric car chargers; to low carbon heating, home batteries, affordable heat pumps and solar panels.

Rothbiz reported in April on a new Solus Vehicle Accident Repair Centre opening at the Catalyst development. Solus is wholly owned by Aviva and operates a nationwide network of vehicle damage repair centres.

Both companies join surfaces specialist Cosentino and UK award-winning commercial supplier JLA Group. Cosentino relocated into a 33,608 sq ft unit while JLA Group expanded into 109,166 sq ft on site.

Just one unit of 28,309 sq ft remains available through agents Knight Frank, GV & Co and M1.

Advertisement
Henry Watson, partner at M1 Agency, said: “These lettings demonstrate where Catalyst sits within the market of Sheffield. From inception we set out to provide a best in class product which suited the needs of occupiers and we have been rewarded for our confidence in the product with market leading transactions across the development.

“The unprecedented growth in demand for last mile solutions shown in the wider South Yorkshire conurbations has been triggered by the rise of the convenience economy driven by mobile technology. Proximity to customers is becoming ever important as goods need to be moved quicker and more often, intensifying the demand for space in last-mile locations such as Catalyst Sheffield.”

The remaining unit is finished to a high specification with high quality office space suitable for head offices and benefit from excellent ESG credentials including EPC rating ‘A’, minimum BREEAM rating of ‘Very Good’, PIR controlled LED lighting to the offices, a rooftop solar PV system, and extra natural light through translucent wall panels and roof lights.

Rebecca Schofield, partner and head of the Yorkshire industrial team at Knight Frank, said: "Catalyst is ideally located fronting Sheffield Parkway, its high-quality specification and ideal location has resulted in the success of the scheme with all the occupiers new inward investors which is a great result for the scheme and region."

Rob Brophy of Mirastar, added: “Sheffield Catalyst is an important scheme to deliver much needed new industrial warehouse facilities benefiting from excellent ESG credentials and unrivalled prominence and access via the Sheffield Parkway and the M1 Motorway.

“Catalyst represents a continuation of our clear strategy and vision across our portfolio by developing best in class facilities with market leading ESG credentials.”

Daniel Walker at GV&Co, added: “Catalyst, Sheffield Business Park continues to go from strength to strength. This recent letting continues the success on the scheme with another household name and highlights the benefits the development offers to occupiers from both a location perspective and specification of the units. We have good interest on the final units but are happy to discuss any live requirements if occupiers need more information.”

Images: M1 Agency

Read more...

News: Barnsley & Rotherham Business Awards 2024 open for entries

Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber of Commerce has announced that tickets and entries are now open for the highly anticipated Barnsley and Rotherham Business Awards – A Celebration of Business.

This prestigious annual event sponsored by Barnsley College, celebrates the remarkable achievements of businesses and individuals in the region, will take place on Friday, November 8 2024, at the Magna Science Adventure Centre in Rotherham. Businesses of all sizes and sectors with a ‘S’ postcode (within South Yorkshire) and all members of the Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber of Commerce are encouraged to participate.

With over 500 guests and delegates expected, this event is set to be a spectacular evening, honouring the resilience, creativity, and dedication of the local business community. The awards will recognise excellence across various categories, reflecting the diverse nature of the region’s enterprises.

From the Apprentice of the Year Award for budding professionals to the Most Promising New Business Award, there are numerous categories celebrating significant achievements. Other categories include the Business Person of the Year Award, the Commitment to People Development Award, the Excellence in Customer Service Award, the Business Community Impact Award, the Sustainability Award, and the new Large Business of the Year Award.

To enter the awards simply visit the Barnsley and Rotherham Business Awards website and download the form in the category you wish to enter. Entries close on Monday September 9 2024, so be sure to enter before the deadline ends.

Advertisement
A special highlight will be the Charity of the Year Award, where the winner will receive a £3000 prize and the title of the Chamber’s Charity of the Year, recognizing a charity that has made an exceptional contribution to a local cause or community campaign.

Barnsley College has graciously sponsored this year’s awards, demonstrating its commitment to fostering talent and supporting a thriving business environment in South Yorkshire.

Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber Chief Executive Carrie Sudbury said, “The Barnsley and Rotherham Business Awards are a fantastic opportunity for our local businesses and professionals to showcase their achievements and gain well-deserved recognition. I urge all eligible members and businesses to take part in this celebration of our region’s outstanding talent and innovation.”

"Mark your calendars for Friday, 8th November 2024, and join us at the Magna Science Adventure Centre for a night of celebration, networking, and inspiration. Let’s award the trailblazers and visionaries who drive our local economy."

Barnsley & Rotherham Business Awards website

Images: BR Chamber

Read more...

News: Budget increases again for delayed Rotherham link road

Work has been delayed on a £12m transport scheme that aims to improve the area around Parkgate Shopping in Rotherham.

Contractors Tilbury Douglas began work on the Parkgate link road and Park & Ride scheme at the start of 2023 with a completion date of February 2024.

£11.52m is required from the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) Transforming Cities Fund towards project costs of £12.86m. £7m is for the new access route and £3.4m for a new Park & Ride facility. £1.7m is needed for upgrades to Taylor's Lane roundabout nearby - a separate part of the scheme.

Now, newly published documents from SYMCA show that the programme has been extended to Autumn 2024 with the cost of the road and Park & Ride facility now taking more of the budget.

Tilbury Douglas' appointment was based on a competitive tender which was completed in December 2021 on a fixed price basis, held until April 2022. The contract was worth £8,420,930 but the planning application wasn’t submitted until August 2022 and the preferred contractor "could not hold their tendered price which was increased to £9,293,987.05."

Advertisement
SYMCA said that the budget increase was reviewed at the time and "considered to be appropriate and consistent with cost increases across the industry."

The report adds: "During the course of the works various issues with earthworks, drainage, design changes and statutory undertakers’ diversions have occurred and agreed programme has been extended to Autumn 2024. These changes and programme extension has resulted in an increase in the current expected contract out-turn at £11.478m."

Finding a new contractor to finish the job was discounted due to contractual and continuity issues.

It is not clear what effect the cost increases will have on the £1.7m needed for upgrades to Taylor's Lane roundabout.

The new 800 metre road between Aldwarke Lane and both Stonerow Way and Stadium Way is set to provide a second access route to Parkgate Shopping, via a roundabout between the two railway bridges. It is designed to relieve existing congestion on the A633 around Parkgate Shopping and improve traffic flow and bus journey times on the corridor and wider road network.

In addition to improving the vehicular, walking and cycling infrastructure, also included in the scheme is a new 300-space Park & Ride facility for the Parkgate Tram Train terminus, including electric vehicle bays.

Images: Google Maps

Read more...

News: New list highlights Rotherham's heritage

From Bailey Bridges to old workshops, historic pubs to a Royal Mail Post Box, the recently signed off Rotherham Local Heritage List includes 100 assets that have architectural or historical importance in South Yorkshire.

Local heritage lists identify locally valued heritage assets, nominated mainly by members of the public and local interest groups. The lists includes heritage assets that are not nationally designated (for example, not listed buildings or scheduled monuments) but have local value and/or heritage interest.

South Yorkshire was one of the areas selected by the Department of Levelling Up, Housing & Communities (DLUHC) to deliver a joint working project to develop a South Yorkshire Local Heritage List, with the South Yorkshire Archaeology Service leading the project and local authorities working up final lists.

Now Rotherham Council has approved its final list, adding 76 heritage assets and those already identified through Neighbourhood plans.

The heritage significance of buildings or structures on the list will be a material consideration when Rotherham Council determines planning applications.

A Council report adds: "Such assets can then be better considered in the planning process when new development is proposed. Local listing provides no additional planning controls, however it will assist the Council to comply with national planning policy provisions regarding both archaeology and the historic built environment, including a requirement to ensure the use of up-to-date evidence, thereby protecting sites of value."

The report adds that some owners were initially concerned that inclusion on the list may severely constrain what they can do with their properties, however the council says that these concerns have been allayed.

There is also the future potential for protecting the assets further, for example, to prevent their demolition.

Advertisement
Rotherham town centre has many listed buildings and its own conservation area. The new local list highlights the heritage of the town centre even further. Entrants to the list include The Civic Theatre, the former Temperance Hall and the Masonic Hall (both on Wellgate), Essoldo Chambers at the top of the High Street, the former Sheffield Union Bank on College Street, the Howard Building, the former Co-Op Building, The Old Post Office on Main Street, and pubs, the Wellington Inn, Cross Keys and Alma Tavern.

Industrial assets making the list include a two storey stone built former steel works on Masbrough Street, now a scrap yard, known as Cupola Works. The former Maltings building on the same street, now commercial units, formerly operated by Whitworth, Son & Nephew Ltd, is also on the list.

The only surviving building of the Don Pottery is also listed. Now used as a workshop, it is located by the Sheffield & South Yorkshire navigation in Swinton.

The Magna Science Adventure Centre makes the list. Formerly known as Steel Peech and Tozer's Templeborough Melting Shop, the first cast of steel was tapped on July 12 1917 and when completed it was the largest melting shop of its type in Europe. After closing down, the building was converted as part of a £47m Millennium Commission project. In addition, Brinsworth Strip Mills is also listed. Built in 1956 on the opposite side of the road, the new mills were built to replace an outdated Morgan Mill.

Added to the list are the buildings that make up the Effingham Works on Thames Street that was built in 1855 for stove grate manufacturers, Yates and Haywood, in front and around their original building. It was reputed at the time it was built to be the largest factory of its kind in the world.

Also included is the Bailey Bridge over the River Don at Eastwood, a tribute to the designer of the structure that played a key role in shortening World War II - Rotherham-born engineer Sir Donald Bailey.

South Yorkshire Local Heritage List website

Images: Google Maps / Magna

Read more...

News: How would you spend £20m to improve Rotherham town centre?

Views and ideas are being invited on Rotherham's Long-Term Plan that will guide a £20m investment into the town over the next ten years.

Rothbiz reported in 2023 that Rotherham had been selected by the government as one of 55 towns to be given £20m endowment-style funds to invest in local people’s priorities.

Rotherham has been given the opportunity to develop a long-term plan supported by a Towns Board (A private-sector chaired Rotherham Town Deal Board is already established to oversee regeneration progress. It contains representatives from a wide range of key sectors).

The board is now inviting everyone to take part in consultation for the fund.

Town Boards have been asked by the Government to submit their Long-Term Plans (comprising their 10-year vision and 3-year investment plan) before August 1. The Plan will set out how funding will be allocated and spent, with the local authority as the body ultimately accountable for funding.

The government says that community engagement is at the heart of the Long-Term Plan for Towns, so plans should reflect local priorities and be co-designed with communities, businesses and residents, drawing on available evidence and data.

Plans are set to focus on three key themes:

- Safety and security
- High streets, heritage and regeneration
- Transport and connectivity

Whitehall has also published a policy toolkit, a list of interventions that provide the opportunity for Town Boards to take bespoke, ‘off-menu’ approaches where such an approach can be justified, and significant flexibility is offered to tailor the Long-Term Plan across the three broad investment themes.

The toolkit includes things like using powers to tackle anti-social behaviour, holding High Street Rental Auctions to bring empty units back into use, establishing a Business Improvement District (BID), using planning policies such as Local Development Orders (LDOs) and neighbourhood plans, bringing forward more Assets of Community Value, and more policies that were introduced via the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023.

Other possible interventions include improving CCTV, flood alleviation, green spaces, cultural events, place promotion, tourism initiatives and active travel enhancements.

To find out what matters to Rotherham, consultation involves a using a Place Standard tool and a survey consists of 14 topics, each with a question that asks you to rate Rotherham town centre on a scale of 1 to 7.

The online consultation can be found here.

Public consultation events are also taking place and business and community groups are also being asked to act as hosts.

Advertisement
At the same time, the three regional South Yorkshire Chambers of Commerce, have been asking businesses to share their views on what the priorities should be for their nearest town or city centre.

The latest iteration of the South Yorkshire Quarterly Economic Survey is canvassing their views on the cleanliness, safety, green spaces, retail offer and cultural scene of the nearest town or city centre, while also asking them to identify their top three priorities for making it a better place to do business. They will also be encouraged to highlight any examples (from around the country) of places that can serve as an inspiration for South Yorkshire and its ambitions.

Urging businesses to complete The Town and City Centre Survey, the three South Yorkshire Chambers (the respective networks for Doncaster, Sheffield and Barnsley & Rotherham) issued the following joint statement:

“By the very nature of what we do as networks, we are always interacting with businesses and, in the process, ask for their views on a myriad of topics. While there is a wide range of issues that concern our members, one thing that often comes up, totally unprompted, is the wellbeing and relative prosperity of the town and city centres we have here in South Yorkshire.

“We know that this is a matter close to the hearts of many local businesspeople, which is why we have decided to give them the opportunity for their voices to be heard through our new survey. We want to know how important the notion of civic pride is to them, where they believe there is room for improvement, what they’d like to see prioritised in terms of future investment, and if they consider a flourishing centre to be something that is key to their own ambitions.

“It’s imperative that we get as many different perspectives on this issue as possible, to ensure that we have authoritative data that’s truly representative of what businesses think. Indeed, the greater the response, the louder and more informative that collective voice is.”

Images: WOW / RMBC

Read more...

News: Stop press. Daily Mail owners end printing at Rotherham site

It cost £60m and received a Royal opening in 2007, but a print facility in Rotherham has fallen silent.

It comes as circulation of print newspapers in the UK has plummeted from over 8 million newspapers per day in 2012 to under 3 million per day in 2023.

Rothbiz reported in October that the state-of-the-art printing facility in Dinnington was under threat.

DMG Media, the operators of The Daily Mail, Metro and i newspapers and websites, and News UK, (formerly News International), the current publisher of The Times, The Sunday Times, and The Sun newspapers, proposed a joint venture which would combine their printing operations.

The proposal would retain three current sites in Broxbourne (Hertfordshire), Knowsley (Merseyside) and Eurocentral (Glasgow), and would potentially mean the closure of DMG Media sites in Thurrock and Dinnington.

DMG Media only acquired the site at Dinnington in 2020.

The facility was created by Johnston Press at a cost of £60m on the site of the former colliery. The site, which is also known as Associated Print Holdings, had one of the most modern and fastest presses in the world and has printed everything from the Daily Express, Daily Star and The Sun, to the Yorkshire Post and Sheffield Star. Other major customers included regional publications and many niche publications.

The site survived Johnston Press plc going into administraion in 2018 with debts of over £200m. It was bought by a new company, JPIMedia.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), a non-ministerial department of the government that promotes competitive markets and tackles unfair behaviour, has cleared the latest deal.

Advertisement
Documents published last month by the CMA explain that the rationale for the merger was due to the sytematic decline of national newspaper circulation which had resultanted in spare capacity.

The deal is a turnaround for the Knowsley site and comes at the expense of Dinnington.

News UK announced the closure of its Knowsley site in May 2023 and DMG entered into discussions over the future as it outsourced work to the Merseyside site. This ultimately ended up being the long term joint venture to run the combined print operations, with Knowsley staying open and Dinnington closing.

The CMA conlcuded that, if the merger had not gone ahead, the closure of Knowsley would have made News UK a weaker competitor and meant that DMG would have taken work in-house to Dinnington which would have then reduced its own ability to compete for third party contracts due to limited capacity.

The 2023 decision by National World, the company behind The Scotsman, the Yorkshire Post, and the Rotherham Advertiser, to sign a deal with Newsquest that saw production end in Dinnington, will not have helped the site's cause.

Print editions at Dinnington were transferred in April and the new company said that "following the consultation some colleagues at Thurrock and Dinnington will be employed at NewCo sites."

A statement from DMG said: "These plans bear no reflection on the professionalism, commitment, pride and dedication of our colleagues. The news industry has transformed and continues to change rapidly. We needed to make changes to our print capacity to underpin our commitment to our print titles and their readers.

"This was a difficult but necessary step to provide a sustainable future for our print operations and we thank all our colleagues at the print sites for their hard work and long-standing contributions to DMG Media and the wider print industry."

Production Director, Julia Palmer-Poucher, who is expected to transfer from DMG to the NewCo, said: “The news industry has transformed and continues to change rapidly. We needed to make changes to our print capacity to underpin our commitment to our print titles and their readers. This was a difficult but necessary step to provide a sustainable future for our print operations. Whilst I am saddened that our sites will close, this decision ends a period of uncertainty and allows us to proceed.”

The deal is expected to complete this month.

DMG Media website
News UK website

Images:

Read more...

News: Innovation campus plan for Rotherham mainline station site

A masterplan has been drawn up for a new business district based around the potential new mainline station in Rotherham, with newly released images showing how it could look.

Rothbiz reported at the end of 2023 on efforts to secure land at Forge Way, Parkgate for an integrated station on the mainline and a tram-train stop.

The new station, developed by the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) and Rotherham Council, alongside Network Rail, would see the reintroduction of mainline train services in Rotherham – including receiving direct London services for the first time since the 1980s.

The project was one of many contained in the "Network North" document, published by the Government when it axed HS2 going beyond Birmingham. It also featured as a commercial development opporunity in SYMCA's investment portfolio that was showcased recently at UKREIIF - a forum focused on accelerating and unlocking investment in the UK.

The Parkgate site is one of many in Rotherham that sits within the South Yorkshire Investment Zone where £160m of funding is set to be used to offer investors, developers and start-ups a combination of targeted support and financial interventions to start, scale up and relocate their businesses.

Advertisement
A Rotherham Council update on the station proposal indicates that the masterplan is close to conclusion with its delivery strategy expected imminently. It is expected to be a 20-year vision for the area surrounding the station.

The update states: "The Station Masterplan sets out a blueprint for the regeneration of land in the station vicinity and focuses on the development of an Innovation Campus to the West of the core station area. This plan draws on the strengths of the borough in advanced manufacturing and innovation, complementing and building on the existing offer at the Advanced Manufacturing Park, Sheffield Business Park and the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre. The innovation campus at the station would form the north-eastern tip of the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District (AMID)."

Soft market testing on the station masterplan has been undertaken with a number of developers, and the concept of the innovation campus "was extremely well received."

Details released so far show that the station building is situated in the north-west corner of the core station area adjacent to a proposed car park and concourse that would link the Mainline and Tram-Train platforms.

The 19,300 sq ft proposed station building has the potential for three floors with a dual-function building being the preferred option. RIDO (the regeneration arm of Rotherham Council) is already assessing the viability of opening a new business centre in the building.

An illustrative sketch published by SYMCA show a much wider area primed for redevelopment - sites including Mangham Way on the Barbot Hall Industrial Estate, the former council depot on Greashbrough Road, land at Northfield between North Drive and Forge Way that sits between the two train lines, and land around the Rotherham Cut of the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation canal.

£10m was secured through the Town Deal to prepare the Station Masterplan and acquire land necessary to facilitate delivery of the station. A further £1m funding from the devolved City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) funding was secured to develop the Outline Business Case (OBC).

The total cost was listed as £107.6m in 2022. £99.5m for the station and £7.1m for the tram-train stop.

Work continues on a full business case for the station which is due for submission in the summer.

Images: SYMCA

Read more...

News: New team taking on Three Cranes Inn

A historic building at the heart of the heritage High Street in Rotherham town centre has new tenants, with the team behind the popular retail and cafe businesses a few doors down expanding again.

Rothbiz reported in 2022 on the opening of Over The Rainbow, a technicolour café bar taking on a vacant unit on the High Street. It was the next venture for Danii and Chris Paston, the entrepreneurial wife and husband team behind Yella Brick Road - the mainstay retail emporium embracing fun fashion and pop culture.

Now it has been confirmed that the team are expanding again, taking on the tenancy of the Three Cranes Inn.

One of Rotherham's oldest buildings, it was saved as part of ambitious regeneration plans led by Chris Hamby, when the listed buildings were renovated and used as an antiques centre. In 2019, the space was converted into a traditional English pub.

Advertisement
A post on social media has confirmed the move. It said: "To put it simply, the cafe-bar has been getting busier and busier for some time, and we're a little too small for what we have always wanted to do in evenings... and in the day too to a certain extent. We don't want to (or even can) outline all our plans at this stage; it's literally happened in the space of two weeks and so we're still nailing every detail down.

"There are a couple of venues we absolutely love in Sheffield and what they've offered to our neighbours across the border. And so, we're very excited to be bringing the ability to socialise into the evening while competing/having fun with friends to our own town centre."

The plan is set to involve keeping Over the Rainbow as it is, but moving some of the events hosted there to the Three Cranes. The pub is set to maintain a focus on real ale and craft ale, but with the addition of cocktails, hot drinks and more.

The ideal plan is to have the pub reopen in time for the massive Reytons gig in Clifton Park on July 6.

The original Three Cranes Inn occupied a timber framed building dating back to the 15th Century - the only timber framed building to survive in Rotherham town centre. It was on English Heritage's "at risk register" having been in a state of disrepair for many years.

It was probably built as a merchant's town house around 1600 and an earlier wing consists of a medieval open hall block that retains evidence for a high status "coved" area at one end, known as a dais.

It is thought to have closed as a pub in 1907 and half of the building was demolished in 1953 leaving a twin-gabled façade for retail units on the ground floor.

Three Cranes Facebook page

Images: Three Cranes / Facebook

Read more...

News: £750m PFI waste contract to be taken over

Renewi plc is getting rid of the loss-making contract at the 220,000 sq ft "BDR" waste facility in Rotherham.

It comes as Biffa, a leader in UK sustainable waste management, entered into an agreement to acquire Renewi’s municipal business in the UK. An alternative could have seen the facility handed back to the council.

The waste treatment facility at Brookfield's Park, which became fully operational in 2015, takes around 250,000 tonnes a year and creates a material suitable for recovery and recycling and includes Mechanical Biological Treatment (MBT) and Anaerobic Digestion (AD) facilities. More than 97% of the waste received is diverted from landfill.

Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham (BDR) Councils secured £77m through the Private Finance Initiative (PFI) for the scheme and the operators signed a 25 year contract worth in excess of £750m with the councils for the treatment of black bag waste.

Renewi has struggled with its UK municipal waste contracts, which it described as a "cash drag on the group – with a total cash outflow of approximately €28m over the last 24 months."

A strategic review of the business began last year with bosses looking to withdraw completely from the UK market. The company was formed when Shanks plc completed a merger with Dutch waste service provider and raw material and energy supplier, Van Gansewinkel Groep B.V., in 2017.

The deal covers five contracts and will have a net cost of €57m to Renewi but will free them from "unpredictable UK Municipal liabilities" and "Onerous Contract Provisions (OCPs)."

Advertisement
In a statement, Renewi said: "The contracts were entered into more than ten years ago, by a Renewi predecessor; they are break-even or structurally loss-making and, in the absence of a legislative shift or significant changes in market conditions, can be neither prematurely terminated nor renegotiated by Renewi."

Michael Topham, CEO, Biffa, said: “The addition of these five contracts to our existing contracts in West Sussex, Leicester and Somerset further establishes our reputation as a trusted provider of complex, long-term waste treatment contracts to local governments.

“Our combined expertise will position us well for the future as we seek to help local governments deliver their net zero targets. We look forward to welcoming the Renewi UK team to Biffa and to working with our new customers in due course."

As part of the deal, around 550 Renewi staff will now become part of the Biffa group.

The five contracts are with the Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham (BDR) Waste Partnership, Cumbria County Council, Wakefield Council, East London Waste Authority and Argyle & Bute Council.

Renewi website
Biffa website

Images: BDR Waste Partnership

Read more...

News: Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber launches new property forum

Property professionals from across South Yorkshire are set to receive a helping hand from Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber.

Following feedback from its membership, the Chamber has launched a new dedicated property forum, aimed at forging stronger links between local authority planning departments and South Yorkshire’s business community.

The new forum aims to create opportunities for businesses to collaborate and discuss issues facing the sector, as well as working more closely with local authorities across the region in a bid to overcome current bottlenecks within the planning system.

According to the Chamber, an estimated 5,000 new homes are needed to meet South Yorkshire’s current housing needs. However, with many schemes facing lengthy delays when it comes to receiving planning permission, Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber believes that the delays not only impact the property sector but also stifle regional economic growth.

Advertisement
The new property forum was launched at a special event that took place at Rotherham United's New York Stadium and saw more than 50 senior property professionals participate. During the event, delegates were given the chance to hear from Colin Blackburn, assistant director of housing infrastructure and planning, SYMCA, who provided an update about the region’s future development plans, as well as highlighting the opportunities to improve connections between local communities as a result of plans to return buses to public ownership.

James Pitt, managing director of Muse, provided an update on Rotherham’s Forge Island development, which is expected to open to the public later this summer, whilst Joanne Neville, head of planning at the Harworth Group, discussed some of the challenges and opportunities associated with some of the schemes the company was currently working on.

Matthew Stephens, President, Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber, said: “South Yorkshire is lagging behind many areas of the UK when it comes to meeting the local housing need. Planning, by its very nature, is a complex area, and to bring any planned development to fruition rightly requires scrutiny. Yet at the same time, local authority planning departments are facing significant challenges of their own, not least being expected to achieve more with increasingly limited resources. The inevitable result is delays in permissions being granted, which in turn doesn’t just affect the property sector but the regional economy as a whole.

"The chamber property forum will meet regularly and provide a platform to create greater collaboration between businesses working in the property sector. This will be achieved by forging stronger links with local planning departments to identify and overcome common problems being faced across the sector as a whole.”

BR Chamber website

Images: BR Chamber

Read more...

News: Council criticised over Carlton Park

Rotherham Council has been criticised for using a hotel to provide homeless accommodation without consulting locals.

Rothbiz reported last month that Rotherham MP, Sarah Champion had been made aware of "increasing issues with crime, drug use and anti-social behaviour in the Moorgate area and seemingly associated with the Carlton Park Hotel."

The issue was raised at a recent meeting of the full council following a residents meeting.

Witness reports were heard at both meetings and included “violent crime, burglaries, trespassing on private property, prostitution, sex in public, urinating in public, begging”, and “open drug use."

Boston Castle Ward member, Cllr. Taiba Yasseen said that there were serious safeguarding risks given the hotel's location close to Oakwood School and Thomas Rotherham College.

Advertisement
Cllr. Chris Read, leader of Rotherham Council told councillors: "I think that the council has a legal, and moral, obligation to house people who are homeless. And we have that at a time when homelessness in our country is higher than it's ever been. Now I am deeply regretful that we live in a time when we simply don't have enough temporary accommodation, including some hotel places elsewhere, to house the number of people who need those services.

"As you know, we have made a commitment to bring to an end rough sleeping in this borough, and I take that very seriously. The other thing that I'd say is that I don't think it is helpful at a time when each of those people receive support as an individual, receives an allocated worker, for people to be making comments which could be seen to generalise or stigmatise people who are homeless in our borough.

"I wish that we didn't have to put people in the Carlton Park Hotel and I'm hopeful that in the weeks ahead, we will be able to move to a situation where that will at least reduce, if not come down to zero altogether, and I'm absolutely conscientious and aware of the concerns, and strength of feeling, that have been raised by residents, but in the end, the council also has a moral and legal obligation to those people that need to have roofs over their head because the only other alternative is that we put them out on the streets."

Sarah Champion MP said: "Despite the problems residents have experienced being foreseeable, little seems to have been done in advance to prevent them. I'm deeply shocked, and genuinely surprised the Council chose to do this without any consultation with the local community.

"I strongly believe that the Council should desist from using the hotel for this purpose and have written to them again urging them to cease doing so."

In reply, Andrew Bramidge, Interim Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment at Rotherham Council, said: "The Council has legal responsibilities to place homeless households in emergency accommodation, including in hotels, when no other accommodation is available. Officers maintain regular communications with hotel management including through visits. Any reported issues are followed up and in cases where occupancy agreements are breached the Council reserves the right to end duties to accommodate."

Images: Google Maps

Read more...