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
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 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
6 comments:
Don't worry after next Thursday,Labour will be running the show ,and they going to spend billions ,and not raise taxes, planting money trees as we speak,so we'll all be fineš¤£
No need to put a comma before the word "and". And if your comment is actually funny there is no need to put a smiley face. In this case though you were probably right to do so. Have you ever posted any similar comments throughout the disastrous Conservative governments we have had to endure over the past 12 years or so?
Thought not.
Just like most Tory politicians _ wouldn't be able to tell the truth if his life depended on it
"Comma" is derived from the Arabic word "korma", meaning bowel loosener and the ancient Ethiopian word "buna".
Now stop being naughty.
Origins of the word naughty
Post a Comment