News: Howard Building plans approved
Plans have been approved that would bring back into use a historic building in Rotherham that has been empty for over a decade and wrapped up in a legal battle.
Rothbiz reported in February on plans submitted by Manchester-based SH Capital for the Howard Building in Rotherham town centre.
Through its SH Care brand, SH Capital works in the vulnerable accommodation sector in the UK and works with leading care home providers. A key completed project for the firm was for Rotherham-based Exemplar Health Care and its 40-bed care home, Leger Grove in Doncaster.
Work related to previous applications for the Howard Street property has never been carried out, and so planning permission lapsed. The new plans concentrate on a change of use for part of the lower ground floor and full second floor of the existing building from office use to residential use under permitted development rights.
The application proposes a total of 23 units over the two floors (six on lower ground floor and 17 on second floor floor) - a mix of one-bed studios, one-bed 2-person units, two-bed 3-person units and two-bed 4-person units.
The building is within the Rotherham Town Conservation Area, but no external changes are proposed. However, mitigation measures include upgraded glazing to windows facing Howard Street, with standard glazing deemed sufficient to other elevations.
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Approved without going before Rotherham Council's planning board, officers confirmed that the proposed change of use from Commercial, Business and Service Use (Class E) to Dwellinghouse is permitted.
Having secured permission for lower ground floor and full second floor, a second planning application was submitted relating to the the ground floor, first floor (including mezzanine level), and part of the lower ground floor for the creation of 49 self-contained residential apartments, with all matters reserved except access and layout. However, this application was later cancelled.
In 2018, Rothbiz reported that quick progress on converting the Howard Building was unlikely after a court injunction was granted that prevented its sale. Liquidators were trying to prove that sham charges related to a number of properties were being used to wrongfully divert funds away from investors. Claims from creditors were in excess of £68m.
A year later, the Insolvency Service concluded an investigation into Absolute Living Developments Limited which sold apartments in England off-plan to investors who were largely based in Asia.
In Rotherham, with little evidence of the conversion of the former college building into twelve, one bed apartments and 60 studio apartments at "Howard Residencies", applicants, AVRO Developments headed into insolvency and the property passed to another connected company.
That company, 2380 REVERSIONS LTD, has now been renamed as Waverley Residencies Limited with the charges satisfied and the directors replaced.
SH Care website
Images: Tom Austen
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Rothbiz reported in February on plans submitted by Manchester-based SH Capital for the Howard Building in Rotherham town centre.
Through its SH Care brand, SH Capital works in the vulnerable accommodation sector in the UK and works with leading care home providers. A key completed project for the firm was for Rotherham-based Exemplar Health Care and its 40-bed care home, Leger Grove in Doncaster.
Work related to previous applications for the Howard Street property has never been carried out, and so planning permission lapsed. The new plans concentrate on a change of use for part of the lower ground floor and full second floor of the existing building from office use to residential use under permitted development rights.
The application proposes a total of 23 units over the two floors (six on lower ground floor and 17 on second floor floor) - a mix of one-bed studios, one-bed 2-person units, two-bed 3-person units and two-bed 4-person units.
The building is within the Rotherham Town Conservation Area, but no external changes are proposed. However, mitigation measures include upgraded glazing to windows facing Howard Street, with standard glazing deemed sufficient to other elevations.
Advertisement
Approved without going before Rotherham Council's planning board, officers confirmed that the proposed change of use from Commercial, Business and Service Use (Class E) to Dwellinghouse is permitted.
Having secured permission for lower ground floor and full second floor, a second planning application was submitted relating to the the ground floor, first floor (including mezzanine level), and part of the lower ground floor for the creation of 49 self-contained residential apartments, with all matters reserved except access and layout. However, this application was later cancelled.
In 2018, Rothbiz reported that quick progress on converting the Howard Building was unlikely after a court injunction was granted that prevented its sale. Liquidators were trying to prove that sham charges related to a number of properties were being used to wrongfully divert funds away from investors. Claims from creditors were in excess of £68m.
A year later, the Insolvency Service concluded an investigation into Absolute Living Developments Limited which sold apartments in England off-plan to investors who were largely based in Asia.
In Rotherham, with little evidence of the conversion of the former college building into twelve, one bed apartments and 60 studio apartments at "Howard Residencies", applicants, AVRO Developments headed into insolvency and the property passed to another connected company.
That company, 2380 REVERSIONS LTD, has now been renamed as Waverley Residencies Limited with the charges satisfied and the directors replaced.
SH Care website
Images: Tom Austen
