News: Rotherham bank building sold, council tight-lipped

An empty former bank on Corporation Street has sold at auction at the same time as the local council approves the purchase of an unnamed property in Rotherham town centre.

The former NatWest bank building was previously part of a regeneration scheme but agreements could not be reached between the owner and the council.

Described as being "in a state of disrepair requiring development and conversion," BTG Eddisons listed 38 Corporation Street with a guide price of £180,000 - £200,000.

It sold this week for £300,500.

Rothbiz reported in 2021 on investment plans for vacant buildings on Corporation Street as part of a bid to extend the town's new Leisure and Cultural Quarter from nearby Forge Island.

As development continued on the cinema and hotel scheme, acquisitions by Rotherham Council have included the Riverside Precinct, the former Mecca Bingo building, the building vacated by Wilko, and the burnt-out buildings on the opposite side of Corporation Street. All but the grade II listed Mecca building have been demolished.

In the case of the former NatWest Bank, private sector owners did not bring forward a suitable scheme and previously turned down a bid from the council to buy the building.

To support the scheme, Rotherham Council was prepared to sell the former Lloyds bank next door for just £1 in 2022.

By 2024, concerns were being raised regarding the progress made by the owners of the NatWest Bank who were then given a short timescale to provide a plan. With no suitable plans for the bank, the owners then informed the council that they would consider selling the property. However, an agreement could not be reached.

Auction documents show that the property was being sold by Chicken Villas Limited, a company that is connected to the QFM Group, the Sheffield-based operator of a number of popular food franchises.

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Earlier this week, Rotherham Council's cabinet approved the use of its Capital Contingency Fund to "acquire a property in Rotherham Town Centre for the purposes of future regeneration."

The documents do not name the property but describe it as being "the subject of previous masterplan and feasibility work, demonstrating the strategic value of the property for regeneration purposes" and add that the "property’s location means that its future ownership, condition and use could have a material bearing on the quality and delivery of surrounding regeneration proposals."

A cabinet paper adds: "Acquisition would enable the Council to secure control of the property while future development options are assessed. Those options may include refurbishment, redevelopment, reuse in conjunction with adjoining Council interests, or incorporation within a wider regeneration proposal.

"The property is vacant and understood to require significant investment. Acquisition would therefore expose the Council to immediate holding, security, insurance, compliance and maintenance costs pending agreement and funding of any future use.

"The property is vacant and in poor condition, and full access has not yet been provided. There is therefore a risk of significant structural, fabric, building-services, asbestos, security or other abnormal costs. The maximum bid will reflect the limitations of the available information. If acquired, an initial allowance will be made for the security, insurance, health and safety and property-management measures considered essential pending a full condition assessment."

Looking ahead, the council, which is working on multimillion pound public realm work on Corporation Street and a new riverside gardens, said of the new target: "No funded redevelopment project is presently being approved. There is a risk that the cost of bringing the property back into beneficial use exceeds available resources. Acquisition must therefore be justified principally by the property’s strategic importance, supported by an assessment of holding costs and future options."

Options to leave any redevelopment up to the private sector owners, or indeed seek to engage and work with the building's owners were rejected due to the lack of influence and direct control of future regeneration.

Draft plans submitted with the auction documents show around 2,000 sq ft of commercial space in a new building overlooking the river and new gardens and a 1,700 sq ft commercial unit in the old bank. Plans for the upper floors show apartments across both buildings.

Neither the property that Rotherham Council has been authorised to acquire, or the successful bidder of the auction lot has been disclosed.

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News: Prominent Rotherham bank building goes up for auction

An empty former bank in Rotherham town centre is set to go under the hammer next month.

The Corporation Street building was previously part of a regeneration scheme but agreements could not be reached between the owner and the council.

The former NatWest bank is described as being "in a state of disrepair requiring development and conversion."

Rothbiz reported in 2021 on investment plans for vacant buildings on Corporation Street as part of a bid to extend the town's new Leisure and Cultural Quarter.

As development continued on the cinema and hotel scheme at nearby Forge Island, acquisitions by the council included the Riverside Precinct, the former Mecca Bingo building, the building vacated by Wilko, and the burnt-out buildings on the opposite side of Corporation Street. All but the grade II listed Mecca building have been demolished.

In the case of the former NatWest Bank, private sector owners have not brought forward a suitable scheme and have turned down a bid from the council to buy the building.

2021 plans showed CGIs of a new scheme at the bank buildings on Corporation Street, adding that: "The Council have worked in conjunction with private sector owners to develop a mixed use and residential scheme which is capable of retaining the heritage features of buildings within the conservation area but requires some public sector funding."

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To support the scheme, Rotherham Council was prepared to sell the former Lloyds bank next door for just £1 in 2022.

By 2024, concerns were being raised earlier regarding the progress made by the owners of the NatWest Bank who were then given a short timescale to provide a plan. With no suitable plans for the bank, the owners then informed the council that they would consider selling the property. An agreement could not be reached.

Now BTG Eddisons is listing 38 Corporation Street for its next auction in October with a guide price of £180,000 - £200,000.

The listing states: "An attractive and substantial stone built detached building dating back to the early 1900s originally as a Bank arranged over three floors in a state of disrepair requiring development and conversion. The existing layout comprises a ground floor which is largely open plan with several annexed meeting rooms.

"The property benefits from several strong rooms in the basement and has ancillary accommodation throughout the remainder of the property and upper floors. A scheme has been drawn up to for the conversion and development to provide two ground floor commercial units, one of which have a lower ground floor along with a mix of one and two bedroom apartments over the upper floors. We understand that any development may be eligible for local authority grants or even GAP funding, prospective buyers are to carry out their own due diligence and enquiries in this regard.

"The building is well located within the heart of the town centre and close by the new Forge Island development, a joint scheme delivered by Rotherham Council and Muse Developments. The development includes a 69-room Travelodge hotel, an 8-screen boutique cinema and a pedestrianised public space including 6 commercial properties providing bar, restaurant and entertainment facilities."

Allthough not a isted building, the former Sheffield Banking Company branch was added to the local list of heritage assets earlier this year. Listed as 36 Corporation Street, it states that it was built in 1892-4 with the northern end of the front elevation rebuilt and inset in 1913 to comply with the construction of the new road. The present building replaced an earlier house, present by 1774, which was occupied by Sheffield Banking Company from 1834.

With work underway on the new Riverside Gardens and street scene improvements, the council has been hoping to acquire more property interests at Corporation Street. The properties were not named but minutes from Rotherham's Town Deal board from 2025 show that the council had an offer accepted on the Ring Shop and make reference to 22 Corporation Street.

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News: Rotherham office building turned down for church use goes up for auction

An office building in Rotherham where plans to convert it into a place of worship were refused by the local council, is set to be sold at an upcoming auction.

Reresby House, a 24,000 sq ft two-storey office building in Templeborough has been given a £595,000 guide price by BTG Eddisons Property Auction.

Rothbiz reported in January that Rotherham Council ruled that plans from Hope Church were "incompatible" with surrounding industrial uses.

Home to tenants including safety equipment supplier S3 ID, approximately half of Reresby House is currently let, generating a rental income of £60,000 per year.

The property, which also has a 70-space car park, will feature in the upcoming multi-lot timed auction, with bidding opening on April 28 and closing the following day.

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James Vandenbrook, associate director at BTG Eddisons Property Auctions, said: “Reresby House is a great investment opportunity in one of Rotherham’s most up and coming commercial areas.

“Just this month the £10m nearby Magna tram-train station has opened, improving transportation in this busy employment area, with the proposed Gateway station due to be developed in the next few years too. That will connect Templeborough to the mainline rail services, proving a major boost to the Don Valley corridor between Rotherham and Sheffield.

“Meanwhile, you also have the Templeborough Business Zone in the pipeline, which will bring over £8m of new investment to the area in the form of workspace units for small businesses. This is certainly a great time to acquire business space in Templeborough and, not surprisingly, we are seeing good levels of interest in this property.”

Hope Church had planned to buy the building, if it could secure planning permission.

The church's plans showed how Reresby House, previously home to business support agencies including RiDO and Business Link, could accommodate a main audatorium and workshop space on the ground floor with further workshop and office space on the first floor to support the church's religious and community services.

Refusing the change of use, planning officers at Rotherham Council said they had "substantial concerns that the proposed use would see the loss of a commercial unit on a strategically placed industrial estate, of which part of the building is still occupied.

"Any alternative use would result in the loss of an important asset within a well-established and sought after employment estate."

Also heading to the same auction is a vacant unit on the historic High Street in Rotherham town centre. 23 High Street is a three storey building of 3,032 sq ft latterly used as a restaurant. Giving it a guide price of £105,000+, auctioneers say that the upper floors provide "excellant opportunity for conversion / development potential."

1a Wellgate, another empty town centre property, is also set to go under the hammer. With 1,200 sq ft over ground and first floor, the lot has a guide price of £87,000+.

BTG Eddisons Property Auctions website

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