News: Council housebuilding continues

Another multimillion pound scheme to boost housebuilding in the borough is being finalised by Rotherham Council.

In January 2017, Rotherham Council was awarded £6.81m of grant funding through the Homes and Communities Agency's (HCA's) Shared Ownership and Affordable Homes Programme (SOAHP) and now the authority has identified the best way to use the money to create housing across a number of sites it owns.

The move follows on from the Council's "Cluster sites" scheme for it sites using a innovative development model. Wates successfully secured a multi million pound tender and will act as the Council's development partner to proceed with sites in Maltby, Canklow, East Herringthorpe and Dinnington.

108 of the shared ownership and affordable homes are to be delivered through the £29m cluster programme and a further 113 homes are now being planned for sites in Ravenfield, Treeton, Brampton Bierlow, Rawmarsh and Broom. Six specialist bungalows have already been approved for Swallownest.

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A report to the Council's cabinet outlines the discussions with the HCA over the use of funding that have resulted in plans for a mix of housing types - 136 homes for affordable rent, 59 shared ownership homes (a first for Rotherham Council), 12 rent to buy homes and 20 specialist bungalows for rent.

One of the first projects to get started is set to be at Bellows Road in Rawmarsh where the regeneration of the former shopping centre has taken a number of years.

Outline planning approval was granted in 2009 for a mixed-use development of retail and housing on the site but developers ROK went into administration shortly after. Plans for the first phase of retail progressed in cooperation with new council partners, Caddick Developments and new tenants on site included Tesco, Heron Foods, The Post Office and Vantage Chemist.

Work has commenced to identify construction partners to deliver 59 homes at Bellows Road, utilising the YorBuild framework. Initial investigatory work is being undertaken at risk, pending cabinet approval for the programme. The new project here is set to be completed in 2020.

YORbuild aims to provide an attractive procurement route for new build, refurbishment and design build construction projects for public sector bodies. The YORbuild2 Framework is one of the largest procurement projects delivered by local authorities and was successfully launched in February 2016.

Images: Google Maps

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News: Bellows Road redevelopment back on track

Legal issues that have stalled a £10m Rotherham redevelopment scheme look to have been resolved, meaning that work can begin to complete the long-awaited scheme at Bellows Road.

The regeneration of the former shopping centre in Rawmarsh has long been on the cards after years of structural defects and underutilisation. Rotherham Council decided to use its compulsory purchase powers in 2009 with a view to redeveloping the shopping centre.

Outline planning approval was granted in 2009 for a mixed-use development of retail and housing on the site but developers ROK went into administration shortly after.

Plans for the first phase of retail progressed in cooperation with new council partners, Caddick Developments, and work began on five new units covering approximately 8,500 sq ft in 2013. Tenants include Tesco, Heron Foods, The Post Office and Vantage Chemist.

Rotherham Council has since been working to demolish the current Bellows Road centre in preparation for a residential development. Outline plans included 58 residential units and could have used Ikea-designed BoKlok houses and flats to create affordable properties. The housing phase of the development had been allocated over £4m from the Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder but this national fund was withdrawn by the coalition government.

Demolition stopped because phone companies EE and Hutchinson had failed to agree to their phone masts being relocated from the centre. Rotherham Council has made several attempts over the last year to get things moving – including threatening a compulsory purchase order, and local councillors and John Healey MP launched a campaign and petition to get the three masts removed from the site.

Now legal documents have been signed and work can begin on the new mast on nearby Barbers Avenue. After this, the masts on the shopping centre will be taken down and demolition and redevelopment is expected to restart in January 2016.

Cllr. Simon Evans, ward councillor for Rawmarsh, said: "I am pleased to see the phone companies have finally done the right thing and stopped dragging their feet.

"It angers me that these companies miles away were able to halt such an important regeneration project in Rawmarsh."

John Healey, MP for Wentworth and Dearne, added: "I've been involved with the Bellows Road project for several years, and helped residents and councillors overcome a number of obstacles in that time.

"I was concerned to hear about another delay so I'm glad the phone companies have bowed to pressure from us and the council, and that work will start again soon.

"We want this development to go ahead to bring new jobs and housing to Rawmarsh."

Caddick Developments website

Images: Caddick

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News: Bellows Road retail development moves forward

Plans for the long awaited redevelopment of the Bellows Road shopping centre in Rawmarsh have been submitted to Rotherham Council.

To regenerate the centre, the council used compulsory purchase orders to acquire the Bellows Road Shopping Centre and the adjacent Joblot premises. Compensation settlements have also been agreed with a number of business occupants with negotiations ongoing with the remainder.

Working in cooperation with the council, Caddick Developments has now submitted the plans for the first phase of a larger mixed-use development that partners hope will also include housing.

The two phases will enable new business premises to be completed, and enable current and new retailers to continue in business whilst the new housing is constructed as part of the second phase of development.

To progress the scheme, the council entered into a development agreement with Wetherby based Caddick Developments who will fund the retail development.

Their plans have been put together by architects, Taylor Young and the first phase will see the demolition of the Joblot unit, the open market area and clearance of a large portion of the car park area. This application incorporates six units of 806 sq m of retail floorspace on the southern end of the site with a 372 sq m unit to be occupied by Tesco Express.

The single storey units will front the High Street with a new 29 space car park fronting Bellows Road and Caddick Developments hope that construction on the first phase will start on site in early 2012.

The housing phase of the development had been allocated over £4m from the Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder but this national fund was withdrawn by the government.

A plan to end the operation of the underutilised open air market was approved by the Cabinet Member for Town Centres, Economic Growth and Prosperity last week.

Images: Caddick Developments / Taylor Young

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