News: Rotherham restaurant named as one of UK's top chip shops

A Rotherham restaurant is in the running for a top industry award having made the shortlist for the UK’s best restaurants in The National Fish & Chip Awards.

Whitby's at Catcliffe opened in 2011, a new build site at Poplars Business Park which includes an eat-in restaurant which can seat 180 customers, alongside a traditional takeaway.

Restaurant of the Year is the title that ten deserving outlets are hoping to take away at the 2026 edition of the industry’s premier award ceremony. In recognition of amazing food, passion for the sector, quality and high-level commitment to serving customers the best of the best, the category entrants will be on the edge of their seats as the competition heats up.

The adjudicating panel has designed a detailed review process that will grade the participants against benchmarks that reinforce best practice and professional integrity to keep standards at the highest levels.

The Fish and Chip Restaurant of the Year category is open to all bona fide independent fish and chip restaurants in the UK.

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Andrew Crook, president of the National Federation of Fish Friers (NFFF), which runs the flagship event, said: "Small businesses are the lifeblood of the UK high street, and they provide the kind of opportunity, variety and individuality that boosts economies and brings us all together, and we are taking this opportunity to champion this year’s standout restaurants.

“The shortlisted 10 are making long-lasting contributions to uphold the great British institution of fish and chips, whether it’s with a traditional take or elevated to fine dining status. Sitting down at the table with family or friends to enjoy a fantastic meal is where memories are made and it’s wonderful to see these restaurants creating shared experiences across multi-generations with great precision. I have a feeling that Restaurant of Year is going to be a tough one to separate the winner – all the best to our contenders!”

After judges have assessed every part of their businesses, the highest scoring five will progress to the semi-finals which will be announced later this year. The Top 5 will receive an unannounced visit and taste test by an industry specialist, with the overall winner to be crowned on 25 February 2026 at the awards ceremony at the Park Plaza, Westminster Bridge.

Whitby's has two South Yorkshire restaurants, in Rotherham and Doncaster. Executives behind the business include Lord Kirkham, the founder of furniture chain, DFS, and James Foers of local construction contracting firm, Foers.

Whitbys at Rotherham was a 2024/25 Good Food Award winner – Gold Seal.

Whitby's website

Images: Whitby's

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News: E.ON looking to invest more than £500m across the Lower Don Valley

Plans have been submitted that show how E.ON's Don Valley heat network will bring low carbon heating to a key economic site in Rotherham.

Rothbiz reported last year on proposals to add around 11km to expand the 8km pipe network that is powered by E.ON’s Blackburn Meadows renewable energy plant which uses biomass to provide a source of heating to connected buildings.

Heat networks are a more efficient and more cost-effective way of providing heat to built-up areas by producing and distributing heat from a central source instead of individual boilers in each property.

Already providing heat to businesses, including IKEA UK, Forgemasters' and Ice Sheffield and Sheffield Arena, the plans show a route south of the current network extending from Sheffield Arena to take in Tinsley's industrial estates and Sheffield Business Park before crossing the Parkway to connect to the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham.

The pilot phase extension will see a Capital Expenditure Investment (CAPEX) of around £40m in Sheffield and Rotherham and the application adds: "E.ON’s ambition is to invest more than £500m across the Lower Don Valley to deliver at scale and pace to provide low carbon, cost effective heat to buildings within this area and the creation of new local jobs totalling circa. 2355 by 2036."

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There is likely to be some disruption on the local highway network during the construction phase due to the need to dig up sections of road to be able to install the pipe network. This will result in short term impacts such as lane closures, road closures and diversion of traffic.

The proposed pipe network also includes above-ground heat pipes that span two bridges, and one underpass between Sheffield and Rotherham.

For the Europa Link Underpass beneath the Parkway the proposal involves fully enclosing the pipework, concealing the exposed heat pipes and minimizing their visual impact.

From the Parkway, pipes would take the network down Poplar Way to the Morrisons roundabout, onto Highfield Spring and Brunel Way, stopping outside Rolls-Royce's Advanced Blade Casting facility with plans showing the potential for a "future expansion connection."

Blackburn Meadows generates 30MW of electrical energy and up to 25MW of thermal energy to power the equivalent of 69,0005 homes and businesses.

E.ON hopes to start construction on the pilot phase in 2027.

In 2023 Rotherham Energy Limited secured £25m to build a new Rotherham Energy Network eminating from the £150m biomass power station at Templeborough.

E.ON website

Images: E.ON

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News: Taiwanese takeover for award winning Rotherham firm

Government approval has been granted for the acquisition of Advanced Manufacturing (Sheffield) Ltd (AML) by Walsin Lihwa Europe.

Originally a spin-out from the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) at the University of Sheffield, AML is now recognised as a market leader in delivering flexible manufacturing capability at the leading edge of machining technologies and efficiencies, with particular expertise in aerospace, defence and energy components. Blue chip clients include Rolls-Royce and Siemens Energy.

The 100-strong team at Catcliffe in Rotherham was awarded the King’s Award for Enterprise Innovation in 2024.

Walsin Europe is set gain control of the qualifying entity by acquiring 38.8% of the shareholding in AML.

Walsin Lihwa is headquartered in Taiwain and is an industrial conglomerate with operations spanning wire & cable, stainless steel, and renewable energy. With over 20 production and sales sites across Greater China, Southeast Asia, and the U.S., Walsin products are widely used across industrial, automotive, oil and gas and consumer sectors. It acquired Sheffield-based Special Melted Products Ltd through its subsidiary, Cogne Acciai Speciali S.p.A, in 2023.

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Following a detailed national security assessment, the latest deal was approved with a number of conditions. The parties must meet certain operational requirements, including restrictions on the location of AML’s precision engineering capabilities and a requirement to retain certain existing operational activity in the UK.

Issues over confidential information, intellectual property and data storage. AML must also employ a Chief Security Officer, who must oversee and ensure compliance.

The government said that the conditions were to mitigate the risks to national security relating to "the security of UK know-how and intellectual property relating to the precision engineering of gas turbine engine components, access to which could lead to an uplift in adversaries’ capabilities; and "an interruption to the continuity of supply of precision-machining capabilities to United Kingdom defence programmes."

AML's King's Award win was in the innovation category and relates to the precision manufacture of complex aerofoil geometries for jet engines. The process begins with raw aluminium alloy bars, or forgings, being inspected and measured by the manufacturer before shipping.

AML website

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News: Opening date revealed for new Welcome Break in Rotherham

The new multimillion pound motorway service area (MSA) on the M1 in Rotherham is set to open later this month.

Rothbiz revealed in 2021 that Welcome Break, one of the UK’s leading motorway service operators, was to take on the site after outline planning permission was secured by Irish firm, Applegreen, for a new development at Junction 33 of the M1 at Catcliffe.

In the UK, Applegreen is growing its Welcome Break business, which operates 58 sites, including 34 motorway service areas, and 31 hotels.

It is investing €66m (£54.7m) in Rotherham where around 300 jobs are being created.

The opening date has been confirmed as January 10.

With state-of-the-art facilities, the new MSA has been given the address of Orchard Road. Brands were revealed by Rothbiz first when recruitment got underway in 2024. These include Starbucks, KFC, Burger King, Waitrose, a standalone Starbucks Drive Thru, Pret a Manger, WHSmith, Chopstix, The Good Breakfast, and a convenient forecourt.

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Plans showed a main amenity building measuring 32,000 sq ft with seven concession units, a retail area, gaming area, toilets, seating and a kid's play area on the ground floor. A mezzanine floor includes an eighth unit, further seating and a business lounge / remote working hub.

Built by lead contractor HML on scrub land on either side of the motorway (where previous plans for a hotel and pub were approved but never implemented), the Welcome Break includes HGV parking and amenities to the north of the M1, with customer parking and amenities for other motorway users to the south of the M1, accessed via an underpass.

To access the 24-hour service area, visitors will use a new junction installed just before the A630 Rotherham exit of the roundabout. To exit, drivers will use a signal-controlled new access road joining the Rotherham - Sheffield Parkway where it has been recently widened just before the roundabout. An alternative exit for HGVs is being created via a new slip road to the A630 Rotherway.

Welcome Break website

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News: Crampton & Moore’s gift to Rotherham Hospital Neonatal Unit

Local appliance and kitchen company Crampton & Moore has supported families at Rotherham Hospital’s refurbished neonatal unit with a special gift.

The award-winning electrical specialist has donated three televisions for rooms in the unit.

The gift was part of the Tiny Toes campaign, which saw a complete refurbishment of the unit to enhance heating, lighting, and accessibility, creating additional space, allowing for the accommodation of up to 16 babies at a time.

“Having a child in the neonatal unit is a time of great anxiety for every parent and we hope that our gift will at least increase their comfort during their time at hospital,” said Crampton & Moore Managing Director Robert Moore.

“As a South Yorkshire company, we are happy to be supporting the South Yorkshire community as we know that the neonatal unit is a much valued resource for the people of Rotherham.”

After a year of fundraising, Rotherham Hospital and Community Charity recently announced that its Tiny Toes appeal has raised £150,000 to transform the hospital’s neonatal unit.

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The neonatal unit supports more than 400 babies every year and this is the first time it has been revamped in 40 years.

Crampton & Moore was launched in 1966 to meet increasing demand for more affordable and rentable televisions with the launch of BBC2 and the start of colour broadcasts.

Today the company remains a family business, selling everything from washers and dryers to fridges, freezers, cookers and hobs and the full range of smaller kitchen appliances.

The company moved to Rotherham in 2022 and its Catcliffe superstore was designed to inspire customers with the latest ideas to upgrade their homes, with all the current kitchen design displays, connected smart appliances, designer ranges, eco friendly models and the latest in TV and home cinema experiences.

The company’s online presence has made it one of the country’s leading suppliers of televisions and home cinema, refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers and now kitchens - with clients including Windsor Castle, Kensington Palace and 10 Downing Street, helping it to reach a turnover of £32m.

Crampton & Moore website
Rotherham Hospital and Community Charity website

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News: Harworth makes £43.7m purchase adjacent to AMP

Harworth, a leading regenerator of land and property for sustainable development and investment, has completed the acquisition of Catalyst, a 285,000 sq ft, Grade A, urban logistics estate in Rotherham.

The £43.7m purchase price reflects a net initial yield of 5.4%.

The asset, completed in 2023, is strategically located adjacent to Harworth's own head office and its flagship industrial development and major UK manufacturing hub, the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP). Harworth said that the acquisition delivers an extension to the AMP which now benefits from a highly prominent, extensive frontage on both sides of the Sheffield Parkway and its excellent arterial connectivity provides access to a vast labour pool.

Comprising of five units, the scheme is currently 90% let to a diverse range of occupiers including Octopus Energy which has taken 91,923 sq ft 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.

Harworth is confident of securing a letting for the final 28,000 sq ft and when fully let the scheme will generate £2.5m of annualised rent. The acquisition provides an opportunity to implement tailored asset management initiatives and deliver additional value across the wider AMP, where Harworth continues to see strong demand from occupiers, and rents have recently exceeded £10 per sq ft.

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The acquisition is in line with Harworth's strategy to grow its Investment Portfolio to £0.9 billion by the end of 2029 and transition its core portfolio to 100% Grade A by 2027. Following this acquisition, alongside practical completion of a further 73,000 sq. ft. of Industrial & Logistics space at the AMP earlier this month, the Group's Investment Portfolio will total 2.8 million sq ft of which 45% is Grade A.

Lynda Shillaw, Chief Executive of Harworth, said: "This acquisition, the largest of an Industrial & Logistics investment asset in Harworth's history, aligns with our strategy to grow our high-quality Investment Portfolio. It also continues our track record of strategic site assembly, providing an opportunity to extend the AMP, further establishing it as one of the leading manufacturing and distribution centres in the region.

"Increased direct development and the retention of Grade A Industrial & Logistics assets across our major sites, supplemented by select, income producing acquisitions, is core to our strategy, whilst we will also look to recycle properties where value has been maximised through completed asset management initiatives."

Harworth recently ascended to the FTSE 250 Index - a group of mid-cap blue chip companies listed on the London Stock Exchange. Since re-listing as Harworth in 2015, the Group has grown its Statutory Net Assets by 137%. It consistently reports that it is on course in its strategy to reach £1 billion EPRA NDV by the end of 2027.

Harworth website

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News: Rotherham Welcome Break brands revealed

The brands set to open at the new £40m motorway service area (MSA) on the M1 in Rotherham have been announced by the operator as recruitment gets underway.

Rothbiz revealed in 2021 that Welcome Break, one of the UK’s leading motorway service operators, was to take on the site after outline planning permission was secured by Applegreen for a new development at Junction 33 of the M1 at Catcliffe.

The £40m investment is set to create 300 jobs.

Welcome Break runs 59 Motorway service areas and 31 hotels across the UK's motorway network, including Woodhall on the M1 in Rotherham.

At Catcliffe, the company has confirmed that the new MSA will open in January 2025.

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An update from Welcome Break reads: "We're opening an impressive line-up at Rotherham - Starbucks, KFC, Burger King, Waitrose, a Starbucks Drive Thru, Pret a Manger, WHSmith, Chopstix, The Good Breakfast, and a convenient Forecourt.

"We're on the lookout for around 250 friendly faces to join our team across these brands."

Licences are also beeing sought for two of its "Game Zones" which include adult gaming machines.

A hiring event is schduled to be held at the Holiday Inn, Rotherham on the 10th, 11th, and 12th of October 2024.

On the scrub land on either side of the motorway where previous plans for a hotel and pub were approved but never implemented, the Welcome Break includes HGV parking and amenities to the north of the M1, with customer parking and amenities for other motorway users to the south of the M1, via an underpass.

Main contractor HML Construction began work on the development in 2023.

The main amenity building, measuring 32,000 sq ft, will include seven concession units, a retail area, gaming area, toilets, seating and a kid's play area on the ground floor. A mezzanine floor includes an eighth unit, further seating and a business lounge / remote working hub.

Separate plans were approved for a standalone drive thru unit for global coffee chain, Starbucks.

Access to the MSA is coming from the roundabout via a new arm junction between the M1 Southbound off slip and A630 Rotherway.

Exit for the majority of traffic would be via a new access to the Parkway some 300m from the junction. This exit will create new traffic lanes on approach to the junction. An alternative exit for HGVs would be created via a new slip road to the A630 Rotherway.

Welcome Break website

Images: Carwright & Gross Architects / HML

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News: Parkway works complete at Rotherham junction

Work has been completed on the £44m upgrade of the A630 Rotherham Gateway, which links Rotherham and Sheffield.

The Rotherham Gateway leads into the Sheffield Parkway and has undergone significant upgrades. It now benefits from an additional lane on both the eastbound and westbound carriageway.

Junction 33, on the intersecting M1, has also benefited from carriageway improvements and resurfacing.

Capacity on the road is now markedly increased, in-turn, improving journey reliability and reducing travel time. In addition, the new 50 mph speed limit will improve road safety and cut carbon emissions which feeds into Rotherham Council’s Clean Air Zone plans.

New street lighting, carriageway surfaces, signals and signs have been installed to improve safety for drivers. Drainage has also been improved to create better flood resilience and includes sympathetic landscaping with new trees and hedgerows.

Rotherham Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment Cllr Dominic Beck said: “We've already had good feedback from residents who use this busy route every day, and this significant investment in the roads network will continue to make a difference for travellers into and out of the borough. That in turn helps to support businesses and jobs in the community. Alongside improving the experience of drivers and passengers, by reducing the amount of time traffic is standing we can also help to address air quality concerns in the area too.”

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The Advanced Manufacturing Park and Sheffield Business Park, which is located alongside the Parkway, will also benefit from the completed works. The site is seeing continued expansion and the improved infrastructure will now support these developments. Future development of a planned Motorway Service Area is also progressing through design and approval stages.

Rotherham Council’s Cabinet Member for Jobs and the Local Economy, Cllr Denise Lelliott said: “The road is vital in connecting Rotherham with Sheffield and links to the M1. Completion of these works will make a big difference to thousands of commuters’ journeys every day as well as supporting economic and housing growth in the region.”

The improvements, which were funded through Central Government from the Local Growth Fund, have been carried out in partnership with leading international infrastructure group Balfour Beatty.

Balfour Beatty utilised an expert local supply chain throughout the project duration resulting in significant use of small and medium enterprises within a 40-mile radius. This provided employment opportunities including apprentice and graduate positions, ensuring the scheme leaves a lasting positive legacy for the local community.

Stephen Semple, Area Director at Balfour Beatty, said: “Testament to the dedication and hard work of our team over the last 18 months, we are pleased that the A630 Rotherham Gateway scheme has now fully reopened to traffic.

“We hope that these essential upgrade works will provide a lasting legacy for South Yorkshire and beyond, improving lives through increased connectivity and reduced journey times.”

Images: RMBC

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News: AMRC's economic impact and influence on Rotherham, Yorkshire and the UK

Some of the biggest private sector investments into UK advanced manufacturing over the last 15 years ‘would not have happened without the AMRC’, according to a new report confirming it as a ‘signature asset’ having brought more than £260m and 600 jobs to South Yorkshire.

Founded in 2001 by the University of Sheffield and Boeing on the site of the former Orgreave Colliery in Rotherham, the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) now has centres in the North West and North Wales and is a model for collaborative research which is now being applied to the development of sustainable technologies and products to help its 120-plus industrial partners realise the benefits of a green transition.

In 2021 the AMRC celebrated 20 years of innovation, impact and investment. The Economic Impact Analysis report by Lichfields sets out how the AMRC is a magnet for capital investment, acts as a lever for improved social mobility through its training centre, and supports a 520-strong high-value workforce that contributes more than £55m to the economy.

An executive summary has been published ahead of a formal launch for the report, which captures the economic benefits attributable to the AMRC, part of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, during its first 20 years of operation. It looks at the impact made through innovation, research and development (R&D), education and skills, high-value employment, levelling up, and being a model that can be ‘exported’ to other regions to stimulate economic regeneration.

It shows that in 2019/20, the value of innovation activity undertaken by the AMRC - supporting industry by delivering step changes in productivity, increasing competitiveness, and developing new products and processes - totalled £32.1 million. In addition, the centre unlocked a further £55.6 million of private sector leverage or match funding, supporting the UK government’s aim to double the value of private sector investment in R&D by 2030.

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In the new report, Rachel Clark, director of trade and investment at the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, says: “The AMRC is a key attractor of foreign direct investment (FDI) and an important part of South Yorkshire’s pitch to prospective investors. Some of the biggest investments into the area over the last 10 to 15 years would not have taken place without the AMRC.”

It is the first time the AMRC has directly commissioned analysis into its impact, having been founded in 2001 at the heart of the Advanced Manufacturing Park in Rotherham by Prof Keith Ridgway and local businessman Adrian Allen, with critical support from the University of Sheffield and aerospace giant Boeing.

The first tenants on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP), the AMRC has played a "key role in transforming the site into an attractive location for advanced manufacturing businesses", drawing major inward investors such as Rolls-Royce and McLaren which have built facilities in the area, and helping the local economy to emerge from the decline of its traditional industrial strengths of coal and steel.

Data shows on average, the AMRC provided manufacturing innovation and technology support to more than 1,100 businesses each year between 2017/18 and 2019/20, and 42% of those were small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It is also identified as ‘an important employer’, supporting 520 high-value, high-productivity jobs in 2021/22 - generating a Gross Value Added (GVA) equivalent of £55.8m per annum.

Rotherham Council leader, Coun Chris Read, said: “The AMRC has been critical to securing major private sector investment in the borough, providing training, opportunities, and remarkable careers for our young people.

“From its iconic location on the former site of the Orgreave Coking Works, the University of Sheffield AMRC is not only a tremendous example of successful regeneration, but it is part of the fabric of our community, sitting at the heart of the flagship series of investments which are writing the next chapter of Rotherham’s economic history. “It is a partnership that we value highly and with the AMRC's knowledge and expertise, we can build on the growing cluster of green manufacturing in the region and support industry to drive and thrive in the low-carbon transition, creating the modern manufacturing economy of the future. We look forward to seeing it go from strength-to-strength over the years to come.”

A jewel in the research centre’s crown is the AMRC Training Centre with the report showing that since opening in 2013, more than 1,700 apprentices have been trained, working with 400 manufacturing firms. Of those apprentices, 80% live in South Yorkshire, demonstrating the important contribution the AMRC makes to upskilling local residents and ensuring local businesses have access to a pipeline of skilled workers.

“In addition, the centre helps to support improved social mobility and inclusion, with 50% of all learners from South Yorkshire living in areas of high deprivation during their apprenticeship,” the report states.

It also notes how the AMRC unlocks innovation activity ‘that could not otherwise take place’ according to its industrial partners and adds value by de-risking innovation; improving the leverage of R&D expenditure; providing access to dedicated R&D space and an unrivalled breadth of industrial expertise; and accelerating the commercialisation of research.

“The AMRC’s profile and reputation positions it as a signature asset for South Yorkshire, supporting the area’s efforts to attract inward investment from advanced manufacturers. This, in turn, has helped to create high value, high productivity jobs in the local economy,” says the report.

“The benefits of locating close to the R&D, innovation and training capabilities offered by the AMRC have attracted a cluster of advanced manufacturing occupiers to the Advanced Manufacturing Park in Rotherham, and the neighbouring Sheffield Business Park. This includes globally significant businesses with strong ties to the AMRC including Boeing, McLaren and Rolls Royce.

“In total, it is estimated that £260m of investment has been attracted across both sites - at least in part - by the presence of the AMRC, resulting in the creation of 600 jobs.”

AMRC CEO, Steve Foxley, said: “It is fantastic to see the impact the AMRC has had over the last two decades in black and white. This Economic Impact Analysis perfectly demonstrates our strengths: driving national innovation, magnetising investment into South Yorkshire and creating a pipeline of manufacturing talent.

“However, the report similarly highlights where we must improve and that is in moving the productivity dial for manufacturers in the regions in which we operate. If we are to maintain our impact we must commit to helping companies on our doorstep improve their processes, upskill their workforces and cut their carbon footprint.

“We should see this Economic Impact Analysis report as a hinge point for the AMRC: it confirms how well we have done in the past and illustrates how we can do even better in the future. We have a great story to tell, but we can raise our game.”

AMRC website

Images: AMRC

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News: Weekend closures at Parkway junction

The Rotherham to Sheffield A630 Parkway and M1 Junction 33 slip roads will have a series of weekend closures starting at the end of July and throughout August 2022 as improvement works continue.

The £46m final scheme, expected to finish in October 2022, will create three lanes in each direction from the Catcliffe Junction to the junction with the M1 with modifications to the M1 J33 roundabout. Both the northbound and southbound slip roads from the M1 to junction 33 will be expanded to four lanes in consultation with Highways England.

A 50mph speed limit will also be introduced.

From Friday 29 July 2022 – Monday 1 August 2022 and Friday 5 August 2022 – Monday 8 August 2022, the southbound M1 Junction 33 roundabout will be closed from 8pm Fri to 6am Monday and will affect:

- M1 J33 South half of roundabout
- Rotherway Southbound
- M1 Southbound Entry Slip Road
- M1 Northbound Exit Slip Road
- A630 Rotherham Gateway Westbound

Drivers should avoid the area if they are travelling North onto the M1, or from Sheffield to Rotherham using the A630 Parkway. They will also not be able to exit the M1 from the southbound lanes from Sheffield or Leeds.

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From Friday 12 August 2022 – Monday 15 August 2022 and Friday 19 August 2022 – Monday 22 August 2022, the northbound M1 Junction 33 roundabout will be closed from 8pm Fri to 6am Monday and will affect:

- M1 J33 North half of roundabout
- M1 Southbound Exit Slip
- M1 Northbound Entry Slip
- A630 Rotherham Gateway Eastbound (including Poplar Way/ Europa Link Entry Slip Road at Catcliffe)
- Rotherway Northbound from M1 J33 to Rotherway roundabout

This means traffic will not be able to join the M1 going southbound or travel from Rotherham to Sheffield using the A630 Parkway. The slip road from the northbound direction will also not be available.

Rotherham Council’s Assistant Director for Planning, Regeneration and Transportation, Simon Moss, said: “The A630 Parkway is one of the major gateways between Rotherham and Sheffield, and also to the rest of the country via the M1. The scheme is aiming to make this gateway better for drivers, however this means some weekend closures in order for the next phase of the works to go ahead.

“I’d like to thank drivers, visitors and residents for their continued patience, and encourage them to plan their journeys ahead of the closures.”

The Council has been working alongside Balfour Beatty on the design of the A630 improvement scheme since early 2018 along with their strategic design partner WSP.

The improvements, which are being funded through Central Government from the Local Growth Fund, also include new street lighting, carriageway surfaces and signs to improve safety for drivers. The scheme is designed to stay within the existing highway boundary to avoid impacting adjacent land and properties. Drainage will be improved to create resilience to flooding in consultation with the Environment Agency and will include sympathetic landscaping with new trees and hedgerows where appropriate.

RMBC website

Images: Google Maps

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News: Rotherham manufacturing company to create jobs

Rotherham-based AML (Advanced Manufacturing Ltd), a market leader in the machining of complex gas turbine products, has secured a £1.98m investment from South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, which will see it create 32 new jobs.

The funding will help the company to launch and roll out AML Accelerate, a programme designed to stimulate rapid growth, which will transform the business from a single site with 50 staff and a £5m turnover to over 80 staff and two sites with a £12m turnover.

AML’s Accelerate programme will see the company investing in three new innovative, state-of-the- art advanced manufacturing cells (at a total cost £3.9m), which will enable them to carry out testing of new techniques for clients in its three global target sectors: aero-defence, defence and civil nuclear markets. AML will work closely alongside the AMRC, the two Sheffield universities and the local supply chain to develop cost disruptive, technology-led manufacturing approaches which will expand AML’s manufacturing capacity and capabilities.

In addition, the funding will be put towards significant leasehold improvements at the Catcliffe factory as well as ongoing recruitment, training and staff development costs. The whole project will cost £7.7m, with the remainder being funded by AML and its asset finance company.

Out of the new jobs set to be created, AML is planning that 25 of these will be machinists or engineers with specialisms in highly skilled roles. AML also expects to employ 12 apprentices from the local area and help them to develop and progress in the business with long term careers.

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Dr Gareth Morgan, Managing Director of AML, explains “We are delighted to have secured funding through South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority to help us to progress with our exciting growth plans here in South Yorkshire. It means we will be able to create new highly skilled roles locally as part of our grand plan to keep innovating and growing the business on a worldwide basis.”

He adds: “Without the funding we wouldn’t be able to invest in our business to carry out initial trials which are required to secure these larger international contracts. We are very excited about what AML Accelerate means for our staff and for our future.”

The AML Accelerate project is aligned to South Yorkshire’s ambitions to meet net zero targets through the production of nuclear components.

Rachel Clark, Director Trade and Investment said: “This project reflects the aspirations of our Renewal Action Plan which aims to help South Yorkshire to grow and recover from the impact of the global pandemic. AML Accelerate will benefit not only employees of this company, but also the local supply chain, as well as create opportunities for wider digital adoption and upskilling.”

AML invests heavily in the training of its staff, with a budget commitment of typically £50k per year dedicated to this.

Back in 2019, AML benefited from a £100,000 Productivity Grant from the Sheffield City Region, which provided a platform for the company to purchase new machinery and invest in technical development.

The company, which started out as a spinoff of the AMRC (Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre), is a market leader in the machining of complex gas turbine products including shafts and discs, aerofoils and bearings, serving both the aerospace and energy industries. The company specialises in being an early adopter of the latest technology for machining of complex metallic products. Services include the manufacture of complex metallic parts, precision sub-assembly manufacture, bespoke engineering services and R&D projects.

AML website
SYMCA website

Images: AML / SYMCA

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News: TV retailer set to grow from new Rotherham premises

Electrical retailer, Crampton and Moore, has secured a seven-figure funding package from HSBC UK to support expansion.

The family-run retailer of televisions and home appliances, has used funding from HSBC UK to acquire the 40,000 sq ft former JTF building in Rotherham.

Rothbiz reported last year that JTF Mega Discount Warehouse had closed its stores, including one in Rotherham, having collapsed into administration.

Crampton and Moore will use the Catcliffe site as a new office space, warehouse and large showroom for its expanding range of products.

The funding from HSBC UK has enabled the business to diversify its product range and helped it achieve more efficient operations. The aim is to improve its delivery and installation service for customers through the expansion of its fleet.

The South Yorkshire company has grown turnover by 20% over the last two years and is now forecasting to double this in the next 24 months. It is set to hire five more employees once the move to Catcliffe is complete and will seek to bring in more delivery drivers as part of its ongoing expansion plans.

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Robert Moore, managing director at Crampton and Moore, said: "The relocation of our operations marks a major milestone for the business and means we can now progress with our exciting plans for further growth and development.

"We're grateful to HSBC UK for providing funding which helps us service the huge increases in product demand, whilst ensuring we retain our unique offering that combines the convenience of online shopping with our personal customer service. We're looking forward to a successful 2022 with a new state-of-the art office, warehouse and showroom facility."

David Leonard, relationship director at HSBC UK, added: "We're delighted to be funding the relocation of Crampton & Moore: a trusted family-run business which continues to put customers and the local market at the forefront of its plans. Having outgrown its existing premises, the business can now put its expansion strategy into practice, creating jobs for the South Yorkshire region."

Crampton and Moore website
HSBC website

Images: Google Maps

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News: £13.2m housing development set for Catcliffe

Great Places and Strata have started work on a new development of 76 affordable homes on land off Blue Mans Way at Catcliffe in Rotherham, following planning approval.

The £13.2mscheme, the inaugural partnership project for Great Places and Strata, will transform redundant scrub land into a high-quality, new housing development.

The scheme will provide a range of homes for Affordable Rent and Shared Ownership and drive tenure diversification in the area.

The scheme will comprise a mix of two-bed apartments, alongside one, two, three and four-bed houses with 29 available for shared ownership and 47 for affordable rent.

The one-bed houses are an innovative addition to the site, and offer a one-bed housing option with private garden and the increased versatility of a house.

The shared ownership will be available through Plumlife Homes.

The plans were approved without going in front of Rotherham Council's planning board, despite a number of objections.

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Helen Spencer, Director of Development at Great Places, said: “We’re pleased to be working in partnership with Strata to deliver this new scheme. It is a great example of what can be achieved through effective partnership work.

“This exciting new development really has something to offer everyone. It’s perfect for couples and young professionals looking for a new home in a great location and only a short commute from Rotherham and Sheffield.

“The demand for this type of affordable housing continues to be high and Great Places remains committed to creating great homes in all of the areas we operate in. Catcliffe compliments our current work in the local area, and we’re sure it will prove popular.”

Mark Leaf, Land and Planning Director at Strata, added: “We are excited to be working collaboratively with Great Places to deliver high-quality, new homes in the area. The project marks Strata’s move to deliver homes as a contractor using our new partnership model.

“As a Yorkshire-based business, we are also committed to helping boost the housing offer for local people and are pleased to transform redundant scrubland into a thriving new community.”

The development is due to take around two years to complete.

Great Places website

Images: Great Places / Strata

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News: Welcome Break's new £40m motorway service area in Rotherham set for green light

Detailed plans for a proposed motorway service area (MSA) on the M1 in Rotherham are set to go before the council's planning board this week, with officers recommending that they are approved.

Rothbiz revealed in July that Welcome Break, one of the UK’s leading motorway service operators, is likely to take on the site at Junction 33 of the M1 at Catcliffe where Applegreen plc, a major petrol forecourt retailer in the Republic of Ireland with a significant and growing presence in the UK, had secured planning permission in 2019.

The Catcliffe site is considered acceptable, given its existing allocation for mixed use and the previous plans for a hotel and pub which were approved but never implemented.

Currently scrub land on either side of the motorway, the outline plans were for HGV parking and amenities to the north of the M1 with customer parking and amenities for other motorway users to the south of the M1, via an underpass.

The latest plans confirm that the main amenity building, measuring 32,000 sq ft, will include seven concession units, a retail area, gaming area, toilets, seating and a kid's play area on the ground floor. A mezzanine floor includes an eighth unit, further seating and a business lounge / remote working hub.

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Separate plans have also been submitted for a standalone drive thru unit for global coffee chain, Starbucks, and are also being recommended for approval.

A number of objections have been submitted, including from ward councillors and the local parish council. However, many of the issues raised were considered at the outline application stage and were considered to be acceptable.

A report to Rotherham Council's planning board, said: "It is considered that issues in respect of principle of development, the need for an MSA in this location, the highway impact, the impact on the environment, ecology and local residents by way of noise, light and air pollution were all considered during the outline application and deemed to be acceptable subject to conditions.

"The consideration of this application is not to reopen any of the above arguments relating to the principle of the development and highway impact, these have been deemed acceptable under the outline and this application cannot lawfully be refused on those grounds. The only matters for consideration are the appearance and scale of the building and the layout and landscaping of the site."

Work is currently underway at the junction and on the Parkway. The approved access to the MSA is taken directly from the roundabout junction via the intoduction of a new arm junction between the M1 Southbound off slip and Rotherway. This access will provide an entrance to the MSA for all traffic. The approved exit from the MSA for the majority of traffic will be via a new access to Sheffield Parkway some 300m from the junction. This exit will create new traffic lanes on approach to the junction on Sheffield Parkway.

The 24 hour operation would create some 300 jobs.

Welcome Break website

Images: Carwright & Gross Architects

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News: JTF closes after sale falls through

JTF Mega Discount Warehouse has closed its stores, including one in Rotherham, having collapsed into administration.

Established over 40 years ago, and with a recent turnover of circa £60m, JTF had been struggling to manage debts accrued as a result of the worsening retail climate and excessive head office costs.

In early 2020 the business was acquired by Arthur Harris who immediately implemented a restructuring plan which significantly reduced head office costs. However, he also recognised that the business could not survive with the high level of legacy debts.

The company secured a CVA (Company Voluntary Agreement) with creditors that would enable JTF Wholesale to continue to trade, despite it being during lockdown in the COVID-19 pandemic.

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This year, the Nottinghamshire-based, forty-year-old retail chain had been looking for a buyer and issued a notice of intention to appoint an administrator. Instead it collapsed at the end of July, resulting in the closure of all stores, including the one at Catcliffe, and the loss of around 500 jobs.

A statement issued on behalf of the company said that the pandemic had played a significant role in its demise, with the forced closure of stores wiping out fireworks and Christmas sales which were ‘two of the largest seasonal items for JTF’.

Around 100 workers are set to take legal action against the retail consortium after receiving notice that they had been made redundant with immediate effect after a deal for the sale of the business fell through.

National law firm Simpson Millar says it is now in the early stages of investigations to enable appropriate legal action to be brought to secure what is known as a Protective Award on their behalf for the company’s failure to properly consult staff regarding the mass redundancies.

Damian Kelly, head of employment law at the firm, said: “The current situation is making it difficult for many companies across most industries and it is no surprise that retail giants – and particularly those that are so reliant on physical footfall - are being significantly impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

“Sadly in this instance we understand that there had been a buyer for the business, but that the sale will no longer be taking place. As a result, the number of employees who are facing redundancy is really quite significant.”

Images: Google Maps

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News: Plans in for Catalyst development

Detailed plans for 285,000 sq ft of industrial, warehousing and roadside opportunities at Sheffield Business Park, which could create up to 500 jobs, have been submitted.

Outline plans were approved in 2019 to enable the successful Sheffield Business Park to expand into Rotherham. "Phase 4" is planned for a 17.9-acre site that was previously kept in the greenbelt when Sheffield City Airport was in operation.

Rothbiz reported in April how Premcor, a private UK based property development company, had joined with Peveril Securities, a wholly owned investment and development division of Bowmer and Kirkland, to work together on their first ever South Yorkshire site.

Launched as Catalyst, the new development will offer design and build opportunities for sale or to let from 22,354 to 108,237 sq ft alongside the parkway and at the heart of the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District. Plans show five units that would be accessed via Britannia Way from Europa Link.

Simon Hawkins, director at Premcor, said: “Catalyst is an exciting development set to be fuelled by the region’s impressive manufacturing pedigree and status. Our development will truly reflect the catalyst for growth here.

“The Sheffield City Region, which includes Rotherham and this site, is one of the UK’s major manufacturing locations. Contributing nearly £20 billion to the national economy, the area is set to see strong growth and has a high availability of labour meaning competitively-priced wages compared to regional and national averages. Sheffield also has a 5.1% predicted growth rate from 2018-2028.

“The site enables occupiers to be at the cutting edge of UK manufacturing and within the north’s new logistics hotspot. Catalyst forms part of the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District (AMID), a world leading, research-led Advanced Manufacturing cluster along the Rotherham-Sheffield corridor.”

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Ralph Jones, managing director at Peveril Securities, added: “The site masterplan offers five units, with design and builds suitable for industrial, manufacturing and logistics uses, finished to a high specification.

“Sustainability is high on the agenda of our plans with our specification including target EPC rating ‘A’, minimum BREEAM rating of ‘Very Good’, PIR controlled LED lighting to the offices and a rooftop solar PV system ready, reflecting the environmental demands from occupiers.

“We are pleased to be pushing forward delivery plans for Catalyst which ultimately aims to deliver up to 285,000 sq ft of vibrant new industrial space.”

The Grade-A specification units will feature high standard floors, loading areas and eave heights, plus two storey offices with mechanically ventilated systems, suspended ceilings and raised access floors. Outside the development will include gated service yards with 24-hour access, security lighting and fences, covered cycle shelter and private on-site car parking.

Rebecca Schofield, partner and head of the Yorkshire industrial team at Knight Frank, which are retained agents with BNP Paribas Real Estate on Catalyst, said: “Catalyst is the latest development at Sheffield Business Park. Fronting onto Rotherham Gateway, it is in prime position to meet the needs of a wide range of occupiers.

“The 18 acre site is currently masterplanned for industrial and warehouse use, with a range of unit sizes that may be further tailored with bespoke design and builds.”

Guy Cooke, director and head of agency at BNP Paribas Real Estate Sheffield, added: “Catalyst is strategically situated to directly address large, regional and national markets and ideally located for a Regional Distribution Centre.

“Fast links to the M1, M18 and A1(M) bring the large consumer markets of the Greater Leeds area and the East Midlands within 90 minutes by HGV. The major manufacturing heartlands of the North, North West and West Midlands lie within 180 minutes, making Catalyst ideal for national distribution and just-in-time supply chains. London, Newcastle and Bristol fall within a single 270 minute HGV journey.

“Large local markets, plus a position immediately facing a major link route, also make Catalyst an ideal roadside opportunity.”

Sheffield Business Park website

Images: Peveril / C4 Projects

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News: Welcome Break set to operate new £40m motorway service area in Rotherham

Welcome Break, one of the UK’s leading motorway service operators, is in the driving seat to operate a proposed motorway service area (MSA) on the M1 in Rotherham, new detailed plans have revealed.

Rothbiz reported in 2019 that Applegreen plc, a major petrol forecourt retailer in the Republic of Ireland with a significant and growing presence in the UK, had secured planning permission for a new development at Junction 33 of the M1 at Catcliffe.

The £40m investment is set to create 300 jobs.

Now detailed plans show that Welcome Break will operate the site. Applegreen took a majority holding in Welcome Break in 2018.

Welcome Break runs 44 service areas and 31 hotels across the UK, including Woodhall on the M1 in Rotherham. It works with brands such as Waitrose, Burger King, Harry Ramsden's, Subway and WHSmith.

The Catcliffe site is considered acceptable, given its existing allocation for mixed use and the previous plans for a hotel and pub which were approved but never implemented.

Currently scrub land on either side of the motorway, the outline plans were for HGV parking and amenities to the north of the M1 with customer parking and amenities for other motorway users to the south of the M1, via an underpass.

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The latest plans confirm that the main amenity building, measuring 32,000 sq ft, will include seven concession units, a retail area, gaming area, toilets, seating and a kid's play area on the ground floor. A mezzanine floor includes an eighth unit, further seating and a business lounge / remote working hub.

Separate plans have also been submitted for a standalone drive thru unit for global coffee chain, Starbucks.

The latest application also includes details around building materials and landscaping. Issues around highways were covered in the initial outline application which was approved by Rotherham Council.

An Environmental Impact Assessment has not been deemed to be required as "the proposal is not considered to have more than a local importance due to the type and scale of the development proposed."

Overcoming concerns from Highways England, access to the MSA would be from the roundabout via a new arm junction between the M1 Southbound off slip and A630 Rotherway. This would lie within the Green Belt.

Exit for the majority of traffic would be via a new access to the Parkway some 300m from the junction. This exit will create new traffic lanes on approach to the junction. An alternative exit for HGVs would be created via a new slip road to the A630 Rotherway.

Highway improvements would tie in to the £45m plan to widen the Parkway where work got underway earlier this year.

Welcome Break website

Images: Carwright & Gross Architects

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News: Tinsley rail yard back on track

South Yorkshire's largest privately owned and most successful haulage contractors, Newell & Wright Group, has reopened an unused rail terminal in Rotherham.

Rothbiz revealed in February that plans had been submitted that would enable the use of land forming the eastern part of Tinsley Rail Freight Yard off Europa Way / Wood Lane as a rail freight terminal.

Having gained approval from Rotherham Council, Newell & Wright Group, which has its main depot on Sheffield Road, have been working night and day to reopen Tinsley Marshalling Yard, once the rail hub of the borough.

The yard was constructed by British Rail around 1961 ‐ 65, primarily to consolidate the activities of several smaller yards in Sheffield and the wider South Yorkshire region. It had capacity for almost 4,000 railway wagons at any one time and incorporated a locomotive maintenance depot.

Much of the main body of the yard was sold for redevelopment to become Sheffield International Rail Freight Terminal (SIRFT) and two large rail‐connected warehouses now stand on the land formerly occupied by about 40 sidings over the Sheffield border.

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Due to its decline in the early 80's, most of the site had become wasteland and unused, until two months of intense manual labour from Newell & Wruight staff, resurfacing, inserting new rail tracks and working on the roads which enter the site.

The first train entered the yard this month from Maersk (the largest container shipping line and vessel operator in the world) via Felixstowe. The aim is to have five trains each way every day (at around 50‐55 containers per train) once fully operational.

Stephen Newell, operations director at Newell & Wright, said: "This is another step towards cutting our carbon footprint and increasing the rail freight services we provide, it will also reduce the distance our trucks have to travel and provide more rail freight options for businesses.

Company founder Frank Newell, added: "This is just the start of a huge investment into rail freight, we plan to start phase 2 of the development, increasing capacity and job opportunities in the area. The government have asked businesses to reduce emissions, reduce traffic and make changes to support environmental initiatives and that’s exactly what we have done."

GB Railfreight (GBRf) has recently signed a new two-year deal with the Danish company A.P. Moller-Maersk - the first rail collaboration between the two companies. The agreement sees GBRf operating from Tinsley, but is a continuation of a longstanding relationship with Newell & Wright, whom GBRf have long worked with.

In 2016, Newell & Wright installed sidings at the DB Cargo site at Templeborough in Rotherham to enable a new GBRf freightline to launch between Rotherham and the Port of Felixstowe.

Newell & Wright website

Images: Newell & Wright / VisualisedIt

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News: Rotherham development plots sold to joint venture - Catalyst coming

Development sites with the potential to create around 1,000 jobs in Rotherham have been sold to a joint venture between Premcor Estates and Peveril Securities.

Plans were approved in 2019 to enable the successful Sheffield Business Park to expand into Rotherham. "Phase 4" is planned for a 17.9-acre site that was previously kept in the greenbelt when Sheffield City Airport was in operation.

Premcor, a private UK based property development company, has joined with Peveril Securities, a wholly owned investment and development division of Bowmer and Kirkland, on its first ever South Yorkshire site.

Land between Europa Link and the Parkway is set to be transformed to create a prominent business gateway to the Sheffield city region's wider Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District (AMID), with the proposals including building footprints ranging from 10,764 sq ft to 107,649 sq ft of B1b (research and development), B1c (industrial process), B2 (general industrial) and B8 (storage and distribution) facilities.

Following the deal, for an undisclosed sum, the project has been renamed "Catalyst" and will be developed as a mixture of industrial and logistics units totalling 285,000 sq ft in a landscaped parkland setting. Designs are being submitted with construction work scheduled to commence in the third quarter 2021.

Graham Sadler, managing director at Sheffield Business Park, said: "Phase 4 is one of the last remaining development opportunities on the park which is well placed to serve occupier demand and help drive forward Sheffield City Region’s economic growth.

"We have an excellent working relationship with the commercial property team at Keebles and have utilised their high-quality real estate team for a number of years."

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Rebecca Schofield, partner and head of the Yorkshire industrial team at Knight Frank, acted for Sheffield Business Park, and are retained agents with BNP Paribas on the scheme.

Rebecca said: "This site represents the last remaining plot of this size at Sheffield Business Park, easily accessible from Sheffield Parkway with convenient links to the north and south from the M1.

"The site and its development potential will address strong demand for industrial accommodation across the region as well occupiers looking to be close to the Advanced Manufacturing Park."

Led by Keebles’ Partner Richard Smith, the firm’s commercial property team acted as legal advisors to Sheffield Business Park. Richard said: "We were delighted to advise on the sale of Phase 4, which is in a prime position fronting Sheffield Parkway and close to the M1.

"It is always rewarding to advise on a deal which will bring further development opportunities to Sheffield, with some high-profile names having been based in the area for some time now."

Images: Premcor

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News: Rotherham to push ahead with Clean Air Zone projects

Schemes designed to reduce pollution in Rotherham are being fast-tracked.

Rothbiz reported in 2017 that Rotherham (alongside Sheffield and Doncaster) was one of 38 English local authorities with one or more roads forecast persistently to exceed NO2 legal limits based on initial modelling. The local authorities were charged with coming up with local plans for reducing air pollution or risk the Government imposing schemes to charge users of congested roads like the Parkway.

Rotherham and Sheffield Council have been working together on coming up with measures to deliver air quality improvements as quickly as possible. The Sheffield authority said last year that further reviews of its proposed measures were required as the coronavirus pandemic has created a current situation that is "dramatically different" to the one in which the proposals were originally developed.

Rotherham is progressing its schemes after a letter of assurance was sought from the Joint Air Quality Unit, and is seeking to progress on schemes approved by Rotherham in the Outline Business Case submitted in December 2018 and consulted on in 2019. The Full Business Case is tied to a broader Clean Air Plan, which includes projects held jointly with Sheffield City Council.

Previous proposals showed that Sheffield would need to introduce a Category C (CAZ C) charging zone in order to achieve legal compliance by 2021.

Rotherham's proposed measures include a reduction in the speed limit on the Rotherham Gateway section of the Parkway, a one-way restriction of Heavy Goods traffic on Wortley Road, from Bradgate Park to Junction 35 of the M1, and improvements to the Bellows Road junction to enable the diversion of some buses from Rawmarsh Hill to Barbers Avenue.

The combined value for delivery is estimated at £2.885m with money coming via government grant funding.

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The Sheffield Parkway 50mph speed limit is to be delivered as part of Parkway Widening work that recently got underway. The speed limit will be in place for the duration of these improvements and remain after they are completed.

The £42m scheme, expected to finish in 2022, will create three lanes in each direction from the Catcliffe Junction to the junction with the M1 with modifications to the M1 J33 roundabout. Both the northbound and southbound slip roads from the M1 to junction 33 will be expanded to four lanes in consultation with Highways England.

The reduced speed limit is also required as a road safety measure, in light of the narrower lanes.

The Wortley Road restriction aims to redirect traffic to Junction 34 of the M1, removing traffic travelling uphill, where large good vehicles tend to produce more pollution. This also moves this traffic away from the area near people’s homes.

The improvements to Bellows Road will be made ahead of any proposed route change, which will be progressed following research and consultation on which services could be moved to benefit residents in the area.

Councillor Emma Hoddinott, Cabinet Member for Waste, Roads and Community Safety said: “There is no need for us to wait around to tackle air pollution. By agreeing these schemes now, we can improve the quality of the air you breathe as soon as possible."

Councillor Denise Lelliott, Cabinet Member for Jobs and the Local Economy said: “These schemes not only remove pollution, but also seek to improve public transport. They go hand-in-hand with the cycling strategy consultation we are also seeking to approve in this Cabinet.”

The proposals will be discussed at a Council meeting on March 22.

Images: Google Maps

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