The former offices of a historic Rotherham legal firm could be set for a new lease of life under plans to convert the building for residential use.
Gichard & Co. was closed down in 2015 and the property on Doncaster Gate was last used in 2016. Now a change of use planning application has been submitted that would enable it to be redeveloped and turned into flats.
Submitted by applicants, Conisbrough-based Appleby Homes Ltd, and drawn up by Plan Design Go Ltd, the plans for 31 Doncaster Gate, show nine residential units over the ground, first and second floors with services and a laundry room in the basement.
The site is opposite to the new University Campus Rotherham which is under construction and set to open in September. The adopted masterplan places a greater emphasis on living and leisure, as opposed to traditional retail uses, in continuing the regeneration of Rotherham town centre.
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The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) closed down the operations of 125-year-old Rotherham solicitors after a panel agreed that the Doncaster Gate legal firm had failed to comply with the rules made by the SRA.
The panel also investigated Charles Rhodes, senior partner at Gichard & Co and found that "there was reason to suspect dishonesty on the part of Mr Rhodes." The findings meant that the SRA had grounds to intervene to protect the interests of clients and the decision was made to close the firm.
31-33 Doncaster Gate went up for sale in 2016 with property professionals, Mark Jenkinson and Co. It included accommodation over three floors totalling 2,870 sq ft and was sold as development opportunity with the potential for conversion into flats/bedsits.
The property was made available freehold with vacant possession at an asking price of £250,000.
The sale documents set out that: "the property comprises a larger pattern semi-detached/end of terrace former dwelling house thought to date back to the period around 1910, now renovated and extended in recent years and formerly occupied as offices."
Across town, another set of plans have been approved for the method of demolition and restoration of the office at Rocklands on Grove Road. The site will be restored with stones surfacing to be made available for possible redevelopment.
The new £12m Higher Education Campus is set to play a key part in the regeneration of Rotherham - boosting skills levels and attracting hundreds of students into the town centre.
Rotherham College, part of RNN Group, will open the centre to students in Autumn 2018, offering a new programme of degrees and degree apprenticeships.
The project involves the construction of a 35,500 sq ft campus in Rotherham town centre which is set to be built on the site where the former Victorian hospital at Doncaster Gate was controversially demolished by Rotherham Council.
The Sheffield City Region (SCR) Combined Authority has agreed to fund infrastructure works which will allow construction to start in June. A grant of £3.5m has been approved with the balance coming from RNN Group.
An important part of the college approach is that local employers have been consulted and will be closely involved in designing courses, which will include degrees, higher apprenticeships, and HNC/Ds. They will also create links to live vacancies, and tap into professional training and updating for their workforce.
It is set to provide higher level learning in areas such as IT services and digital design; health care – both nursing and technical roles; business and enterprise including management, legal and accountancy services, sales and entrepreneurial skills; construction; and engineering, where retiring workers will need to be replaced.
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And the approach to encouraging participation is also new: to make students feel comfortable about learning, the Centre is deliberately placed away from the further education campus in the town centre college. Smaller groups with good tutor support will help students develop the confidence and the skills to move into higher level jobs in Rotherham and across the region. They might also progress to further study and develop their career at a higher level.
Routes to access higher education also include new degree programmes for students from local schools and sixth form colleges, and for adult returners to education, who will benefit financially with lower tuition fees (paid for by Student Loans) below £7,500 per year, compared to £9,000 or over at many universities, and the ability to live at home.
John Connolly, chief executive of the RNN Group, said: "This project will create a real skills revolution in the town, helping people to achieve things they never thought possible, without having to move away to university and have a huge debt looming over them.
"There are many advantages for businesses which engage with the project too, and we have already consulted with 200 employers locally and continue to forge close partnerships with major companies, to ensure we offer courses to enhance and build the workforce of the future."
Rotherham Council has supported the project in a number of ways, not least by offering the land for the college at 50% of its Full Market Value.
Cllr. Chris Read, leader of Rotherham Council, said: "Having a university centre here in Rotherham is a key part of the town's regeneration and hugely exciting for the borough.
"The new development will see the number of people with higher level skills in Rotherham increase, benefiting both individuals and businesses and will provide a professional venue where businesses can train their staff through programmes which suit their needs or work collectively to offer or access training."
Nigel Brewster, vice chair of the Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, added: "This is an important and welcomed development which will help both adult students and our regional businesses.
"We have backed the funding because we know there is a skills gap in the region and we want to help address it. This investment in infrastructure will help companies who will be able to recruit skilled workers and grow their businesses, creating more jobs. It is an exciting and visionary way forward which will benefit the whole region."
Rotherham Higher Education and Skills Centre aims to attract 1,000 additional students over the first five years.
It is also predicted that through higher education training, students will develop the skills they need to set up around 30 new businesses, creating jobs and opportunities for the future.
Proposals for a £12m university campus on Doncaster Gate in Rotherham town centre are set to be beefed up after Rotherham College was invited to bid for funding from the Sheffield city region skills capital fund.
Rothbiz revealed in August that Rotherham Council was in discussions with the college over the disposal of the site of the former Victorian hospital on terms to be agreed.
The council-owned site was controversially cleared and could accommodate a 44,000 sq ft Higher Education (HE) campus - enough space to eventually house 1,000 students. The aim is to be open for the 2017/18 academic year.
The Skills, Employment and Education Executive Board of the Sheffield City Region Combined Authority recently approved the mandate for the RCAT Higher Skills Centre to "progress to the outline business case with no caveats."
It is understood that Rotherham College is bidding for £4m from the £13m pot set aside for training space, workshop or launch pad facilities across the Sheffield city region.
Council reports pointed to the fact that Rotherham is the only town, of significant size, within the Sheffield city region without a Higher Education Centre, "which partially contributes to level 4 and above attainment in Rotherham being 12.7 percentage points below the national average and 4.8 percentage points below the regional average."
The timetable for the application for capital funding for the proposed centre included three stages, culminating in February 2016. Gill Alton, principal at Rotherham College, recently told governors that in order to open the higher education centre in 2017 it may be necessary to proceed "at risk" - continue developing plans at the same time as the land deal and funding bid progresses.
The college is proposing to merge with North Nottinghamshire College into one organisation next year. It plans to double the size of the 300+ HE population in three years.
The recently approved Rotherham Growth Plan includes the provision of a town centre HE campus "that will meet the needs of businesses and increase the numbers of Rotherham people trained to degree level."
The plan also includes a potential similar HE Centre in the Dearne, as part of the Dearne Valley College site, that would provide coverage for the large scale growth in jobs and employers in this area.
A £12m university campus could be built on Doncaster Gate in Rotherham town centre, on the site where the former Victorian hospital was controversially demolished by Rotherham Council.
A higher education campus for Rotherham was given priority in the borough's Growth Plan and partners at the council and Rotherham College have been working on finding a suitable site in order to submit a bid for funding from the Sheffield city region skills capital fund - a £13m pot for training space, workshop or launch pad facilities.
Rotherham College has ambitious plans to double the size of the HE population in three years and a new campus is needed to facilitate this. Rated "Good" by OFSTED in 2013, the college has been investing in facilities at both its town centre and Dinnington campuses as part of an £18m, four-year programme. It aims to build on this and extend its range of qualifications from level 4 through to level 6 (degree level).
RCAT is bidding for £4m from the fund for the £12m project and a bid needs to be submitted within two months.
Simeon Leach, economic development manager at Rotherham Council said in a report: "Rotherham is the only town, of significant size, within the Sheffield City Region without a Higher Education Centre, which partially contributes to level 4 and above attainment in Rotherham being 12.7 percentage points below the national average and 4.8 percentage points below the regional average. This level of underachievement needs to be addressed to provide the skilled workforce necessary to attract inward investors and grow existing businesses.
"Local businesses will be at the heart of the campus, with provision being industry led rather than academic. They will be involved in establishing, informing and delivering the project for Rotherham."
Three council-owned sites in the town centre were identified that could accommodate a 44,000 sq ft campus - enough space to eventually house 1,000 students. They were the current markets complex, Drummond Street car park and the Doncaster Gate site.
As the aim is to be open for the 2017/18 academic year, it was not deemed feasible for the campus to be delivered on the markets site due to the need for major physical and engineering works. Development on Drummond Street was discounted as it could cause concerns from local businesses if car parking is lost.
In 2013, Rotherham Council's cabinet approved plans to demolish Rotherham's first purpose-built hospital in a bid to save costs and attract a greater interest in the opportunities for development of the site. The historic buildings were first put up for sale by Rotherham Council as a development site in March 2012 after serving as council offices for the previous three years alongside the adjacent health village and GP surgery.
The now cleared site was earmarked for a mix of uses including office use, housing and residential and nonresidential institutions. It was earmarked to be sold off in the 2015/16 financial year.
The new campus may not need all of the site which allows the Council to retain it for future development or for the College to purchase the additional land for future expansion. Interest in using the site, where any development will not affect the adjacent medical facilities, has come from providers of specialist housing provision.
Commissioner Julie Kenny made the "minded to" decision this week for the in principle disposal of the Doncaster Gate site, or part of, to Rotherham College be approved on terms to be agreed.
Signs suggest that the Howard Building in Rotherham town centre will go under the hammer at auction in September.
Rotherham College of Arts and Technology (RCAT) put the four storey building up for sale in 2012 with Rotherham Council acting as marketing agents but there hasn't been any takers.
Opened in the 1930's on Howard Street in the heart of the town centre, it operated as part of the college and also housed the council's environmental health teams and a day nursery. It was deemed surplus to requirements and was vacated in September 2012. The college has gone on to invest over £15m in the last three years improving the facilities in the town centre after securing government funding and a £5m loan from the council.
The Howard Building has an internal area of 42,000 sq ft and includes classrooms, offices, common room, library and meeting rooms. Part of the basement floor has been more recently been used as a nursery.
The site is being sold freehold with vacant possession and was advertised as having potential for alternative uses subject to planning permission which could include office, retail, hotel and residential use.
It is set to go up for auction on September 16 with local auctioneers, Mark Jenkinson & son.
Also being advertised for sale in the town centre is the historic Westgate Chambers, located in the key area of the Rotherham Renaissance initiative to regenerate the town centre which had been a focus for redevelopment and earmarked for housing together with retail and commercial uses. Rothbiz reported in April that Rotherham Council was to sell off the building that it acquired in 2006.
7 and 9 Westgate are Grade 2 listed buildings. Known by many as the former Co-op buildings, they were originally constructed in 1794 by local architect, John Platt as a residence for himself.
The council's cabinet agreed the plans to put Westgate Chambers onto the market to "seek developer interest for a predominantly residential development." It is being advertised as a regeneration / development opportunity with "offers sought for a residential led scheme with an active commercial ground floor of retail / leisure / restaurant or similar."
Demolition is well underway at the council-owned former hospital on Doncaster Gate (pictured). In a bid to save costs and attract a greater interest in the opportunities for development of the site, demolition began earlier this year. The cleared site is set to be offered back to the market with the council expecting sufficient interest to result in a redevelopment that would add to the regeneration of this edge of town centre site.
Also in town, the 3,416 sq ft Temperance Hall on Wellgate is also being sold at auction after it failed to sell last year. Previously a Methodist chapel, it became the Temperance Hall in 1895, home to the Temperance Society who advocated a moderate approach to life and warned against excessive alcohol consumption. It went under the hammer with Pugh Auctions this week.
On the edge of the town centre, the freehold 22,000 sq ft, former Liquid & Envy nightclub has been re-advertised with agents, Gerald Eve.
Outside the town centre, KP Nuts is selling off its Eastwood home as it prepares to move to new multimillion pound premises at Hellaby. Agents, Knight Frank, have been instructed to sell the 152,167 sq ft manufacturing and warehouse facilities that occupy a site area of 4.75 acres, offering a redevelopment opportunity within the Chesterton Road area.
In Manvers, agents at GVA are bringing forward the sale of the BizSpace facilities at Silkstone and Manvers House on Pioneer Close. The national portfolio of the managed workspace operator is being sold and the two Dearne Valley buildings include 26,191 sq ft of space.
Images: Tom Austen / Chrisfp on Flickr, used under Creative Commons licence.
Building works being carried out on historic buildings on Rotherham's High Street are set to be completed in October.
Local businessman, Chris Hamby is creating a complex of mixed-used retail outlets focusing on listed buildings. The plan is backed by a £750,000 long term capital finance loan from Rotherham Council that has secured £677,000 of Heritage Lottery Funding (HLF) for additional, much needed works.
The work is part of the £3m Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI) scheme that sees property owners and long term lease holders secure grants enabling them to restore, renovate and repair their historic buildings which are all within a conservation area. The aim is to encourage new shops, apartments and businesses to locate in the town centre.
In December, an additional £140,000 was approved by the council, in the form of a long term capital finance loan to enable the refurbishment works to be completed at The Three Cranes building and former Georgian Town House at 29-29a High Street.
A recent update to the council's cabinet stated that the Three Cranes and 29-29a High Street are expected to be completed by October 2014. Work on these two projects involves significant structural repairs to the building fabric along with the reinstatement of architectural details.
Containing the remains of the Italian restaurant at 29A High Street (pictured before work began), the town house was once occupied by the Badger family, a notable family of solicitors and lawyers. A new Victorian shop frontage and Doric door will be installed with the upper floors converted into flats.
The former Three Cranes Inn, that occupied a timber framed building dating back to the 15th Century, is thought to be the oldest domestic building in the town and was probably built as a merchant's town house around 1600. The grade 2* listed building is the only timber framed building to survive in Rotherham town centre. It is on English Heritage's "at risk register" and has been in a state of disrepair for many years. The Three Cranes has had interest from a real ale pub for the property.
Also part of the scheme, the main construction works on the George Wright building are almost complete. With its unique facade, the building was famously occupied by George Wright & Company in the 1800's who designed and manufactured elaborate stoves and fireplaces. It was later used as a wine bar and restaurant and will house apartments when renovations are complete.
Also taking place on the High Street, renovation work at the RSPCA charity shop at 14a has been slower than anticipated due to a dispute with the original builder, however, this work is now being completed by a different contractor, with an expected August completion.
To accompany the work to property, a £417,000 scheme to improve the public realm and the street itself is underway. In total, the heritage programme is set to spend £1.352m in this financial year.
It's a different story across town where demolition crews are taking down the former Doncaster Gate Hospital (pictured). February saw Rotherham Council's cabinet sign off plans to demolish Rotherham's first purpose-built hospital, which is in its ownership, in a bid to save costs and attract a greater interest in the opportunities for development of the site.
Costing £100,000 a year to keep in its deteriorating state, the council budgeted £235,000 for demolition in 2013/14 and a further £115,000 is set to be spent knocking it down this financial year.
The cleared site is set to be offered back to the market with the council expecting sufficient interest to result in a redevelopment that would add to the regeneration of this edge of town centre site.
Rotherham Council expects that demolition will commence at the historic former Doncaster Gate Hospital in Rotherham within the next few weeks.
In October, Rotherham Council's cabinet approved plans to demolish Rotherham's first purpose-built hospital, which is in its ownership, in a bid to save costs and attract a greater interest in the opportunities for development of the site.
In November, a bid led by the Rotherham District Civic Society was submitted to the council under The Community Right to Bid but this was rejected as the current use of Doncaster Gate does not "further the social wellbeing or social interests of the local community" as the building is vacant.
The council gave interested parties until 24 January 2014 to bring forward any redevelopment proposals which retain all or a significant part of the building. No proposals were received by the council.
Councillor Gerald Smith, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Development Services told a recent meeting of council's cabinet: "The Council was approached by a third party who visited site and attended two meetings with the Council. This third party, employed an architect and surveyors to advise them on the possibility of making the site work whilst maintaining some of the original buildings. Unfortunately, this third party informed the Council on Friday, 31st January 2014 that they have decided not to make a bid for the site.
"A number of meetings with the Civic Society had also been held in order to both keep them informed and to identify any opportunities to retain any part of the existing structure.
"To date, the Council had not received any proposals to retain any significant part of the building. It was proposed that a number of key stones be recovered from the Doncaster Gate façade of the original hospital building and retained to create a memorial to the building, when the site is redeveloped."
The substantial asbestos and soft strip works are underway and demolition is due to start in the next two weeks and be completed in April.
The cleared site is set to be offered back to the market in early spring 2014 with the council expecting sufficient interest to result in a redevelopment that would add to the regeneration of this edge of town centre site.
The historic buildings in Rotherham town centre were put up for sale by Rotherham Council as a development site in March 2012 after serving as council offices for the previous three years alongside the adjacent health village and GP surgery. The council agreed to dispose of the freehold with vacant possession of the main office buildings and surrounding outbuildings after other council properties were refurbished and the new offices at Riverside House were completed.
The Victorian, pavilion-type hospital building dates back to the 1870's and was developed at a cost of around £9,000, raised through local donations. A major factor in the hospital's creation was to provide Rotherham with a facility that could serve the many local workers who became victims of industrial accidents.
Designed by Mallison & Bakewell of Leeds and built in a striking Tudor Revival style, complete with stone mullioned windows, the hospital underwent modernisation in the 1930's and the modern Health Village extension was completed in 2004. St Ann's Medical Centre remains on the site but many health facilities were relocated to the £12m NHS Rotherham Community Health Centre across town when it opened in 2009.
Also in 2009, the Doncaster Gate Action Group presented a petition to the council calling for the "saving of the Doncaster Gate Hospital buildings for community use rather than being sold to a private developer."
Campaigners fighting to save the building from the wrecking ball have been hampered by English Heritage knocking back an application to have it listed and by Rotherham Council not extending the town's conservation area to cover Doncaster Gate, despite the cabinet member approving the extension in 2008 based on the recommendations of the council's own officers.
Looking ahead, site surveys carried out for the borough's Local Plan identified the 1.18 hectare site as suitable for office use and for other community facilities. It added that it would also be suitable for residential development "which would contribute towards the Renaissance aspirations for the town centre and meeting housing requirements in a sustainable urban location."
Rotherham Council is set to reject a community bid to have the historic former Doncaster Gate hospital listed as an asset of community value, a move that, if accepted, could save it from the wrecking ball.
In October, Rotherham Council's cabinet approved plans to demolish Rotherham's first purpose-built hospital, which is in its ownership, in a bid to save costs and attract a greater interest in the opportunities for development of the site.
In November, a bid led by the Rotherham District Civic Society was submitted to the council under The Community Right to Bid.
The Community Right to Bid, introduced as part of the Localism Act 2011, enables town and parish councils and local voluntary and community organisations to nominate local land or buildings to be included in lists of community assets maintained by local authorities. Whilst a successful attempt may not stop the demolition, it would have begun a six month process that allows the community interest group to express an interest in bidding to purchase the property.
At its cabinet meeting next week, members are being asked to confirm that the application to have the former Doncaster Gate offices listed as an asset of community value be rejected.
The Victorian, pavilion-type hospital building dates back to the 1870's and was developed at a cost of around £9,000, raised through local donations. A major factor in the hospital's creation was to provide Rotherham with a facility that could serve the many local workers who became victims of industrial accidents.
Designed by Mallison & Bakewell of Leeds and built in a striking Tudor Revival style, complete with stone mullioned windows, the hospital underwent modernisation in the 1930's and the modern Health Village extension was completed in 2004.
The council stated that the site has been a target for criminal activity and vandalism and currently costs £100,000 a year to keep in its current deteriorating state. This could be reduced to £10,000 per year if the hospital is demolished. The council added that it could cost up to £4m to put the building into a useable condition and secure its future use.
Campaigners fighting to save the building from the wrecking ball have been hampered by English Heritage knocking back an application to have it listed and by Rotherham Council not extending the town's conservation area to cover Doncaster Gate, despite the cabinet member approving the extension in 2008 based on the recommendations of the council's own officers.
The Rotherham District Civic Society believes that the façade of the building should be retained in a development that may include community and heritage uses. It adds in the bid document that it believes that the building is an asset of community value as it was built using public subscriptions, is a well known feature of the town centre and contains a war memorial and a number of features of local interest.
In assessing the Community Right to Bid, the council concludes that the current use of Doncaster Gate does not "further the social wellbeing or social interests of the local community" as the building is vacant. It adds that "no firm proposals have been presented to the Council that would enable it to conclude it is realistic to believe the property could be brought back into use as a community asset."
However, the cabinet is set to agree to allow any interested parties until 24 January 2014 to bring forward to the Council any re-development proposals which retain all or a significant part of the building.
"Soft-stripping" of the building has begun and demolition is scheduled to commence in February 2014.
The historic former Doncaster Gate Hospital has been put up for sale by Rotherham Council.
The 1.81 hectare site on the edge of the town centre has been used as council offices for the past three years along with a health village with a GP surgery.
The council purchased the former medical facilities in 2009 for around £1.5m with the aim of using the building as offices whilst other properties were refurbished and the new offices at Riverside House were completed.
St Ann's Medical Centre remained on the site but many health facilities were relocated to the £12m NHS Rotherham Community Health Centre across town.
The council has agreed to dispose of the freehold with vacant possession of the main office buildings and surrounding outbuildings. The Victorian building includes around 3,700 sq m of office space but the medical centre will remain in place.
Plans were envisaged for a temporary culture / library and arts centre but these facilities will be located within Riverside House and the Civic Theatre is set for £540,000 of investment to secure the building's use for the next ten years.
The Doncaster Gate Hospital is not a listed building or included in the Town Centre Conservation Area. It dates back to the 1870's and was developed at a cost of around £9,000, raised through local donations. A major factor in the hospital's creation was to provide Rotherham with a facility that could serve the many local workers who became victims of industrial accidents.
It underwent modernisation in the 1930's and the modern Health Village extension was completed in 2004.
Around £900,000 of modernisation and alteration works were carried out to the hospital building when it was converted into council offices.
In 2009 the Doncaster Gate Action Group presented a petition to the council calling for the "saving of the Doncaster Gate Hospital buildings for community use rather than being sold to a private developer."
Rotherham Council has supported the project in a number of ways, not least by offering the land for the college at 50% of its Full Market Value. 
Demolition is well underway at the council-owned former hospital on Doncaster Gate (pictured). In a bid to save costs and attract a greater interest in the opportunities for development of the site, demolition began earlier this year. The cleared site is set to be offered back to the market with the council expecting sufficient interest to result in a redevelopment that would add to the regeneration of this edge of town centre site. 
It's a different story across town where demolition crews are taking down the former Doncaster Gate Hospital (pictured). February saw Rotherham Council's cabinet sign off plans to demolish Rotherham's first purpose-built hospital, which is in its ownership, in a bid to save costs and attract a greater interest in the opportunities for development of the site.
