News: Putting manufacturing at the heart of social, environmental and economic renewal

A leading figure in the world of advanced manufacturing has joined forces with experts in innovation districts, land development and public affairs, to establish a strategic advisory business that directly supports the growth of more resilient, inclusive and sustainable economies.

Bridgway Global, headquartered in West Yorkshire, brings together the talents of three key figures – Professor Keith Ridgway CBE, Iain Thomson and John Yates – who worked together in transforming the site of the derelict Orgreave colliery and coking works in Rotherham into a cluster of advanced manufacturing companies including Rolls Royce, Boeing, McLaren, Nikken and the UKAEA.

Professor Ridgway worked with Adrian Allen OBE to launch the AMRC with Boeing in 2001. It has played the key part in the transformation of the former colliery site and has given Rotherham the recognition as being at the heart of world-class advanced manufacturing.

Expanding over the Parkway into Sheffield, the location became the UK's first Advanced Manufactuing Innovation District, with local policy makers keen to see it expand further as part of the South Yorkshire Investment Zone.

Professor Ridgway, Director of Bridgway Global who leads the business on manufacturing and industrial innovation said: “With the United States, China and the European Union putting advanced manufacturing at the heart of their economic strategies it is vital that the United Kingdom, with its ambition to be a science superpower, does not get left behind.

“We must not repeat the mistakes of the 1980s and 1990s. An innovative and expanding manufacturing base is essential to building strong communities and a more sustainable economic future, driving big gains in productivity and turning the brilliant ideas born of fundamental science into home grown businesses, technologies and products.”

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In the 1990s, government had all but abandoned South Yorkshire to de-industrialisation, but today a new community of more than 2,000 homes is blossoming at Waverley alongside the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) = a world-class cluster of aerospace, green energy, defence, and automotive brands and their supply chains.

Fellow Director and Bellona Advisors’ Managing Director Iain Thomson, who leads the business on land and property development matters and public-private partnerships, said: “The wealth of knowledge and experience in the team enables us to act as a vital bridge between advanced manufacturers, land and property interests, research institutions and both national and regional government in an era of growing devolution across the world.”

Bridgway’s initial service offer builds on this experience by providing strategic advice to major landowners and developers looking to promote new advanced manufacturing schemes and decarbonisation clusters. It will also connect advanced manufacturers – from global OEMs and their supply chains – to policy makers, Research & Development specialists and funders, to improve market conditions to grow their businesses, including the development of industrial and spatial policy at national and regional level and the creation of public-private financial instruments.

Bridgway Global Director John Yates, who was Head of External Affairs at the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) when Boeing, McLaren and the UKAEA opened facilities on the campus, added: “As a small, agile business armed with a wealth of experience in all these fields, we can be the catalyst that cuts through obstacles and delay to make things happen and get stuff done. These are challenging and uncertain times for the UK economy, but if we can bridge the divide at Orgreave we believe we can be a bridge over troubled economic waters anywhere.”

Bridgway Global website

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News: South Yorkshire hosts Economic Summit

South Yorkshire will host an Economic Summit this week that brings together the brightest thinkers from across the country, the best businesses, entrepreneurs, research institutes and anchor institutions for a day of debate and ideation.

The summit follows the The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority and Local Enterprise Partnership approving their 20-year Strategic Economic Plan (SEP), which sets out local leaders’ blueprint to drive the region’s recovery from COVID and transform South Yorkshire’s economy and society for people, businesses and places.

The SEP paves the way to a stronger, greener and fairer economy as the region looks to unlock its potential and create prosperity and opportunity for all. A Renewal Action Plan has also been published which sets out a road map to help South Yorkshire recover from the pandemic and put the region on the path towards social and economic renewal.

The summit is being held at Kollider / Castle House in Sheffield on March 9.

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A key focus will be the levelling up white paper sets out the UK government's vision to level up and bring prosperity across the UK. A panel of experts will discuss the national mission and what that means for South Yorkshire. The panel includes South Yorkshire Mayor, Dan Jarvis MBE MP, Lucy Nickson, Chair of the South Yorkshire, Local Enterprise Partnership and Andy Haldane, Economist, Head of the Levelling Up Taskforce.

Other sessions are set to focus on Access to Finance, Supporting Clusters and Clustering (chaired by Sharon Kemp, chief executive of Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council and part of the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Leadership Group), Access to Skills and Opportunity, Innovation Ecosystems and a session that showcases the opportunities and potential in South Yorkshire, from clean tech and energy, sustainable manufacturing, arts, culture and heritage and new emerging partnerships.

Lucy Nickson, Interim Chair of the South Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “South Yorkshire stands at the cusp of something special. We are harnessing our powers and resources to create a dynamic, innovative economy and unlock prosperity and opportunity for all. We have a track record in attracting world-leading firms such as McLaren and Boeing and creating economic clusters in advanced manufacturing and engineering. Now we want to go much further and unleash the next generation of success stories, in aerospace, life sciences, digital and energy. Our summit will explore how we can bring our region together to make that happen and send a confident signal to investors and government that South Yorkshire is open for business and ready to level up.”

Dr Dave Smith, Chief Executive of the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, added: “Civic leaders, anchor institutions and businesses in South Yorkshire are working together to develop the infrastructure, the talent and the supply chains which our region needs for economic renewal. We have a credible, funded long-term plan and have made a strong case to government to back our ambitions. Now we are exploring how we take this to the next level, by establishing innovative partnerships and finance models which give investors certainty and attract more private investment into South Yorkshire – which is vital if we are to grow our economy and ensure more people, businesses and places share in prosperity.”

SYMCA website

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News: Funding secured to build on AMID

£763,000 has been secured from the government for the development of innovation-led opportunities connected to the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District (AMID) in Sheffield and Rotherham.

Awarded through the Government’s New Development Corporation Competition, the money will be used to unlock and accelerate transformational economic development activity across the AMID, which has expanded from the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham.

The AMID is home to the UK’s largest research-led advanced manufacturing cluster. It also boasts developing centres of innovation in health and wellbeing as well as vital energy research focussed on net-zero carbon processes.

There are also proposals for further world-leading research in areas such as gene therapy, modern methods of construction and future mobility.

With more than 30 nationally recognised research and development facilities, backed by Sheffield’s two outstanding universities, the AMID’s applied research capabilities are unrivalled and continue to attract world leading businesses such as McLaren, Rolls-Royce and Boeing.

It also supports new and established businesses across South Yorkshire to adapt positively to new challenges and changing economic conditions.

The AMID already hosts over 120 advanced manufacturing and tech firms which employ more than 2,300 people. Ambitious plans being developed aim to generate 4,000 new jobs and 2,000 additional apprenticeships.

Improving access to the emerging economic opportunities will also involve place-based regeneration including improving local amenities, building public spaces and creating over 8,000 new homes within the AMID and its surrounding communities by 2040 - creating sustainable neighbourhoods for the next generation.

Sheffield City Council, the Sheffield City Region (now the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority), The University of Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam University, Rotherham Council and the Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park have worked together to secure the crucial funding which will also go towards improving connections to communities, businesses and education providers.

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Rotherham Council’s cabinet member for jobs and the local economy, Cllr Denise Lelliott, said: “The partnership between Rotherham and Sheffield has already helped to secure high quality jobs with world renowned companies, and high quality homes as well.

“This funding will help us to maximise opportunities in the future as we continue to support world class advanced manufacturing across South Yorkshire and we look forward to working with our partners across the region.”

Mayor of South Yorkshire, Dan Jarvis said: “This funding is great news. We’ve been working closely with Sheffield, Rotherham and the universities to develop the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District into a world-class centre of innovation and productivity.

“This funding will mean more high-quality jobs, more homes and will help us deliver the future we want for South Yorkshire.”

The New Development Corporation Competition is a £10m competitive fund launched in October 2019 to support up to ten local places with exploring delivery models that have been less commonly used in a contemporary context, such as development corporations.

Development corporations can help boost developments by providing focus, help coordinate plans for new development across different council boundaries and give builders the confidence to invest in sites.

Kevin Kerrigan, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Business and Enterprise at Sheffield Hallam University, said: “This funding enables us to shape a compelling future vision for advanced innovation in Sheffield, Rotherham and the wider region, to embrace community building alongside business growth and to showcase our creativity and application to the world.

“Sheffield Hallam University will be a key partner in delivering a world leading innovation district that is a catalyst for investment and growth.”

Dr Sarah Want, Director of Partnerships & Regional Engagement at the University of Sheffield said: “We are delighted that the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District has been awarded funding to enable its further development.

“Over the last two decades, we’ve worked very hard with regional partners and have seen how the clustering of local businesses, national and global companies and our research facilities has led to inward investment and provided opportunities for regional manufacturers to expand into new markets and for the region’s skills base to develop.

“For all partners, it's very exciting to receive this funding as a recognition of the things that we’ve already achieved together. We're looking forward to working with partners old and new to realise even more of the region’s potential through this project.”

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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: Millions for Rotherham transport schemes at Parkgate, AMP and Templeborough

£46m is set to be spent on transport projects to reduce journey times, cut congestion, improve punctuality and reliability, and bring about a wide range of benefits associated with active travel in Rotherham.

Congested locations such as Parkgate and key economic growth areas such as the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) are in line for millions.

Last year, the Sheffield City Region (SCR) put forward a substantial bid to the Government's Transforming Cities Fund to back its new transport strategy. The Budget in March showed that the SCR will receive £166m. Now meeting papers show how much cash has been earmarked for the approved projects.

The Rotherham projects:

A6178 Sheffield Road On-road, fully segregated cycle lane; around 2.2km as segregated from Blackburn Meadows Way to Ickles then around 1km segregated from Ickles to the Rotherham town centre £5.57m

A631 Rotherham to Maltby Bus Corridor Around 1.2km bus lane along A631 Rotherham Road, Maltby towards M18 J1 with bus priority pre-signals £2.25m

Waverley / Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) to the town centre A fully segregated cycle route along the A631 Bawtry Road between Brinsworth and Tinsley / Meadowhall (includes Wood Lane) £1.5m

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Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District to Sheffield Three schemes: Development of core active travel route connecting city centre to AMP corridor, including spur to Olympic Legacy Park (£10.25m); Development of core active travel route linking Meadowhall with Rotherham Council's proposals on Sheffield Road (£2.8m); Bus priority measures through Attercliffe, Darnall and around Meadowhall (£3.7m) £16.75m

Magna Tram Train Stop A new stop on the Tram-Train line at Magna with associated [150 space] park and ride facility £5.4m

Manvers Way Provision of safe, direct attractive walking and cycling route, including crossings between Manvers Way and Wath town centre £0.4m

Parkgate Three schemes: a new access into the Parkgate Shopping Centre from Aldwarke Lane (£5.13m); widening the southern entry and exit to the five arm Taylors Lane roundabout to improve capacity (£3.0925m); A 300 space Park and Ride facility for the Tram Train stop at Parkgate (£3.33m) £11.55m

Doncaster Road, Dalton Extending the two traffic lanes exiting the roundabout on the A630 Doncaster Road towards Dalton by around 250m £1.2m

Rotherham town centre Two projects: Contribution to the replacement of the existing footbridge between the Forge Island development and Corporation Street (£1m); Cycle infrastructure improvements along Fredrick Street to provide a bi-directional cross town-centre link (£0.4m) £1.4m

In addition to these projects funded via the Transforming Cities Fund, a £42m project is planned to widen the Parkway in Rotherham and millions of pounds worth of transport improvements are being devised to support the large housing development proposed for Bassingthorpe Farm. Work is also ongoing to find further was to address connectivity issues around the AMP and Waverley development.

Images: Google Maps / SYPTE

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News: New Rotherham active travel projects

Parking bays are set to be suspended to increase footpath widths and provide additional cycle lane lengths in Rotherham town centre as part of a number of new active travel interventions.

Future schemes for the borough are proposed in a multimillion pound Active Travel plan.

£265,000 of Government funding is set to be diverted to the borough as part of a national emergency active travel fund.

It comes as the Sheffield City Region (SCR) publishes an ambitious plan to create a network of more than 620 miles of accessible walking and cycling routes across South Yorkshire to enable people to leave their cars at home.

£1.437m from the fund has been allocated to the SCR who were already developing a COVID-19 Active Travel response and partner authorities were already drawing up and implementing schemes.

SCR documents show that the Rotherham scheme aims to deliver additional active travel space by rapid deployment of carriageway re-allocation on corridors around the town centre and within principal towns.

This will include:
- suspension of parking bays to increase footpath widths / provide additional cycle lane length;
- crossing improvements and re-timing of signals in higher volume locations;
- implementation of one-way streets to prevent constriction of available space whilst enabling two-way cycling; and
- point closure to provide quiet streets and enable extended use of active travel.

The Government will undertake an assessment of the proposal to confirm the allocation of funding to SCR.

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£166m has previously been secured from the Transforming Cities Fund, with half allocated for active travel, but more investment is required from the Government to make Mayor Jarvis and Active Travel Commissioner Dame Sarah Storey's Active Travel Implementation Plan a reality.

By enabling active travel, it is forecasted that walking and cycling could be increased by 21% and 350% respectively, by 2040. To do this, Mayor Jarvis and Dame Sarah are committed to providing high quality, safe infrastructure which is accessible to all users, including adapted bikes and wheelchairs, and will empower local communities to co-develop ambitious future plans for walking and cycling in their neighbourhood.

A number of Rotherham elements have been included which could be delivered over the next five years. These include:
- Connecting Maltby to the main urban centre of Rotherham with localised enhanced active travel routes within the corridor
- Connecting the housing and employment growth area in the Dearne Valley to the local centre in Wath for active travel modes,
- Providing better active travel routes to enable more walking and/or cycling through Rotherham town centre, including links to Forge Island
- A new high quality segregated cycle route along the A6178 Sheffield Road to help support active travel links between Rotherham, Meadowhall and Sheffield
- Promoting active travel for accessing employment opportunities in Sheffield City Centre, the Lower Don Valley (including AMID) and Rotherham

Mayor Dan Jarvis said: "Active travel has always been at the heart of my transport vision for South Yorkshire. The benefits walking and cycling bring to all aspects of our lives are great and I am proud of how quickly we have developed this plan alongside our local authorities. Active travel is good for our health, good for the planet and good for the economy.

"We are in the midst of one the largest public health crisis in a generation and as we recover from coronavirus, we have an opportunity to change

"No one wants to return to gridlocked roads and polluted town centres, and this landmark strategy sets out how we can build back better. The aim should not be to go back to the status quo, it should be to make this a moment of fundamental change for our region and our country.

"Active travel should be part of an even wider strategy – a green new deal to transform our economy, create millions of new jobs, and counter the economic damage the pandemic has caused.

"I am pleased that the Government is allocating emergency funds to enable us to make space for pedestrians and cyclists in the age of social distancing, but this money must be released promptly.

"In the short term, we need to take the pressure off a stretched public transport system which is running at a fraction of its normal capacity, and prevent the gridlock which will be caused by people turning to their car. In the long term, we need sustained funding for active travel to enable us to deliver a green new deal for South Yorkshire."

Dame Sarah Storey, Active Travel Commissioner, added: "During the first year of my appointment there has been an unwavering commitment to create this plan and I am delighted we can now publish it for all to see.

"Our local authorities have risen to the challenge to create an ambitious plan and are committed to redistributing road space and enabling active travel in a way that hasn’t been seen before. Our plan gives a clear goal – a network of routes linking up low traffic neighbourhoods.

"During the coronavirus pandemic we have seen an even greater demand for safe space for walking and cycling, as social distancing reduces public transport capacity and people look to maintain new exercise habits that were formed at the height of the lockdown.

"Creating space for active travel is creating space for everyone. It means that not having access to a car will no longer be a barrier to getting around. From safe streets for children to get to school, to pavements free from inconsiderately parked vehicles that block the way for people in wheelchairs and parents with pushchairs, walking and cycling provision ensures everyone can enjoy they place they live and travel safely and easily to the places they want to go.

"I was pleased to see the response from Government to the letter written by Mayor Jarvis and I about prioritising active travel in the recovery from the coronavirus pandemic but we need this money now so we can begin to make our roads more pleasant places to be for those on foot or on bikes."

SCR website

Images: SCR

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News: Rotherham rail improvements in new strategic plan

A number of proposals for improving rail services in Rotherham feature in a new strategic plan launched by the Sheffield city region (SCR), including a long-discussed new mainline station.

A 2015 study showed that rail connectivity in Rotherham is not as good as other centres and the only practical and cost effective way to enhance connectivity is to consider providing a new railway station on the mainline, costing around £14m.

A 2018 study added that new stations in Rotherham and in the Dearne Valley on a proposed "Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR)" line could boost the economic benefits from HS2.

Now a vision for how the SCR will be better connected by both high speed and conventional rail networks into the future - regionally, across the North, and nationally - includes the creation of a new Midland Main Line station in Rotherham.

Other Rotherham ambitions include:

- making the tram train service between Sheffield and Rotherham permanent
- extending the tram train network from Rotherham to Swinton, Doncaster and the airport to release capacity for NPR on the main line
- new tram train services to Waverley and other strategic housing areas such as a spur to Aston and Aughton
- a new rail station serving, businesses and communities in the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District (AMID) at Waverley
- A park and ride expansion at Parkgate
- a new tram-train station and associated park and ride facilities at Magna
- improvements at the Kiveton stations

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The plan also confirms a preferred location on a site in Goldthorpe for a proposed new Barnsley Dearne Valley railway station. This parkway station and a new mainline station are set to be progressed through NPR and not HS2. A northern spur out of Sheffield has yet to be confirmed and an upgrade and electrification would be required of the Dearne Valley Line through Rotherham for NPR/HS2.

No location has been given for a new Rotherham mainline station but it is expected to be on the edge of the town centre.

The plan states: "Rotherham has not benefited from intercity rail connectivity since the late 1980s when Masbrough station was closed. Currently, local connections to Sheffield and Doncaster are available with an hourly, hour long service to Leeds.

"Restoring the provision of fast, reliable and high quality intercity connections allied to a new station on the mainline rail network, would fundamentally transform the developable proposition of companies seeking to invest in Rotherham.

"A new mainline station in the central Rotherham area, developed with a suitable masterplan, will ensure that the area plays an important economic development role for the city region."

Dan Jarvis, mayor of the Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield Combined Authority, said: "This is a landmark moment for our region. For the first time, Government, regional partners and our local authorities have come together to welcome a vision for the future of our rail services, creating a Plan that will revolutionise rail travel for our communities."

Cllr. Chris Read, leader of Rotherham Council, added: "I cautiously welcome today's proposals, which move forward a number of significant projects for the borough that have been under consideration for a long time. A new mainline station in a central area of the borough, returning intercity connections for the first time in thirty years, would help to undo decades of damage to Rotherham's rail connectivity.

"If done correctly, it would create significant opportunities to improve access to jobs and encourage economic development. A new station to connect Waverley and the Advanced Manufacturing Park would not only relieve pressure on the local road network but also open up access to job opportunities from the south of the borough, and making permanent and extending the tram train pilot will be critical to ensure many existing journeys are not stopped as a consequence of HS2.

"We have argued throughout that any rail plan must ensure that travellers using all the existing stations in the borough would see improvements and not reductions in service. However, in relation to HS2, I want to be clear that these proposals do not change the Council's position. The so-called M18 route is not to Rotherham's advantage, it will bring years of disruption during construction, and it should be scrapped."

SCR website

Images: Google Maps / SYPTE

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News: Approval for next phase of business park

Plans have been approved that will enable the successful Sheffield Business Park to expand into Rotherham, where there is the potential to create around 1,000 more jobs.

Rothbiz has reported on the proposals for a parcel of land that was previously kept in the greenbelt when Sheffield City Airport was in operation.

The plan will see the 18 acres of land between Europa Link and the Parkway transformed to create a prominent business gateway to the Sheffield city region's wider Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District (AMID), with the development set to include 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.

The outline plans include a potential total of around 270,000 sq ft of new commercial space.

SBP were advised by a lead consultancy team to support on the planning application including Turley Planning Consultancy, Bond Bryan Architects, WSP and JPG Engineers.

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Graham Sadler, managing director at SBP, said: "Having planning permission granted for our Phase 4 "masterplan" is an excellent outcome and provides further opportunity to attract OEM companies to join existing occupiers including Boeing and McLaren at the nucleus of the AMID. This will further establish Sheffield city region as a world class advanced manufacturing hub.

"I'd like to thank the whole project team and Rotherham MBC for their tremendous work and support to date. We look forward to continuing working closely together to bring our ambitious plans to life."

The outline plans with reserved matters was discussed at a recent meeting of the planning board at Rotherham Council.

Nigel Hancock, development manager at Rotherham Council, explained to the board: "The site is allocated for industrial and business puropses in the local plan and this is an industrial and business scheme. Any office uses will be ancillary to the other uses on site and it is likely that job creation will be anywhere between 350 to 700 new jobs.

"It is fully supported in local plan policy and it will contribute to employment growth. The principle is therefore acceptable. It is an extension of the business park and supports everything that is going on at the AMP [Advanced Manufacturing Park]."

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The proposals will add to the transport network but it is not considered to be severe and Highways England have no objections.

The plans were passed unanimously.

Outline planning permission provides flexibility and details of layout, access and landscaping will need to be approved as occupiers come forward.

Sheffield Business Park website

Images: SBP / Bond Bryan

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News: Strong interest expected for new Rotherham units

Network Space Developments is expecting strong interest for a new high-specification industrial warehouse development in Rotherham.

Rothbiz reported earlier this month that a planning application has been submitted for the remaining land at Woodhouse Link which will comprise four individual units, ranging from 15,800 sq ft to 48,900 sq ft and is being delivered in partnership with Rotherham Council and Sheffield city region (SCR).

The units have each been designed to appeal to a wide range of logistics and industrial occupiers and will benefit from self-contained and segregated yards, generous office and car parking provision with 8 to 10m eaves heights and dock level doors on the two larger units.

The eight-acre site is situated within the Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation District, just minutes from the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) and close to Junctions 31 and 33 of the M1.

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Stephen Barnes, managing director (development) at Network Space, said: "Although our intention is to build speculatively at Woodhouse Link, we expect interest to be strong due to the high quality of the units and the excellent strategic location of the site.

"We have worked closely with Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council and Sheffield City Region to draw up plans for the site so that the development best suits the needs of the area and we anticipate that the range in unit sizes will appeal to a broad range of occupiers."

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Cllr. Denise Lelliott, Cabinet Member for Jobs and the Local Economy at Rotherham Council, said she was pleased to see yet another new development in the pipeline that would strengthen the commercial property offer in Rotherham.

"The AMP and the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District continue to go from strength to strength," she said. "This is great news for Rotherham and the city region as we look to grow the local economy, employment opportunities and skills for our local residents."

If approved, the development would provide the opportunity for 150 new jobs.

Network Space website

Images: Network Space

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News: SCR at MIPIM 2019

The Global Innovation Corridor concept is the focus of this year's Sheffield city region (SCR) delegation to MIPIM.

Celebrating its 30th year, the MIPIM conference is the world's premier real estate event, held each year in Cannes. It gathers the most influential international property players from the office, residential, retail, healthcare, sport, logistics and industrial sectors.

The Global Innovation Corridor will link assets such as the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District, the University of Sheffield's Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, Sheffield Hallam University's Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre, the Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park, the National College for High Speed Rail, Barnsley's Digital Media Centre and Doncaster Sheffield Airport.

Sir Nigel Knowles, special advisor on international trade and investment to Mayor Jarvis, said: "As we build our vision for a Global Innovation Corridor, connecting people, places and ideas, MIPIM provides an excellent opportunity to engage with international partners from the outset – and invite them to share in that vision.

"Through the Global Innovation Corridor, for the first time in this city region we have a comprehensive stitching together of strategic spatial considerations and diverse job-creating sectors, with a view to driving growth forward.

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"MIPIM provides an annual opportunity to pull the best of the private and public sectors in our region together, and unite to show the world what makes us such an attractive place to live, work and invest in.

"We have a packed programme of events lined up, headed by talented and inspirational speakers from the top of their respective industries. I'm therefore delighted to be leading the SCR delegation once again."

Focused around the SCR's research and design assets and cutting-edge partnerships with two world-leading universities, the Global Innovation Corridor will be a global magnet for people, industry and innovators.

It aims to grow the region's advanced manufacturing, wellbeing and digital clusters, underpinned by reliable, green and highly-connected transport infrastructure, as laid out in Mayor Dan Jarvis' transport vision.

Rotherham-based brownfield regeneration specialist, Harworth Group plc, is a partner in the SCR delegation. Owen Michaelson, chief executive officer at Harworth Group plc, said: "We're delighted to be sponsoring Sheffield City Region at MIPIM for the sixth year running.

"The region has a big story to sell in two respects; the quality of the assets it has at its disposal including the Advanced Manufacturing Park and Doncaster Sheffield Airport, alongside what it contributes to the quality of discussion and key policy matters such as placemaking and infrastructure.

"Land and property-related businesses in the region should therefore not underestimate just how important MIPIM is in establishing and refining potential deals and cultivating new relationships. Being part of a wider delegation helps this process and we recommend others join us in sponsoring the region to promote its assets and expertise."

SCR Invest website

Images: SCR

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News: Looking LEFT to protect turbine blades

Highlighting the emerging Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District (AMID) in Sheffield and Rotherham, a new project led by local firms looks set to significantly improve the performance of offshore wind turbines throughout their service life.

The Leading Edge for Turbines (LEFT) project, part-funded by Innovate UK, is a two-year, £1m collaboration between Doncasters Bramah, a Sheffield-based specialist aerospace component manufacturer and Performance Engineered Solutions (PES), an engineering design solutions business based on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham. The project is being supported by the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult in Blyth, the UK's leading technology innovation and research centre for offshore renewable energy.

The project involves developing a novel system to protect the turbine blades from rain erosion which is currently the leading source of damage to offshore wind turbine blades and is caused by rain and wind hitting the blades. Over time this erosion breaks down the protective coatings attached to the blades, exposing and eventually compromising the blade's structure.

It is a significant issue for both turbine manufacturers and operators as they look to improve a blade's operational life to match the 25-year active service life of the turbines.

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The LEFT project sees Doncasters using their expertise in supplying leading edge erosion shields for civilian and military aircraft and helicopters, to solutions for the offshore wind industry. Meanwhile the PES engineers are applying their experience in component performance and composites optimisation on the project. In particular this includes their understanding of lightweight materials, and aerodynamic design.

The project will investigate integrating nickel cobalt erosion shields into the overall design of the wind turbine blades. Doncasters' electroforming method is an additive manufacturing process which enables them to "grow" the new erosion shields in a chemical bath.

Andrew Woods, business development manager at Doncasters Bramah (pictured, third from right), said: "At Doncasters we have more than 20 years' experience of producing electroformed metallic leading-edge protection solutions to the global aerospace industry. This project represents an exciting opportunity for us to cross-sectorise this knowledge and capability from aerospace into the growing offshore renewables market. Along with our partners on Project LEFT we aim to adapt and develop a lifetime protection solution to arguably one of the biggest problems in the offshore wind industry today."

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Dean Gardner, engineering director at Performance Engineered Solutions (PES) Ltd (pictured, far left), added: "We already work closely with the Doncasters team on other R&D projects. One of the skills of our team is our understanding about materials, light weighting and design which we can apply within a range of industry sectors. As a team we really enjoy working on projects that are challenging and were we can create solutions that will make a marked positive impact for our clients."

If successful, this project will lead to the introduction of a new product that provides significant benefits to the offshore wind industry.

Performing better than the current coating solutions, the new metallic erosion shields are estimated to save operators around £1.3m per turbine during a typical service life, removing the significant cost of repair operations and downtime.

Doncasters Bramah website
PES Performance website

Images: PES

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News: Plans in for Sheffield Business Park expansion

Detailed plans have been submitted that will enable the successful Sheffield Business Park to expand into Rotherham, where there is the potential to create around 1,000 more jobs.

Rothbiz has reported previously on the part of the park which actually crosses the boundary into the Rotherham local authority district and has already seen the development of The Car People and the Mercure Sheffield Parkway hotel to the East of the Europa Link.

Over the Parkway from the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP), the site of the former Sheffield airport is home to the likes of The University of Sheffield's "Factory 2050", ITM Power, Fulcrum, SIG and Stanley Black and Decker. The park comprises over 200 acres with 700,000 sq ft of floor space already accommodating over 2,000 jobs.

The park is seen as key to the potential Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District (AMID) and the Phase 4 Masterplan is to encompass 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 and – pending planning approval - construction is expected to start soon after the planning consent is granted.

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The 18 acres in Rotherham is yet to be developed as it was placed in the greenbelt to secure a clear area of land at the end of the former Sheffield City Airport runway. With the airport's closure in 2008, the land was changed to employment use in the recently adopted Local Plan. The switch from the HS2 line heading to Meadowhall to the M18 route has also opened up the area for development.

Lewis Evans from Leeds-based planning consultants, Turley, which was appointed by SBP to lead the planning application process commented: "Having worked closely with Sheffield Business Park, the local planning authority and the lead project team (comprising Bond Bryan Architects, WSP and JPG), we have ensured the preparation of a comprehensive planning application that sets out the intentions of Sheffield Business Park for the new facilities."

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Graham Sadler, managing director at SBP added: "Geographically located at the centre of the UK, Sheffield City Region has been at the heart of manufacturing and engineering innovation since the Industrial Revolution and is now renowned for its lead on Advanced Manufacturing, Research and Development attracting OEM manufacturers such as Boeing, Rolls Royce and McLaren to the area.

"Phase 4 of Sheffield Business Park is at the nucleus of AMID and provides great opportunity to create a natural gateway between Rotherham and Sheffield as well as driving forward the vision of supporting the prosperity of the region's economy and positioning South Yorkshire as leading the way in Advanced Manufacturing."

Totally transformed, the area now occupied by the business park originally formed an area of tipping and processing of waste material for the Tinsley Steelworks.

Outline planning permission is sought, with all matters reserved. New T-junctions will be accessed off Britannia Way from the Europa Link / Britannia Way roundabout junction.

The site, which benefits from Enterprise Zone status, is set to provide opportunities for OEM and supply chain partners to relocate to the Sheffield city region in order to co-locate close to the world-leading manufacturing expertise. Agents at Knight Frank are already marketing the scheme.

The proposal is expected to generate between 342 and 712 local jobs, with more during the construction phase.

Sheffield Business Park website

Images: Sheffield Business Park / Bond Bryan

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News: Council concerns over Don Valley development

Rotherham Council is planning to raise an objection with redevelopment plans for an area near Meadowhall in Sheffield with concerns over the impact on the proposed Forge Island scheme in Rotherham town centre.

British Land has updated its plans for the River Don District (RDD) on three underused adjoining plots of land in Sheffield's Lower Don Valley, to the south of Meadowhall.

The 17.07 ha site was previously identified for an office-led, mixed-use scheme, but following the success of the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham and the Sheffield Business Park in Sheffield, new elements linked to the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District (AMID) are being put forward.

The AMID vision is based on a 2,000-acre centre of excellence for innovation-led research and industrial collaboration, where industry and academia are co-located in a new form of business park.

The new RDD application includes manufacturing and research units for major occupiers and premises for growing and new start-up companies.

In addition, the application includes hotel floorspace as well as supporting retail, food and beverage, and leisure uses. It is these elements that are causing concerns for Rotherham Council, who have secured the land and have a preferred development partner for a leisure-led regeneration scheme on Forge Island.

A response from Rotherham Council to the planning application for the River Don District, reads: "Further assessment should be carried out as part of the Sequential and Impact Tests to discount and assess the impact of the development on Forge Island in terms of the proposed retail and leisure uses.

"If this assessment is not carried out RMBC wish to formally object on the grounds that insufficient information exists to fully assess the impact of development on Forge Island."

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Sequential tests ensure that development is located in the most sustainable location first (usually in town centres), before other, less sustainable locations are chosen.

The planning documents state that during pre-application discussions it was suggested that Forge Island, Rotherham should be assessed as a sequential alternative but it was not.

Quad Consultants are working on the scheme and said: "It is important to note that this site [Forge Island] is located outside the agreed catchment for the retail element of scheme, and at the very edge (largely outside) of the catchment for the proposed leisure uses.

"In this context, we do not believe that it is appropriate to consider this site as a sequential alternative location to accommodate the proposed development. Locating the proposal at the Forge Island site would serve an entirely different catchment to that intended to be served by the application proposal."

The planning consultants have questioned the need to apply the sequential test. They expect that any retail and food and beverage uses in the scheme would be locally focused, and service the future employees on the site, which could be up to 4,800.

On impact, the plans add: "In terms of any impact on future investment in Rotherham, again this will not be significant adverse. Rotherham, is located well beyond the agreed catchment for the retail element of the proposal and at the periphery (and just beyond) the wider catchment agreed for the leisure element.

"Consequently, the delivery of localised facilities to meet the needs of employees on the site, as well as to serve the immediate catchment, there will be no impact on Rotherham."

Rotherham Council objected to plans for a 330,000 sq ft Leisure Hall development at Meadowhall, stating that it would have a "significant adverse impact upon the vitality and viability of Rotherham town centre." Sheffield City Council's planning board approved the plans last year.

River Don District website

Images: British Land

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News: McLaren's £50m facility signals green light for "weight race"

McLaren's new £50m facility in Rotherham highlights perfectly the five foundations of the UK's Industrial Strategy and its opening "effectively fires the stating gun" for the automotive industry's race towards utilising lighter and lighter materials.

Published this time last year, the Industrial Strategy lays out how the UK should tackle its productivity challenge. It focuses on ideas, people, infrastructure, business environment and places.

In the strategy, advanced manufacturing in the Sheffield city region is used as a cases study on regional approaches to economic development. It highlights the success of the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) with Boeing and the emerging Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District (AMID), and the high-profile investments on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP), such as the McLaren Composites Technology Centre (MCTC) and the £110m Rolls-Royce Advanced Blade Casting Facility. The Sheffield-Rotherham AMID aims to develop Europe's largest research-led advanced manufacturing cluster.

A royal opening was held last month for McLaren's new facility on the AMP which is the supercar manufacturer's second only production facility and the first outside its native Woking.

50 employees are already employed at the 75,000 sq ft facility which, once fully operational in 2020, will create over 200 direct jobs and produce carbon fibre tubs as part of McLaren's constant efforts to save weight and produce greater energy efficiencies.

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Mike Flewitt, chief executive officer of McLaren Automotive (pictured, far right), said in a guest blog for the Government: "The MCTC is first and foremost an innovation centre, turning ideas into strong commercial products, in close collaboration with academia.

"It is no coincidence that the lamp posts our Royal guests drove along on their way to open our second-ever facility were adorned with "Innovation is GREAT" branding.

"We are clear; we want the MCTC to be a world-leader in what it does."

Working with the AMRC and other research centres, £2.4m of Government funding via Innovate UK enabled McLaren to develop technologies to significantly reduce the cost of utilising advanced carbon fibre composite materials in vehicle structures, a traditional barrier to date. The centre has also been backed a grant of up to £12m via the Sheffield city region (SCR).

McLaren's ability to tap into the SCR's extensive materials expertise, skills, university resources, and dynamism will help it to continue to innovate quickly and launch 18 new models or derivatives under its ambitious Track25 business plan that are lightest in class.

The aim is for 100% of McLaren sportscars and hypercars to be hybrid and Flewitt believes that "the innovation that goes on at the MCTC will be vital in our ability to deliver on those ambitions."

Flewitt added: "The opening of the MCTC effectively fires the starting gun on the "weight race". The old "power race" with ever bigger, thirstier and heavier petrol engines is well and truly over.

"It's my belief that, through facilities like the MCTC, with a joined-up policy landscape that makes the natural link between lightweight and future powertrain as almost two halves of the same whole, Britain can become a world leader in lightweight materials technology that will help create more efficient future vehicles for use the world over."

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The in-sourcing of the manufacture of the carbon fibre chassis also increases the average percentage (by value) of a McLaren car sourced in the UK by around 8% from its current average of around 50% depending on model.

On selecting the AMP for the facility, Flewitt added: "Places such as the Sheffield region's Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District is an ideal place for McLaren to invest.

"It allows us to leverage existing strengths to also stimulate infrastructure investments that actively support long-term productivity.

"We are proud to be bringing over 200 new jobs to the Sheffield region which has a long association with advanced materials; first with steel and now a future to look forward to with carbon fibre."

McLaren Automotive website

Images: McLaren

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News: SCR shortlisted for much-needed transport cash

The Sheffield City Region (SCR) is one of ten areas in the UK to be shortlisted for a share of Government money to transform the way people travel.

A £1.7 billion Transforming Cities Fund was announced in the Autumn Budget 2017. The majority of the fund, to improve local transport connections, was divvied up to regions which had elected mayors, for them to control and spend as they see fit. As the SCR did not have an elected mayor at the time, the combined authority has had to bid into the remaining funds to get the cash to back its new transport strategy.

The remaining £840m looks set to be divided between the ten areas.

At the heart of the SCR bid, which is supported by all four local councils, is the proposal to develop a new Global Innovation Corridor that stretches across the region, linking people to key sites including Sheffield city centre, Doncaster Sheffield Airport, the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham and Barnsley's Digital Campus.

In addition, the bid seeks to improve connectivity for communities and businesses across the Dearne Valley.

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Dan Jarvis, mayor of the Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield Combined Authority has previously stated that the bid was for £100m and has described the SCR as having an "antiquated transport system that is chronically short of investment and that doesn’t move the residents or businesses around the region as it should."

Jarvis said: "I welcome this announcement from the Government, which reflects the strength of our bid to the Transforming Cities Fund.

"It is critical that we improve the transport system in our region, to create better access to major employment sites, reduce congestion and better integrate different modes of transport.

"Our proposal to develop a Global Innovation Corridor which connects residents and businesses to our internationally-significant assets will help to achieve that, and grow our economy.

"I now look forward to working with the Department for Transport as we develop our detailed plans."

An initial £50,000 is being provided as well as bespoke support from government to co-develop the strongest cases for investment.

A transport strategy is being drafted and the SCR is pushing for a new mass transit system to support growth.

If secured, the funding would pay for transformational transport changes in these areas, including bus priority improvements, enabling active travel, providing transport hubs, introducing smart ticketing, new park and ride sites, and much more. This would lead to quicker journey times, reduced congestion, improved punctuality and reliability, and benefits associated with active travel, such as improved health and wellbeing.

Cllr. Chris Read, leader of Rotherham Council, said: "Rotherham's ambition is to create the right conditions for growth and regeneration.

"As Yorkshire's fastest growing-city economy, and UK's tenth fastest growing economy, we are working closely with our neighbours to ensure a strong transport, digital and environmental infrastructure supports further economic growth for the region."

SCR website

Images: SCR

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News: Creative Space at AMP Technology Centre

Creative Space Management is continuing to manage the AMP Technology Centre in Rotherham which was acquired by Sheffield City Region Combined Authority earlier in the year.

The technology centre provides incubation space on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham and is designed to accommodate a range of manufacturing-related activities, from fledgling engineering and technology companies, to University spin-offs and subsidiaries of established companies.

A property deal, worth around £7m, saw ownership move over from Homes England.

The 80,000 sq ft centre has multi-tenanted office and workshop space aimed at the advanced manufacturing and engineering sectors, along with state-of-the-art meeting rooms and conference facilities.

Creative Space Management Ltd has been reappointed to continue operating the centre, which underwent a significant expansion in 2016, for five years, with an option to extend for a further two years subject to performance.

Creative Space was formed in 2005 in response to the market demands of emerging new businesses and fast-growing enterprise sectors. It previously managed the facility for Homes England and successfully grew average occupancy to 90% securing high profile occupiers such as MetLase, a joint venture between Rolls-Royce and Unipart. More than 300 people now work at the AMP Technology Centre.

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Sir Nigel Knowles, chair of the Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, said: "We are pleased to appoint Creative Space Management as managing and letting agents for this integral facility, at the heart of the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District and the emerging Global Innovation Corridor."

Paul Taylor, from Creative Space Management (pictured, left), added: "We are excited to be playing a pivotal role in the next chapter of this important strategic asset. We are confident that our specialist sector knowledge and innovative approach to a fast-changing market will enable us to build on our previous success, and the already strong reputation of the Advanced Manufacturing Park."

Rothbiz reported in March that the city region is set to reinvest income from the centre into progressing the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District (AMID) where the aim is to develop Europe's largest research-led advanced manufacturing cluster.

Also pictured is retiring centre manager, John Palframan.

AMP Technology Centre website

Images: Creative Space

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News: Another Sheffield-Rotherham link road planned

A second direct road link between Rotherham and Sheffield is being developed to boost the city region economy and enable users to avoid the heavily congested junctions on the M1.

The £20m+, alternative, all transport route known as the Tinsley Link opened in 2016 following delays. It bypasses the congested M1 junction 34 South by providing a new section of highway beneath the Tinsley Viaduct.

It is the northern route of a £30m Sheffield to Rotherham Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) scheme but a southern route between the town and city via Waverley has previously been denied Government funding.

Now a second link through the Don Valley is set to play a key role in supporting the emerging Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District (AMID) and the vision for a Global Innovation Corridor that stretches across the region, linking people to key sites including Sheffield city centre, Doncaster Sheffield Airport, the Advanced Manufacturing Park in Rotherham and Barnsley's Digital Campus.

A new transport strategy published by Sheffield City Council includes the specific action to provide a new road link between Sheffield and Rotherham avoiding motorway junctions.

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The strategy explains: "Connections with our neighbouring towns, particularly Rotherham, must continue to be strengthened, in support of local and city region economies. We must deliver a transport system for Sheffield with the connectivity and accessibility needed to support and enable our growing and thriving economy.

"Almost all movements between Sheffield and Rotherham must pass through motorway junctions. These junctions suffer significant congestion at peak hours, and there is little scope for increased capacity at these junctions given physical constraints. Additionally, the number of freight movements through the motorway and its junctions is exacerbated by constraints on the local highway network, notably low railway bridges, which also hinder accessibility and permeability within the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District, raising a serious challenge for the city.

"The operators of the motorway, Highways England (HE), now routinely object to and hold up planning applications, due to adverse impacts on the national Strategic Road Network. This capacity constraint will need to be eased if the growth of the city is to be achieved. Collaboration will be required between Sheffield and Rotherham councils, and HE, to ensure the solution addresses both Highways England's concerns and the city's need to support growth in a sustainable and equitable manner.

"The X1 Sheffield to Rotherham to Maltby SteelLink bus service, started in September 2016 and the Sheffield to Rotherham tram-train service due to commence later in 2018, should help improve public transport connectivity, but this is not expected to be sufficient to address the issue in itself."

The Innovation Corridor project is a key part part of the Government's Large Local Major Projects programme and the city region is bidding for around £100m from the Government's Transforming Cities Fund. Rotherham's capital strategy includes a £45m plan to widen the Parkway to three lanes between the M1 and Catcliffe.

No details of the proposed route of the new link road have been released but it would likely pass through the Lower Don Valley. Recent planning documents for creating the River Don District on remaining sites alongside Meadowhall show that a parcel of land has been "left available for the possible future development of a new link road to the AMRC in this part of the Lower Don Valley, should that scheme be brought forward."

The strategy comes at the same time as the Government urges the area to address air pollution. Sheffield and Rotherham Councils are preparing final plans on what measures can be introduced so that air quality limits are achieved within the shortest possible time. The plans are due by December 2018.

In the short term, a £4.5m programme of bridge maintenance is due to get underway at Tinsley Viaduct on August 8. The project includes resurfacing, replacing barriers and waterproofing the steel structure and is due to be completed in April 2019.

Images: Tensar / AMRC / Bond Bryan

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News: Massive AMP expansion set for planning green light

The next commercial phase at the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham is being recommended for approval at the next meeting of the planning board at Rotherham Council.

Rothbiz reported in March on plans by landowner and developer, Harworth Group that would provide consent for around 35 acres of land to be used for flexible high quality business, manufacturing and office floorspace. An upper floor limit of 430,500 sq ft is proposed with 5% of which being proposed for B1a office use.

Previously the site of the Orgreave coking works and opencast mining, the application site has recently been restored and engineered to provide development platforms to accommodate future employment units. It includes a strip of land between the existing units and the Parkway.

The site is within the Sheffield city region's Enterprise Zone and financial incentives are available to companies relocating here, including Business Rate Relief.

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Matters of access, layout, scale, appearance and plot landscaping are reserved for future consideration as potential occupiers come forward.

The AMP is already home to the likes of Rolls-Royce, Metalysis, Nikken and the world class facilities that make up the University of Sheffield's Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC). Recent lettings include Spender Audio, British Steel and Bodycote.

McLaren Automotive has recently taken the keys to its 75,000 sq ft facility on the AMP where the £50m McLaren Composites Technology Centre (MCTC) is set to open later this year.

Members of the planning board are being recomended to approve the application and the planning officer highlights the "benefits it will have in terms of securing the future success of the AMP, the generation of high value jobs and the ongoing emergence of the Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation District (AMID)."

5% of the floorspace is set to be used for offices alongside the advanced manufacturing units. The plans state that the impact on nearby centres "would be entirely minimal in scale and nature and would not undermine their current or future vitality and viability."

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The development will have some effect on local traffic and transport issues have also been assessed. Highways England initially raised concerns regarding the impact on junction 33 of the M1. Updating the travel plan, including informing end users of public transport and other methods of reducing single occupancy car trips, has allayed the agency's fears.

Plans have also been updated to open up the landscaping along the Parkway that will help show the AMP buildings and demonstrate its importance.

Up to 3,500 pioneering new jobs are being created at the UK's most successful advanced manufacturing technology park but it is estimated that land at the AMP will run out in the next four to five years.

Images: Harworth Group

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News: SCR forced to bid for transport funds

Whilst other mayoral regions have been guaranteed a substantial chunk of government funding for transport, the Sheffield City Region (SCR) is having to take part in a competitive scramble for the remaining cash.

A new £1.7 billion Transforming Cities Fund was announced in the Autumn Budget 2017. The majority of the fund, to improve local transport connections, was divvied up to regions which had elected mayors, for them to control and spend as they see fit. As the SCR did not have an elected mayor at the time, the combined authority has had to bid into the remaining funds to get the cash to back its new transport strategy.

A lack of consensus from the leaders of South Yorkshire's four councils denied the SCR the chance to conclude a devolution deal with the Government, but a mayoral election took place anyway and Dan Jarvis MP became the mayor of the Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield Combined Authority in May.

An application has now been submitted to the Government's Transforming Cities Fund.

At the heart of the bid, which is supported by all four local councils, is the proposal to develop a new Global Innovation Corridor that stretches across the region, linking people to key sites including Sheffield city centre, Doncaster Sheffield Airport, the Advanced Manufacturing Park in Rotherham and Barnsley's Digital Campus.

In addition, the bid seeks to improve connectivity for communities and businesses across the Dearne Valley.

If approved, cash from the Transforming Cities Fund would be spent on active travel, public transport improvements, mobility solutions and relieving congestion on key road routes. The projects would be delivered over the next four years.

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Dan Jarvis, mayor of the Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield Combined Authority, said: "We are experiencing strong economic and jobs growth, we are developing our advanced manufacturing and engineering capabilities and we have globally significant assets such as Doncaster Sheffield Airport and the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District.

"But, quite simply our transport system and its supporting infrastructure is not fit for the 21st century. Our urban centres are poorly connected, residents struggle to access major employment sites and land available for development is constrained by congestion.

"These failures in the transport system limit the flow of ideas, people and business between our urban areas and major employment sites. It is a drag on our productivity, competitiveness and a waste of the talent and skills of our workforce. The current problems must be resolved as soon as possible, which is why we have set out these ambitious but deliverable plans."

The funding was calculated per capita so whilst £243m went to Greater Manchester and £250m to the West Midlands, the political disputes in South Yorkshire may have cost the Sheffield city region around £100m of guaranteed funding.

Jarvis added: "Our major assets and capabilities provide a strong foundation for future growth. But we must make sure that our residents can get to the jobs being created, so we need effective public transport, which is affordable, well integrated and provides the services that people need.

"We must tackle congestion on our roads to improve journey times and make them more reliable. And I am determined to support active travel, by improving cycling and walking routes across the region.

"That is why it is essential that the Sheffield City Region receives a fair share of the Transforming Cities Fund. We have put forward a strong evidence based bid to the Department for Transport and I will be championing our case with Government Ministers."

Last month, Rothbiz reported on the vision for the Global Innovation Corridor. The bid is supported by transport operators and private sector partners, including major investors Peel Group and Harworth Group who are pushing the vision to expand the innovation district to other sites which they own.

Owen Michaelson, LEP board member and chief executive of Harworth Group PLC, said: "It is incredibly important that investment in property, capital equipment and skills is matched with infrastructure investment that supports people from across the region to access employment opportunities in key growth locations.

"I am very supportive of this bid for vital funding to improve our transport systems."

SCR website

Images: SCR

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