A Doncaster-based food firm has identified an empty unit in Rotherham as it beefs up expansion plans for its burger chain concept.
The first Urban Fresh Burger & Fries opened at Wheatley Hall Road in Doncaster and following its success, the firm is now looking to create a network of restaurants throughout South Yorkshire, with a second location due to open at Lakeside in Doncaster.
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Now a planning application has been submitted to Rotherham Council that would enable an Urban Burger to open at the Tradeworld development at Parkgate.
The £5.5m trade counter retail development was completed in December 2016 and is home to the likes of Halfords Autocentre, National Tyre Services and the Gym Group. However, Unit 7 has remained vacant since opening with no interest in the unit shown.
The development has a number of consents for trade counter and bulky goods retail use but not for a restaurant / cafe. Bakewell-based Litton Property Group, which purchased the Ruscon engineering works on Rotherham Road in 2003, is now applying for a change of use for the 2,000 sq ft unit.
If approved, the new outlet would employ eight full time staff and four part-time staff. Urban Burger offers flat iron beef burgers, chicken fillet burgers and Mediterranean veggie burgers.
As it is an edge of centre site, a sequential test is included in the plans in line with "town centre first" national and local planning policies. 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 test concludes that there no sequentially preferable sites, discounting sites in Rotherham town centre, Parkgate, Rawmarsh and Dalton.
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The application, drawn up by DPP Consultants, concludes: "The proposed use of the existing unit is compatible with the mixed-use nature of the Tradeworld development and will not raise any significant amenity concerns. Further, the proposed development will bring a vacant unit into beneficial use and contribute to the supply of employment opportunities within the borough.
"The proposals will also not undermine the supply of employment land within the Borough and will not restrict the delivery of the economic objectives of the borough."
Developers behind a £5.5m trade counter retail development in Rotherham are bidding to secure planning permission that would enable United Carpets to open an outlet on the former industrial site.
Construction began last year for the Parkgate development where initial 2014 plans were approved to create ten units totalling 45,000 sq ft. Lettings include National Tyres & Autocare (NTS), Al Murad DIY Ltd and Halfords Autocentres. Planning permission was also secured for one unit to open as a gym, operated by the Gym Group.
Now a new planning application has been submitted that would change the use of two B8 trade counter units in order to provide a single 10,441 sq ft bulky goods retail unit (Use Class A1). The new retail unit is set to be occupied by United Carpets.
Bakewell based Litton Property Group purchased the Ruscon engineering works on Rotherham Road in 2003 but plans for a DIY retail store and garden centre were refused in 2005. Outline planning permission was granted in 2006 for a warehouse development with 20% of the floorspace approved for retail use.
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Rotherham-based United Carpets and Beds is the UK's largest franchised flooring and bed retailer and has recently moved its main Rotherham store to the former Staples unit at the Foundry Retail Park nearby.
As the site is not located within a designated town, district or local centre, a sequential test assessment is included in line with national and local planning policies. 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 applicants assessed a number of sequentially preferable locations, discounting vacant units in Rotherham town centre as being too small. Forge Island was discounted due to it forming part of the Council's future plans for a new entertainment, leisure and cultural quarter/complex.
When discussing potential projects being developed through the town centre masterplan at Forge Island and the markets, the planning consultants, DPP, acting on behalf of the applicants, add: "Proposals for a change of use of two trade counter units to provide a small bulky goods retail store outside of the town centre will not impact upon potential investment for the redevelopment of these sites."
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If the plans are approved, United Carpets will move from its current retail unit and occupy the proposed retail unit at Tradeworld. United Carpets have only recently moved to Unit 5 from another unit within the Foundry Retail Park (Unit 12 – Adjacent to DFS), due to lease arrangements.
The application adds that "it is not anticipated that the vacating of United Carpets from the Great Eastern Retail Park will have a significant adverse impact on the vitality and viability of the emerging centre as a whole. Indeed the previous United Carpet unit has already been pre let to Coop Concessions [AHF Futniture] and it is anticipated from the previous "churn" of occupiers at this retail park over the previous years that Unit 5 will not remain vacant for an extended period of time."
An assessment of the impact on town centres is also included with the applicant adding: "As the proposal actually results in a reduction in United Carpets trading floorspace, it is extremely unlikely that impact levels on any of the identified competing units within defined centres, will be of a significant adverse level; indeed these are anticipated to be negligible."
Car servicing and repair company, Halfords Autocentre, is planning to take space at a new retail development in Rotherham where building work recently got underway.
Trade World is a £5.5m trade counter and gym development at Parkgate that will create up to 50 jobs. Bakewell based Litton Property Group purchased the Ruscon engineering works on Rotherham Road in 2003. The 3.5 acre site has prominent main road frontage, close to the busy Parkgate Retail Park and planning consent has been secured for a 45,000 sq ft development.
Three of the nine units have been pre-let to National Tyres & Autocare (NTS), Al Murad DIY Ltd and The Gym. One unit is also under offer to Halfords Autocentres.
Plans have now been submitted that show that Halfords Autocentre plans to take 6,000 sq ft of space within phase 2 of development at the site.
Construction of phase 1 is being carried out by Roe Developments (UK) and includes the erection of a single B2 unit and the four B8 trade counter units. It is expected to complete in December with the units open for trading in early 2017.
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Amendments to approved plans to suit Halfords include slight changes to the car park layout and two vehicular service doors. The outlet would create six full time equivalent (FTE) jobs.
Halfords Autocentres operates from over 300 sites nationally and offers motorists high-quality MOTs, repairs and car servicing at affordable prices. The company, the leading retailer of motoring, cycling and leisure products, acquired the Nationwide Autocentre business for £73.2m in 2010.
The total car servicing and aftercare market is worth around £9bn with Halfords holding around 1.5% share of a highly fragmented market. Revenue for Autocentres was £75.5m in the first half of 2016, up 4.6% from the same period in the previous year. Like for like sales were up by 3.3%. Halfords estimates opening 10-15 Autocentres a year.
Rotherham currently has one Halfords Autocentre, on Westgate in the town centre.
Construction has started on a £5.5m trade counter and gym development in Rotherham that will create up to 50 jobs.
Planning permission was granted conditionally in 2014 for the Parkgate development where the plan was to create ten units totalling 45,000 sq ft. Since then three of the nine units have been pre-let to National Tyres & Autocare (NTS), Al Murad DIY Ltd and The Gym. One unit is also under offer to Halfords Autocentres.
Bakewell based Litton Property Group purchased the Ruscon engineering works on Rotherham Road in 2003 but plans for a DIY retail store and garden centre were refused in 2005. Outline planning permission was granted in 2006 for a warehouse development with 20% of the floorspace approved for retail use. Detailed plans for seven units were approved in 2008 but were not developed out.
Richard Squire, development director of Litton Property Group (pictured, second left), said: "We are delighted to be delivering what will be a signature trade counter and gymnasium development for Rotherham.
"Modern, efficient and highly prominent new property is extremely limited in the town and Trade World offers occupiers a unique space to base themselves in Rotherham with easy access to the local and regional road network."
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Handelsbanken has provided nearly £3.7m of funding and related facilities to deliver the scheme.
Kevin Fletcher, corporate manager at Handelsbanken Sheffield Tudor Square (pictured, right), said: "We are proud to provide funding support to an experienced local developer like Litton Property Group who will then invest in Rotherham and create much-needed employment. Strong customer relationships are at the centre of everything we do at Handelsbanken and Litton Property Group is no exception. This scheme will help to grow the South Yorkshire economy and we are delighted to be playing a part in that process".
Construction by Roe Developments (UK) is expected to complete in December with the units open for trading in early 2017.
Joint agents for the development are Fernie Greaves, CSP and Fairhurst Estates.
Five units are available, ranging in size from 1,500 sq ft to 5,177 sq ft, although units could be combined to form larger space. In total, there remains a further 22,208 sq ft.
The Gym Group, the longest established and leading operator of low-cost gyms in the UK, is hoping to open a new 24 hour facility in Rotherham, if planning permission can be secured at a new trade counter development in Parkgate.
The first phase of the £5m Tradeworld retail development in Rotherham is fully let with terms agreed with occupiers such as NTS and Al Murad Tiles meaning that construction can commence on the first five units later this year.
Plans have now been submitted after The Gym Group has shown a keen interest in taking the proposed units units 9 and 10.
Planning permission was granted conditionally last year for the Parkgate development where the plan is to create ten units totalling 45,000 sq ft. The plans, drawn up by Sheffield architects, Bond Bryan, show the units, ranging in size from 2,200 sq ft to 5,200 sq ft, complete with 111 standard car parking spaces and access from a new entrance from Rotherham Road.
Litton Properties purchased the Ruscon engineering works in 2003 but plans for a DIY retail store and garden centre were refused in 2005. Outline planning permission was granted in 2006 for a warehouse development with 20% of the floorspace approved for retail use. Detailed plans for seven units were approved in 2008 but were not developed out.
The latest planning consent, if granted, would effectively "sit alongside" the permitted scheme. Either but not both schemes could be implemented. The plans, drawn up by DPP Planning are for 9,000 sq ft of floorspace with a mezzanine floor of 4,000 sq ft.
The Gym Group will hope to fit out the Rotherham gym with a range of cardio-vascular (rowing, running, cycling, etc) and resistance (weights) equipment, and offer membership at low cost, with no minimum contract period.
The development is expected to create 15 full time equivalent jobs.
As the site is not located within a designated town, district or local centre, a sequential test assessment has been undertaken in line with national and local planning policies. Sequential tests ensure that development is located in the most sustainable location first (usually in town centres), before other, less sustainable locations are chosen.
After assessing sites in Rotherham town centre and around Parkgate, the applicants conclude that none are suitable or available to accommodate the proposed development.
Former England squash player John Treharne founded the London based gym chain in 2007. The group has built a successful business model operating 24 hour health and fitness uses with around 350,000 members across 60 sites located in most major cities in the UK.
Phoenix Equity Partners took a majority stake in June 2013, valuing it at £90m.
With plans for 80 gyms across the UK, revenues were up 27% to £45.9m for the year ended December 13 2014 with EBITDA (earning before taxes) rising 25% to £19m.
The first phase of the £5m Tradeworld retail development in Rotherham is fully let as plans go in to provide flexibility for future phases.
Planning permission was granted conditionally last year for the Parkgate development where the plan is to create ten units totalling 45,000 sq ft. The plans, drawn up by Sheffield architects, Bond Bryan, show the units, ranging in size from 2,200 sq ft to 5,200 sq ft, complete with 111 standard car parking spaces and access from a new entrance from Rotherham Road.
Litton Properties purchased the Ruscon engineering works in 2003 but plans for a DIY retail store and garden centre were refused in 2005. Outline planning permission was granted in 2006 for a warehouse development with 20% of the floorspace approved for retail use. Detailed plans for seven units were approved in 2008 but were not developed out.
Advertisement Plans have now been submitted by consultants, DPP Planning that would enable the developer to get on site and complete the first phase of five trade counter units and amend the approve plans to enable different options to come forward for the remainder of the site.
The plans state: "Occupiers have now been identified for units 1-5 and the developer is therefore keen to progress with the development for this part of the site. However, until occupiers are identified for the remaining units we request that this would form a later phase of development to provide some flexibility to the developer.
"The proposed changes to the approved scheme are considered to be minor and will assist the developer in the successful marketing of the remainder of the units as well as bringing forward the units that already have identified occupiers in a timely manner. The proposed changes to the scheme will not result in any adverse impacts."
Plans for the second phase include creating three units rather than four and merging two units to assist with marketing the site. Units would range from 3,000 to 9,000 sq ft.
Occupiers signing up already include a ceramic tile retailer and an tyre and MOT centre with three further units under offer. Agents Fernie Greaves believes that the completion for the first phase is due in the fourth quarter of 2015.
Demolition is nearly complete at the former Ruscon engineering works in Rotherham as the industrial buildings make way for a multimillion pound trade counter retail development.
Planning permission was granted conditionally in July for the Parkgate development where the plan is to create "Tradeworld," consisting of ten units totaling 45,000 sq. ft. The plans, drawn up by Sheffield architects, Bond Bryan, show the ten units, ranging in size from 2,200 sq ft to 5,200 sq ft, complete with 111 standard car parking spaces and access from a new entrance from Rotherham Road.
Litton Properties purchased the Ruscon engineering works in 2003 but plans for a DIY retail store and garden centre were refused in 2005. Outline planning permission was granted in 2006 for a warehouse development with 20% of the floorspace approved for retail use. Detailed plans for seven units were approved in 2008 but have not been developed out.
Rotherham-based DSR Demolition are on site taking down 70,000 sq. ft. of former steel and engineering shop plus ancillary offices and are due to be complete by Christmas.
Litton Property Group, the Derbyshire based property development and investment group, has already agreed terms with three tenants, comprising national brands in the automotive, protective equipment and ceramic tile sectors. Work on the new development is due to start in the early part of 2015 with units 1-5 set for completion later in the year.
Litton Property Group said that "the trade counter operators are trading very well throughout the UK and this is a very prominent site offering an excellent cluster opportunity. The end value of Trade World is approximately £5m and the project is likely to be retained within the Group's expanding portfolio."
Agents for Litton are Fernie Greaves, Fairhurst Estates and CSP.
