News: Owners consider changing colliery restoration scheme

The reclamation of Maltby Colliery in Rotherham and a scheme that will see the Green Belt returned into woodland and grassland could be revised again.

Owned and operated by Hargreaves Services plc, the 500 acre colliery was mined for over 100 years until geological conditions could not be overcome and underground operations ceased in 2013.

It had been expected to continue coal production until 2025 but the winding tower was brought down in 2014 and the mine shafts have been filled and capped. With the sudden closure, the future restoration scheme, included in the planning permission for the mine's operation, was re-examined and plans were approved in 2017.

The scheme involved cut and fill operations and the importation of 1.32 million tonnes of suitable fill material and 150,000 tonnes of soil making materials.

Estimated to take six years, it was proposed to progressively restore the former colliery tip to beneficial after-uses, including amenity grassland, agriculture, public access and nature conservation enhancement areas, and temporary ancillary and associated activities.

Owners say that due to the impact of Covid-19 restrictions the ongoing reclamation scheme is approximately 12 months behind schedule.

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Now new plans are being drawn up, with the main change being to infill the existing lagoon void on the south east part of the tip and plans to quarry for materials before the creation of a platform for employment use on the Northeast part of the pit yard.

Equipment auction company Ritchie Bros. UK completed a purchase of the land and remaining buildings at the heart of the site in 2022. The Canadian firm has been hosting auctions at Maltby since 2019.

Consultation documents show that the new scheme will require the importation of approximately 2 million cubic metres of suitable fill, including soil making materials, to September 2033.

The documents add: "It is proposed to develop a quarry on the north east part of the Pit Yard, south of the Colliery Tip. The quarry proposals provide for the extraction of 3.9 million tonnes of magnesian limestone to supply local markets and those further afield." This area would then be backfilled to create a development platform for beneficial employment use.

"The proposed development will provide up to 35 jobs on-site, additional jobs for those importing fill and exporting mineral by rail and road and spend in the economy including for services from local suppliers."

With approximately 300,000 tonnes per annum of fill, and the export of minerals at 200,000 tonnes per annum, this could generate an average of 128 HGV movements (64 in/64 out) per working day. The existing rail head could also be brought back into use.

Consultants are working on an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) with an environmental statement set to be submitted to Rotherham Council before a detailed planning application later in 2024.

Hargreaves website

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News: Ritchie Bros. to make further investment in Rotherham facility following land deal

Equipment auction company Ritchie Bros. UK is set to continue transforming its Rotherham site following its recently completed purchase of the land and remaining buildings.

The Canadian company's first permanent purpose-built plant and machinery auction facility in the UK was created on a 40-acre plot at the heart of the former Maltby Colliery.

The 500 acre colliery was mined for over 100 years until geological conditions could not be overcome.

Auctions began taking place at the site in 2019 as Ritchie Bros. outgrew its former base at Donington Park. Having secured planning permission, the site was developed step by step with local contractors. Surfaces were levelled, old structures demolished if not renovated, new offices were constructed, and equipment services added.

The £1.6m plant auction facility, which holds both live and online auctions, included a 15,000 sq ft auction building, auction lot yard for equipment display, check-in building, and office space. Around 30 full time jobs have been created.

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Work will continue following the purchase of the site, opening the door for further enhancements and onsite services for customers.

A key development project will see the major renovation of a large historical structure from the old colliery becoming a state-of-the-art equipment workshop.

Rupert Craven, Sales Director UK & Ireland at Ritchie Bros., said: "Since moving to Maltby in 2019, we’ve conducted 23 auctions, attracted over 30,000 registered bidders, and sold over 31,000 excavators, tractors, dumpers, trucks and other machinery to businesses from all over the world.

“During this time, we have made really good progress transforming the site into the Head Office for our UK business, and we have more exciting plans in the pipeline, like the new workshop.

“Once completed, our customers will be able to use painting and a range of refurbishing services in Maltby. This will further help our customers from all over the world buy and sell machinery, as a refurb can make all the difference when selling in our auction or Marketplace-E to help maximize the returns. Or before putting your purchased equipment to work.”

The world's largest industrial auctioneer dates back to 1958 and is now listed on the stock exchanges in New York and Toronto. For the third quarter of 2022 Ritchie Bros. posted adjusted EBITDA (earnings before tax) of $102.5m, up 12% on the same three months of the previous year.

Ritchie Bros. UK website

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News: Work underway at Maltby auction facility

Work has started on a major £1.6m plant auction facility for the world's largest auctioneer of construction, agricultural and transport equipment, Ritchie Bros., at the former Maltby Colliery in Rotherham.

Rothbiz reported in April that, having secured temporary approval to use 4.7 hectares of the pit yard at the mothballed colliery, plans were submitted for a long term use of the site.

Leeds-based Edward Architecture has been appointed to design and deliver the Canadian company's first permanent purpose-built plant and machinery auction facility in the UK.

Planning permission was granted earlier this year for the 40-acre plot to accommodate the auction facility, which will hold both live and online auctions, and Edward Architecture helped agree the specification, site layout and building design as part of the original planning submission and also assisted Hargreaves in the deal to bring Ritchie Bros. to Maltby from its former base at Donington Park, which it outgrew.

Following on from their worldwide auction facilities including the Middle East, Australia, Japan, the United States, and Canada, the first UK purpose-built facility for Ritchie Bros. will feature a new auction building, auction lot yard for equipment display, check-in building, and office space, as well as external works.

Auctions began taking place at the new site in 2019 and the firm is creating approximately 30 full time jobs.

A 15,000 sq ft auction building will be constructed with a public sales auditorium with a fully glazed wall overlooking the "auction ramp" where immense lots, including massive diggers, hydraulic excavators, rigid dump trucks and wheel loaders will be showcased to potential buyers.

The development will also feature a four-acre small lot yard, as well as 5,000 sq ft of office space with a registration area, auction back up and UK head office facility.

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Ritchie Bros. auctions are attended by bidders globally in person or online and the scheme will deliver 3.5 acres of customer parking for auction days and a 2,000 sq ft check-in building.  The remainder of the 40-acre site is an open display yard following demolition of the former mine buildings.

Whilst auctions are taking place regularly using temporary facilities and a marquee, the next key milestone will be the completion of the auction building in October 2020 and the inaugural auction from the new facility. Externals will be finished in May 2021. The contractor appointed for the external works is MHH Contractors Limited and the Auction building contractor is O & P Construction. The wider project team includes JNP Group as Structural Engineers, MRB as M&E Consultants and NPS Barnsley as Quantity Surveyors.

Graham Edward, managing director at Edward Architecture, said: "We are delighted to help facilitate and design the first purpose-built plant auction facility in the UK for such a prestigious, international auctioneer as Ritchie Bros. It's fantastic to bring this unique and exciting development to Maltby, designed to conduct large multi-day auctions. Ritchie Bros. has auction facilities around the globe so it's great that they have added Maltby with its long, rich heritage to its list of high-profile locations."

Rupert Craven, sales director at Ritchie Bros UK, added: "We are very pleased with the plans put together by Edward Architecture and cannot wait to welcome our customers at our new facility once it's complete. At Ritchie Bros., we are dedicated to providing our customers with the best buying and selling experience possible and this site provides a great central location for equipment storage and inspection—even when all our auctions are virtual during the COVID-19 pandemic."

Ritchie Bros., website

Images: Edward Architecture

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News: Auction firm looking long term at Maltby site

Ritchie Bros., the world's largest auctioneer of heavy equipment and trucks, has signed a legal agreement with Rotherham Council so that planning permission can granted for its new UK auction site at Maltby.

Rothbiz reported last year that plans had been submitted for permanent approval to use part of the Maltby Colliery site. Temporary approval was previously granted to enable 4.7 hectares of the pit yard at the mothballed colliery to be used as an auction site which could accommodate large plant, machinery and equipment when auction events would be held up to ten times per year.

Ritchie Bros. will primarily use the existing site infrastructure, including the entrance security building, weighbridge and wheel wash along with hardstanding areas.

It is expected that the Ritchie Bros. auctions will create approximately 30 full time jobs and result in a multi-million investment program including the modification of an existing building to form an auction theatre, construction of a new check-in building and use of the existing workshop.

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Lee Weatherall, planning and development manager at landowner, Hargreaves Land, said: "We are delighted that Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council have approved and issued this planning consent which will deliver important economic benefits.

"From the outset we engaged with key stakeholders to prepare the application as part of a longer term plan to create jobs and bring investment to the local area."

Ritchie Bros. works with many local service providers and suppliers to operate the Maltby auctions. In addition, customers from around the world attend the auctions and utilise the goods and services of airlines, car hires, rental cars, hotels, restaurants and more.

Due to COVID-19, all auctions are now online bidding only. The next Rotherham auction is scheduled for June 4 and 5.

Ritchie Bros. website
Hargreaves Land website



Images: Ritchie Bros. / Hargeaves Land

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News: Ritchie Bros. bids to make Maltby its long term home

Ritchie Bros., the world's largest auctioneer of heavy equipment and trucks, wants to use a former colliery in Rotherham as its UK location for the next 27 years.

Rothbiz reported in March that temporary approval was granted to enable 4.7 hectares of the pit yard at the mothballed Maltby Colliery to be used as an auction site which could accommodate large plant, machinery and equipment when auction events would be held up to ten times per year.

Having hosted two successful auctions already, now plans have been submitted that would provide approval for the operation on more of the pit site and over a much longer term.

A covering letter from WYG, agents for the scheme, explains: "This planning application for the Auction Scheme is submitted with a view, subject to securing planning permission, to enabling [sic] Ritchie Bros. to use the proposed 11.1 hectare Site (which includes the temporary 12 month scheme site and adjoining land) for their auction activities for a 27 year period, securing the 30 full time jobs and 40 additional temporary jobs for each auction event (over two days) up to 10 times per year, along with a proportion of such jobs commencing the week before the auction and also during the following week."

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It is estimated that the scheme would involve the investment of £3.58m by the landlord, Hargreaves Land, and Ritchie Bros. to develop the site, including the modification of an existing building to form an auction house, construction of a new check-in building and use of the existing workshop, along with associated works elsewhere on site, with the demolition of some redundant former colliery buildings.

Annual investment by Ritchie Bros. would involve a further spend of around £0.75m, which over the 27 year life of the venture, would total around £20.25m.

Ritchie Bros. has been holding auctions since 1958, initially in Canada and then expanding to now operate on an international basis. The UK auction operations had previously been based on land at Donington Park.

If approved, the new facilities could be in place for Spring 2020.

Ritchie Bros. website
Hargreaves Land website

Images: Ritchie Bros. / Hargeaves land

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News: Plans approved for reuse of Rotherham colliery

Plans have been approved to allow Ritchie Bros., the world's largest auctioneer of heavy equipment and trucks, to use a former colliery in Rotherham as its new UK location.

The proposal will create an estimated 30 full time jobs and 40 additional temporary jobs, and result in an estimated £3m of investment into Maltby Colliery.

Rothbiz reported on the plans in January that would enable part of the pit yard to be used as an auction site which could accommodate large plant, machinery and equipment when auction events would be held up to ten times per year. Around 575 attendees are expected at each auction event over two days.

Deemed a success, the first auction was held under permitted development rights in February. The approved plans are for a smaller area for temporary period of 12 months with plans set to follow for the full 26 acres for a longer period.

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Planners concluded that whilst the plans were not fully in accordance with the local plan policy for the former colliery, "the benefits that the proposal will bring in terms of job creation and inward investment to the area are to be afforded significant weight.

"Additionally, it is noted that the application site is only part of the former colliery site and would not prejudice any further future development on the remaining area.

"When taking into consideration the benefits the proposal would bring locally it is considered that the planning permission should be granted for the development."

Lee Weatherall, planning and development manager at Hargreaves Land, said: "We are delighted that planning consent has been secured to enable Ritchie Bros. to operate for a 12-month period at Maltby Colliery. This is the first step of a longer term plan which could extend to 26 acres for a 25-year period subject to planning."

The next Ritchie Bros. auction at Maltby is taking place on April 9.

The reclamation scheme for the rest of the colliery is expected to commence soon.

Ritchie Bros. website
Hargreaves Land website

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News: Rotherham colliery to host massive auctions

Remaining employment land at the former Maltby Colliery in Rotherham has been sized up by Ritchie Bros., the world's largest auctioneer of heavy equipment and trucks, for its new UK location.

The 500 acre colliery was mined for over 100 years until geological conditions could not be overcome and underground operations ceased in 2013.

Rothbiz reported last year that Hargreaves Land was promoting the reuse of around 80 acres for commercial/industrial uses around the former pit head.

Now plans have been submitted to enable part of the yard to be used as an auction site which could accommodate large plant, machinery and equipment when auction events would be held up to ten times per year. Around 575 attendees are expected at each auction event over two days.

The initial proposals are for a smaller area for temporary period of 12 months with plans set to follow for the full 26 acres for a 20 year period.

The first Rotherham auction has already been pencilled in for February 26 with a catalogue of loaders, dump trucks and excavators.

Ritchie Bros. have been holding auctions since 1958, initially in Canada and then expanding to now operate on an international basis with over 40 sites. UK auctions had been held at Donington Park but have now outgrown the site.

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In searching for new sites, Ritchie Bros. identified two preferred sites and of these the land on part of the pit yard at the former Maltby Colliery was the preferred location.

The plans added that "the former Maltby Colliery site's appeal to Ritchie Bros. included a heritage with an industry that they feel close to and a site with many inherent benefits by being expertly engineered and designed to accommodate large plant, machinery and equipment."

Secure, controlled access and excellent transport links were also in Maltby's favour.

The plans, drawn up by WYG, explain: "Ritchie Bros. employed 29 full time staff at their Donington Park site, which ceased activities in late 2018. It is anticipated that the temporary Auction Scheme would provide 30 full time jobs, which would include around ten employees relocating from the Donington Park site and the remaining 20 would be new employees.

"It is envisaged that 40 additional temporary jobs would be provided for each auction event (over two days) up to ten times per year, along with a proportion of such jobs commencing the week before the auction and also during the following week. In addition, there would be indirect jobs and spend in the local economy associated with the Auction Scheme estimated to be in the order of £0.75m per annum."

Transport assessments throughout the year are included with significant travel expected around the auction event days.

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Rupert Craven, sales director UK & Ireland at Ritchie Bros., said: "We're extremely proud and excited to announce that we're holding our next UK auction at a new location: in Maltby, Rotherham (South Yorkshire).

"More precisely, our auction site will be at the former Maltby Main Colliery mine – a place of incredible heritage and an inspirational community. As an active coal mine for more than a hundred years (between 1910 and 2013), it has seen its share of hard work, ingenuity and – yes – heavy machinery. We'll certainly strive to continue with these traditions.

"We've started to outgrow our Donington Park site. More and more equipment is brought to our yard every year. Our new location in Maltby will be ready for future growth and offer more advantage to all our customers."

The reclamation scheme for the rest of the colliery is expected to commence in Spring 2019.

Ritchie Bros. website

Images: Hargreaves / Ritchie Bros.

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