News: Rotherham Council in £4.5m deal with developers
Rotherham Council are close to concluding a deal that will net them £4.5m and enable a controversial 450 house development to go ahead.
Rothbiz reported in April that new developers had stepped in at Whiston after Avant Homes pulled out.
A residential allocation was made for nearly 50 acres of greenbelt land off Lathe Road / Worrygoose Lane through the development of the borough's Local Plan.
Miller Homes and St. Modwen Homes are now set to develop the site with a phased approach.
The new developers are now set to purchase a piece of surplus land on Worrygoose Lane from Rotherham Council, described as a "ransom strip."
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The council's cabinet is being asked to sign off the deal. A report explains: "The land is required to provide lawful access to a residential site allocated within the Council’s adopted Local Plan and therefore represents a ransom strip, without control of which the wider site cannot be developed.
"During the course of negotiations, a number of offers were made by the developer and adjoining landowners. At one stage, all offers were withdrawn while alternative options for accessing the site were explored, resulting in a period of limited engagement with the Council. At a later stage, a change in developer and a refreshed commercial approach led to negotiations being re-opened and ultimately concluding in a final agreed offer of £4.5m for the Council’s land.
"The disposal enables the realisation of value from a Council-owned asset and also enables delivery of a wider residential development, including affordable housing, as already identified within the Council’s Local Plan and wider objectives to deliver new residential and affordable residential across the Borough."
A reserved matters application for the site has never been approved. It detailed where the houses would go, the types of houses, and the location of things like attenuation basins and play areas. Miller Homes are now updating plans to reflect the incoming housebuilders’ product ranges.
With outline approval, the scheme comes with a number of conditions, such as contributing to £225,000 for transport improvements plus a financial contribution to the proposed works at Worrygoose roundabout, £100k per annum for a period of three years for bus services, and 25% on site affordable housing provision.
Miller Homes website
Images: Google Maps
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Rothbiz reported in April that new developers had stepped in at Whiston after Avant Homes pulled out.
A residential allocation was made for nearly 50 acres of greenbelt land off Lathe Road / Worrygoose Lane through the development of the borough's Local Plan.
Miller Homes and St. Modwen Homes are now set to develop the site with a phased approach.
The new developers are now set to purchase a piece of surplus land on Worrygoose Lane from Rotherham Council, described as a "ransom strip."
Advertisement
The council's cabinet is being asked to sign off the deal. A report explains: "The land is required to provide lawful access to a residential site allocated within the Council’s adopted Local Plan and therefore represents a ransom strip, without control of which the wider site cannot be developed.
"During the course of negotiations, a number of offers were made by the developer and adjoining landowners. At one stage, all offers were withdrawn while alternative options for accessing the site were explored, resulting in a period of limited engagement with the Council. At a later stage, a change in developer and a refreshed commercial approach led to negotiations being re-opened and ultimately concluding in a final agreed offer of £4.5m for the Council’s land.
"The disposal enables the realisation of value from a Council-owned asset and also enables delivery of a wider residential development, including affordable housing, as already identified within the Council’s Local Plan and wider objectives to deliver new residential and affordable residential across the Borough."
A reserved matters application for the site has never been approved. It detailed where the houses would go, the types of houses, and the location of things like attenuation basins and play areas. Miller Homes are now updating plans to reflect the incoming housebuilders’ product ranges.
With outline approval, the scheme comes with a number of conditions, such as contributing to £225,000 for transport improvements plus a financial contribution to the proposed works at Worrygoose roundabout, £100k per annum for a period of three years for bus services, and 25% on site affordable housing provision.
Miller Homes website
Images: Google Maps
