News: Call for Sites: Rotherham Council asks landowners and developers where houses and industrial space can be built

Rotherham Council has opened a call for sites as it looks to identify sufficient land to meet development needs into the 2040s.

A Local Plan provides a long-term development strategy, setting out policies and proposals for new housing, shopping and employment, and how people travel in the area. The Local Plan is used to make planning decisions and decide planning applications.

Rotherham's existing Local Plan covers 2013 to 2028 but changes to national policy, notably concerning housebuilding targets, means that Rotherham Council has begun preparing a new Local Plan, rather than update its previous core strategy.

The call for sites, open to August 28, provides an opportunity for landowners, developers and other interested parties to promote land for consideration for inclusion in a new Local Plan.

An update to councillors explains: "This is an early-stage information-gathering exercise to identify potential sites across the borough for a wide range of land uses. It does not allocate land, confirm suitability for development, or grant planning permission. All submissions will be assessed at a later stage and further information may be requested to understand suitability, scale, deliverability and site constraints.

"All submissions including those within the Green Belt, will be subject to detailed assessment, public consultation and member consideration as part of the plan-making process.

"Green Belt land can only be released in exceptional circumstances and through the full Local Plan process, where robust evidence and clear justification are required."

A number of planning applications have been made recently relating to housing on sites allocated as "safeguarded land" in the previous local plan. The 2018 local plan set out that they may be needed in the future and taken out of the greenbelt after the end of the plan period in 2028.

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The council has previously said that, in policy terms, it is no longer able to demonstrate a Five-Year Land Supply given the changes at a national level that have increased housing targets. The target for new house building per annum in Rotherham has increased from circa 560 dpa (Dwellings Per Annum) to 1,111 dpa.

The call for sites is being undertaken in advance of the formal plan-making stages, which are expected to commence later in 2026. There will be three stages of public consultation during the formal 30-month plan-making period. Public feedback on site options and the emerging strategy is currently anticipated at the second consultation stage in mid-2027.

The update adds: "The Council is seeking a broad range of potential sites, including housing, employment and commercial uses, retail and leisure, environmental uses, infrastructure and community facilities, renewable energy, waste management and minerals.

"Sites may be submitted by any interested party, including landowners, developers, public bodies and members of the public. Previously promoted sites must be re-submitted to ensure the Council holds current and consistent information.

"Residential sites should generally be at least 0.25 hectares or capable of delivering five or more dwellings, although some smaller specialist housing opportunities may also be relevant.

"Employment, commercial and retail sites should generally be capable of delivering 500 square metres or more of floorspace."

Rotherham Council website

Images: Google Maps

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News: AMP transformation makes Rotherham a global story

The Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham is described as one of the best examples of economic development in the country, with its impact something you can see, physically and numerically.

A new report from the Northern Powerhouse Partnership (NPP) has examined Rotherham’s economic transformation over the past two decades, building on a report last year that showed that Rotherham had the fastest-growing sub-regional economy in the North, with a 63.9% increase in productivity between 2004 and 2023.

The latest analysis pinpoints the smaller area that includes the AMP - the site at Waverley developed by Harworth and anchored by the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) which now supports a cluster which brings together businesses like Boeing, Rolls-Royce and McLaren Automotive with world-class research capability.

The report shows that real gross value added (GVA) grew in the AMP area from £111.6m in 2004 to £369.8m in 2022, a 231% increase in real terms, the strongest of any area in the borough by a substantial margin.

In 2022, small-area GVA per employee job in the AMP area reached £79,400 (2022 prices), 50% above the borough average and up 46.5% in real terms since 2015. The report says that this strongly indicates that the AMP is generating high-value economic activity.

Henri Murison, Chief Executive at The Northern Powerhouse Partnership, was talking at a Rotherham Together Partnership event last week about the transformation. He said that his organisation has been intrigued by the borough, saying that there was something "unusual and special about Rotherham."

Murison said: "The AMP economic trajectory is way above the borough, and the normal economy, and you can physically and numerically see the impact."

Situated on the former Orgreave colliery and coking works site, the AMP represents a striking example of economic renewal. An area once synonymous with the challenges of industrial decline, it is now home to one of Europe’s most significant clusters of advanced manufacturing, research and engineering activity.

Murison added: "The AMP is one of the country's best examples of economic development and the commitment by the area's leadership to push forward and prioritise employers like Rolls-Royce has had genuine dividends."

He referenced the collaboration with city neighbours, where the innovation district has expanded over the border from the AMP onto the site of the former Sheffield airport, and said that closing the economic productivity gap with city neighbours, as Rotherham has done, was unusual.

Murison concluded that Rotherham will need to take risks to continue the growth and pointed to the potential of the Don Valley Corridor and new Rotherham Gateway station on the mainline.

He said: "The point is, you have done this before, and when people like us say that you are likely to do it again, investors and people in real estate see this."

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Andrew McPhillips, Chief Economist at the Northern Powerhouse Partnership and author of the report, said: “Rotherham has recorded the fastest productivity growth of any major town in the North since 2004, but what is particularly striking is what sits behind that performance.

“Our analysis shows a long-term shift away from traditional heavy industry towards advanced manufacturing, engineering and innovation-led activity centred on the Advanced Manufacturing Park and the wider Don Valley corridor.

“The lesson is not that every place should try to replicate Rotherham exactly, but that through sustained collaboration between universities, businesses, investors and local leaders, we can create the conditions for long-term economic transformation.”

Tom Riordan CBE, Northern Growth Envoy, was also at the Rotherham Together Partnership event. He said: "Rotherham is a global story. It's not just you, it's a story for the North, and the UK - let's use it because this is how you get people working together, this is how you get that flywheel effect."

The former Yorkshire Forward boss also discussed the opportunity with the Don Valley Corridor and new Rotherham Gateway and said that he would continue to be a "friend and ally of Rotherham."

Cllr Chris Read, Leader of Rotherham Council, said: “The story of Orgreave and its transformation into something genuinely world‑leading at the Advanced Manufacturing Park to testimony to an extraordinary group of people, but it demonstrates a model which should inspire us for the future.

“Rotherham’s success story over the last decade is perhaps slightly obscured by the fact that hard work was undertaken in the typically determined, resilient but never showy style of our community. As we look towards the next decade of opportunity, the Don Valley Corridor has the potential to be one of the most important growth areas anywhere in the country and an exemplar for the North. This is about forging ahead, building on the lessons of the AMP while making the most of new industries, infrastructure and investment.

“Our plans for Rotherham Gateway, which would bring mainline services back to Rotherham for the first time since the 1980s, we’re looking to go further still, bringing new connections, new employment space and thousands of good-quality jobs closer to our communities.

“This welcome report shows not just how far we’ve come, but what’s possible when we get that long-term partnership right, giving certainty and stability for investment, and building on our strengths. There is much more to do, but with the momentum we have, we should be looking to the future with confidence.”

Northern Powerhouse Partnership website

Images: JPG / AMRC Training / RMBC

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News: Developers get on board following Rotherham mainline station announcement

Developers are showing an interest in Rotherham on the back of the government's commitment to support plans for a new mainline station in the borough.

Tom Riordan CBE, Northern Growth Envoy, told MPs that an unnamed developer had signed an agreement to start investment in the Rotherham.

Although full funding is "not a done deal" Rotherham Gateway Station and the electrification of the Sheffield - Leeds line were included in the first phase of Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) announced in January.

Over £11m of local transport funding has been agreed to develop a full business case for a new station at Parkgate. A 20-year programme of transformation includes more than 355,000 sq ft of advanced manufacturing and commercial space, around 250 new homes, and up to 132,000 sq ft of green spaces and public realm. It is a £300m regeneration project with proponents aiming to have the station open by late 2030.

The idea is to use a mainline station integrated with a tram-train stop to further develop the advanced manufacturing cluster within South Yorkshire as part of the UK’s first Investment Zone and the Don Valley Corridor.

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At a recent Westminster meeting of the Public Accounts Committee on Northern Powerhouse Rail, Tom Riordan CBE was asked if the partnerships between government and regional mayors and local councils was going to deliver NPR. Asking the question, Clive Betts, MP for Sheffield South East raised concerns over a situation where "no one is responsible and everyone blames everybody else."

Riordan, a former Chief Executive of regional development agency, Yorkshire Forward, said: "I am really confident about this because we have tested it already. We could be sat here talking about what we are going to do to try to come to an agreement about Northern Powerhouse Rail in the future, but what we actually did in practice last November was say, “We’re going to do this, but we’re going to do it with the mayors.”

"The Secretary of State, working with officials, myself, Jo [Shanmugalingam - Permanent Secretary at the Department for Transport] and others, worked to try to come to an agreement about the sequencing and the overall approach for this with the mayors. That has got to the point where joint compacts have been signed with Ministers where mayors have committed to put their own resources in to the agreement. It gives me confidence that we have done that once.

"It is really hard to agree stuff across the north of England, as we all know. It is not a single place; it is a group of different places. But we did that and it stuck. People have stuck with it. We have got further agreements about how we are going to move forward. We have a good partnership emerging around growth as well and the private sector is really interested in it.

"The week after the announcement, I went to Rotherham and met the council there. The fact that the Rotherham announcement had been made had led a developer to sign an agreement to start investment. That gives me confidence. A lot of times in the past, those of us in the north of England have maybe not had the confidence that things would happen. I really do think they are going to, and I think this is an innovative and different approach and it is working to date."

Images: RMBC

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News: Sheffield and Rotherham Councils set to commit £800,000 to Don Valley Corridor

Sheffield and Rotherham Councils are both committing £400,000 each towards the development of a flagship place-based regeneration programme for South Yorkshire based around the Don Valley Corridor.

Rothbiz reported first last month that the region's first Mayoral Development Zone (MDZ) is proposed for a unified corridor for innovation, industry and neighbourhood renewal stretching from Sheffield city centre to the site of the proposed Rotherham Gateway Station.

Bringing together the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) with Rotherham Council and Sheffield Council "creates a single front door for Government, agencies and private markets."

Cabinet approval has been secured in Rotherham for the council to commit £400,000 of its Gainshare revenue allocation for the scheme and Sheffield Council is expected to match Rotherham's £400,000.

Gainshare funding refers to the money committed to South Yorkshire through the Devolution Deal agreed by the MCA, South Yorkshire local authorities and government.

The money will go "toward programme resourcing and feasibility work for priority projects for the first three years of the programme."

Linked to the South Yorkshire Investment Zone, the programme will address transport issues (including the proposed new mainline and tram train stop at Parkgate), flood resilience and brownfield land which has been held back by contamination, low land values and viability constraints.

Investment Zone status provides South Yorkshire with up to £160m over ten years which can be used to offer investors, developers and start-ups a combination of targeted support and financial interventions to start, scale up and relocate their businesses.

Rotherham Council has already begun recruiting for a Don Valley Corridor Service Manager, who is expected to head up a new team delivering both the Don Valley Corridor partnership and Rotherham Gateway.

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Rothbiz has previously set out the Rotherham schemes that will fall under the Don Valley Corridor, including the new mainline station, further industrial space at Templeborough and new housing at Bassingthorpe and in the town centre.

Headline figures are that, through coordinated development, the 30 year transformation will enable over 18,000 jobs and 10,500 new homes with a £1.3bn uplift in GVA.

SYMCA papers set out that the authorities will use its existing statutory powers, "in particular, its strategic economic development powers and regeneration powers, its own resources and relationships with government, infrastructure providers and the private sector, as part of an integrated place-based programme. This will provide confidence both to the market, government and the wider public sector."

The paper adds that "there is shared commitment between SYMCA, RMBC and SCC to resource the programme collectively as a shared endeavour, including programme development capacity."

A Rotherham Council paper calls it "a nationally significant regeneration programme with a dedicated governance structure, programme leadership, and a coordinated approach to funding, delivery, and investment. Without coordination, opportunities scatter across isolated projects. With it, investors see credibility, residents see genuine opportunity, and places see sustained improvement rather than episodic development."

External funding is set to come from gainshare and other devolved funding pots, including funds that support renewal, housing and infrastructure. Nationally, the programme will be positioned to engage with institutions such as Homes England and the National Wealth Fund.

The Government has already committed to providing the South Yorkshire Mayor with access to "£85m new money to support jobs and development, including in the Don Valley Corridor and Sheffield Innovation spine."

The Government's recently announced £2.3bn City Investment Fund will bring together different types of finance, deployed flexibly to accelerate projects, expand city-centre housing and office markets, and support major regeneration schemes across the North. It is expected to be used in "developing projects in the Don Valley Corridor, Sheffield city centre Innovation Spine, and Rotherham Town Centre."

A Rotherham Council paper adds: "SYMCA are currently identifying potential funding partners and exploring potential co-investment models. This approach is intended to raise the profile of Don Valley Corridor onto a national stage to leverage both public and private funding, maximising the impact and reach of the regional investment through Gainshare funding."

Don Valley Corridor website

Images: RMBC / SYMCA

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News: South Yorkshire set to receive £1.3 billion

The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) has agreed a set of outcomes with Government to be delivered using £1.3 billion in devolved funding.

Called the integrated settlement, the funding backs a government strategy that provides local areas with a mandate "to act strategically to drive growth as well as support the shaping of public services, where strategic level coordination adds value."

The funding covers key themes such as economic development and regeneration, skills, transport and local infrastructure, and housing and strategic planning. It provides the combined authority with a much greater degree of certainty over medium term financial planning. SYMCA will also receive unprecedented powers of funding flexibility, which means that it will be able to move money between pillars as required to help achieve outcomes.

Developed alongside the new South Yorkshire Strategy and a Local Growth Plan, officials in the region have also developed an Integrated Settlement Outcomes Framework (ISOF) - a list of outcomes, indicators and targets that align with the wider ambitions set out in the strategy and growth plan.

The framework states: "SYMCA exists to deliver inclusive, sustainable growth that improves the lives of people across Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield. Our vision is to build a bigger and better economy, ensuring that all communities can share in our prosperity.

"Our ambitions are set out in the emerging South Yorkshire Strategy, which provides the overarching direction for our work. Everything we do is intended to help deliver its three ambitions:
1. Every resident can stay near and go far
2. South Yorkshire is the healthiest region in the country
3. Every community is connected and proud of its place."

With the £1.3 billion budgeted for the next four years, SYMCA has headline aims to support hundreds more businesses and create hundreds more jobs.

For example, the funding will be used on initiatives that help 400 businesses to increase productivity with 400 jobs created in local priority sectors. SYMCA interventions within the Investment Zone are also targeted to unlock further commercial floorspace.

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On transport, where SYMCA is leading on multimillion pound bus franchising plans, targets have been agreed for two million more bus passengers and one million more tram passengers per year, as well as increases in passenger satisfaction levels.

Increasing the number of government-subsidised EV charging devices and the number of miles on the region's active travel network are also included.

Adult skills is another key area for investment, with SYMCA backed schemes targeting more than 27,000 achievements at a level 1 qualification and 29,000 at level 2. The target for level 3 is 2,700 by March 2029.

Supporting people into employment will also continue to be funded. Here, 9,632 is the target for the number of starts on supported employment programmes.

For housing, where previous schemes have supported new housing on brownfield land, the target is 800 new homes starting on site over the next four years.

A SYMCA report explains: "The Integrated Settlement represents the most significant change in SYMCA’s funding environment since its inception in 2014, moving us away from a fragmented funding structure to a more consolidated and flexible one.

"The process of agreeing outcomes, indicators and targets required us to balance local and central government ambitions and ensure that the targets are achievable with the funds available through Integrated Settlement.

"The outcomes, indicators and targets agreed in the ISOF do not represent everything we care about in South Yorkshire. The activity represented in the ISOF reflects the funding streams included in Integrated Settlement. The South Yorkshire Strategy will provide the opportunity to represent the region’s broader ambitions."

SYMCA is set to be held to account through six-monthly programme boards with Government but there is provision for renegotiating targets, by exception, in the event that delivery against targets is not on track.

The integrated settlement brings together large funding pots, such as Transport for City Regions, Adult Skills Fund, National Housing Delivery Fund, Local Growth Fund, and Investment Zone funding.

SYMCA website

Images: SYMCA

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News: Don Valley Corridor - What's in it for Rotherham?

Partners have formally launched a flagship place-based regeneration programme for South Yorkshire based around the Don Valley Corridor.

Rothbiz reported first last week that the region's first Mayoral Development Zone (MDZ) is proposed for a unified corridor for innovation, industry and neighbourhood renewal stretching from Sheffield city centre to the site of the proposed Rotherham Gateway Station.

Bringing together the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) with Rotherham Council and Sheffield Council "creates a single front door for Government, agencies and private markets."

Proponents say that: "By unlocking brownfield sites and investing in transport, energy and flood resilience infrastructure, the Don Valley Corridor will drive inclusive, sustainable, long-term regional growth."

Headline figures are that, through coordinated development, the 30 year transformation will enable over 18,000 jobs and 10,500 new homes with a £1.3bn uplift in GVA.

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The Don Valley Corridor will evolve into a connected innovation and industry corridor.

In Rotherham, the main area for development is the Rotherham Gateway Innovation Campus: A new rail-linked innovation hub around the future mainline station, supporting engineering, low carbon, materials and digital sectors.

At Templeborough the remaining land for development will see the area reshaped into a modern green energy hub and employment zone.

With the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham due to complete next year, the focus will be on expanding the ethos of the park over the border into Sheffield and enabling 2,000 jobs and 1.5m sq ft of new R&D space at Runway Park.

The programme will address transport issues (including the proposed new mainline and tram train stop at Parkgate), flood resilience and brownfield land which has been held back by contamination, low land values and viability constraints.

The corridor has capacity for 10,500 new homes with specific delivery targets being a new garden community at Bassingthorpe in Rotherham, with green spaces, new schools, health facilities and strong active-travel and rail links to Rotherham town centre, another target area where new housing can be enabled by infrastructure investment and long-term delivery partnerships focused on town centre renewal.

Added to the regeneration projects is a pledge to ensure that the economic growth is inclusive, ensuring local people shape development and have access to opportunities.

Cllr. Chris Read, leader of Rotherham Council, said: “For Rotherham, this really is about forging ahead with the next chapter of our borough’s growth, building on the lessons of the AMP as we build on the strengths of our heritage and the opportunities of new industries, infrastructure and investment. You only have to look at our plans for Rotherham Gateway to see the scale of that ambition - a new mainline station, new employment space, and the chance to bring thousands of good‑quality jobs right onto our doorstep.

“And of course, you can already see the impact of this investment at Waverley and the Advanced Manufacturing Park. What was once industrial land is now home to world‑leading employers, cutting‑edge research, and thousands of new homes - a real example of how these projects can transform a community and create the skilled jobs of the future.

“By expanding the available business and employment space, including through the proposed Templeborough Business Zone, improving the quality of life through, for example, the work already happening in the town centre, exploiting the great transport links already in place, you can see how the corridor through to associated projects in Sheffield fits together; generating wealth well into the twenty first century, just as it did in the past. We’re investing in Rotherham’s future in a way that people will really feel - more homes, better connections, and more chances for local people to build the careers they want.”

External funding is set to come from gainshare and other devolved funding pots, including funds that support renewal, housing and infrastructure. Nationally, the programme will be positioned to engage with institutions such as Homes England and the National Wealth Fund.

The Government recently committed to providing the South Yorkshire Mayor with access to "£85m new money to support jobs and development, including in the Don Valley Corridor and Sheffield Innovation spine."

The Government's recently announced £2.3bn City Investment Fund will bring together different types of finance, deployed flexibly to accelerate projects, expand city-centre housing and office markets, and support major regeneration schemes across the North. It is expected to be used in "developing projects in the Don Valley Corridor, Sheffield city centre Innovation Spine, and Rotherham Town Centre."

Don Valley Corridor website

Images: RMBC / AHR

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News: Rotherham in line for massive jobs boost as part of Don Valley Corridor regeneration scheme

Key areas in Rotherham and Sheffield are at the heart of a flagship place-based regeneration programme for South Yorkshire that will enable over 18,000 jobs and 10,500 new homes through coordinated development.

The Don Valley Corridor will create a unified corridor for innovation, industry and neighbourhood renewal stretching from Sheffield city centre to the site of the proposed Rotherham Gateway Station.

It brings together the UK’s largest concentration of industrial research and production capability outside the South East, anchored by The University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC), Translational Energy Research Centre, Olympic Legacy Park and major firms including Rolls-Royce, Boeing, McLaren and ITM Power.

Proponents say that: "By unlocking brownfield sites and investing in transport, energy and flood resilience infrastructure, the Don Valley Corridor will drive inclusive, sustainable, long-term regional growth."

The corridor between Sheffield and Rotherham has always been recognised as operating as one economy but the new programme will place the Don Valley as one of the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority's (SYMCA's) regional growth areas for investment.

That priority is set to be increased with the proposed designation of the region's first Mayoral Development Zone (MDZ) for the Don Valley Corridor.

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A SYMCA paper explains: "Under these arrangements the MCA will use its existing statutory powers, in particular, its strategic economic development powers and regeneration powers, its own resources and relationships with government, infrastructure providers and the private sector, as part of an integrated place-based programme. This will provide confidence both to the market, government and the wider public sector.

"Mayoral Development Zone is a designation signalling to Government, investors, and partners that an area is a strategic priority for coordinated long-term regeneration. It maintains strategic focus and partnership commitment, strengthens Government engagement, signals readiness to explore enhanced delivery powers if required, and preserves optionality on future statutory mechanisms. This designation responds to specific challenges within the Don Valley Corridor by bringing spatial coherence across a large and complex geography."

Partners have discounted the creation of a Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC), which would have planning authority powers to acquire land, cut red tape, and accelerate high-quality housing and business. The report warns that a MDC would need a costly and rigid structure, potentially slowing progress.

Instead, a MDZ and the programme "adds strategic capacity, investment readiness and cross-boundary alignment so that separate initiatives can be sequenced and leveraged for greater impact."

Bringing together SYMCA with Rotherham Council and Sheffield Council "creates a single front door for Government, agencies and private markets" with governance and the authority's assurance framework in place. The paper adds that "there is shared commitment between SYMCA, RMBC and SCC to resource the programme collectively as a shared endeavour, including programme development capacity."

External funding is set to come from gainshare and other devolved funding pots, including funds that support renewal, housing and infrastructure. Nationally, the programme will be positioned to engage with institutions such as Homes England and the National Wealth Fund.

The Government has this week committed to providing the South Yorkshire Mayor with access to "£85m new money to support jobs and development, including in the Don Valley Corridor and Sheffield Innovation spine."

The Government's recently announced £2.3bn City Investment Fund will bring together different types of finance, deployed flexibly to accelerate projects, expand city-centre housing and office markets, and support major regeneration schemes across the North. It is expected to be used in "developing projects in the Don Valley Corridor, Sheffield city centre Innovation Spine, and Rotherham Town Centre."

Oliver Coppard, Mayor of South Yorkshire said: "We’re building a bigger and better economy across all of South Yorkshire, creating the opportunities that allow people to stay near and go far.

"For too long, South Yorkshire and the wider North have been failed, not only a by a lack of investment in our people, our businesses, our ideas and our infrastructure, but by a lack of ambition itself.

"But slowly, surely we’re beginning to see the South Yorkshire of the future taking shape - with world leading companies in industries of the future investing here, real income growth, and huge plans for the future, we’re starting to see the full potential of every part of Barnsley, Rotherham, Doncaster and Sheffield.

"The UK cannot realise its own economic renewal without places like South Yorkshire playing our full part, but together with this Government we are now making that happen."

Don Valley Corridor aligns with the South Yorkshire Investment Zone which includes Rotherham sites such as the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) at Waverley, parts of Brinsworth and Canklow, the remaining regeneration sites at Templeborough, the Meadowbank Road area along with Holmes and Masbrough, the whole of Rotherham town centre, the Greasbrough Road area, Eastwood, Barbot Hall Industrial Estate, areas of Parkgate (but not the existing retail parks or adjacent land), and land at Aldwarke (but not the existing steel works).

The Mayoral Combined Authority Board is set to discuss the Don Valley Corridor next week.

SYMCA website

Images: Harworth Group / SYMCA

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News: Rotherham Gateway Station included in Northern Powerhouse Rail announcement

There's strong signals of support for efforts to return mainline train services to Rotherham as part of a £300m regeneration project as the Rotherham Gateway Station is included in the first phase of the Northern Powerhouse Rail vision announced by the Government.

With more reliable and more frequent trains across major cities in the North, the NPR plans will drastically improve how people travel for work, education and leisure with the government adding that growing the productivity of the five largest cities to the national average would add up to £40 billion a year to UK economy.

The first phase will prioritise upgrades and electrification between Leeds-Sheffield, Leeds-York and Leeds-Bradford to transform commutes, set to be delivered in the 2030s. In the North East, work on the business case for the Leamside Line will be taken forward, as part of ensuring NPR services reach Newcastle.

With £1.1 billion to progress planning and development work as soon as possible, plans include improvements for Leeds, Sheffield and York stations – supporting significant regeneration plans to unlock tens of thousands of homes and jobs. The plan also includes pressing forward with work on Bradford Station, putting a young, dynamic city of 500,000 people at the heart of the northern network.

Over £11m of local transport funding has now been agreed for South Yorkshire to develop a new Rotherham Gateway station at Parkgate, which the announcement says "spells an end to slow journeys to Leeds and support the ambitious regeneration plans for the town."

When the previous government published its Integrated Rail Plan for the North and Midlands (IRP) in 2021, it scaled back ambitions for NPR with Rotherham and Sheffield missed off the new network.

The new NPR plan has been given an overall funding cap of £45 billion.

South Yorkshire's mayor has previously expressed that improving the Sheffield-Leeds connection through NPR supports the Rotherham Gateway Station proposal. The pausing of plans for the electrification of the Midland Main Line to Sheffield last year means that it remains the largest city in the UK without electrified railways.

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Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said: “For too long, the North has been held back by underinvestment and years of dither and delay – but that ends now.

“This new era of investment will not just speed up journeys, it will mean new jobs and homes for people, making a real difference to millions of lives.

“The exciting improved stations across Leeds, Sheffield, York and Bradford will reflect the prestigious place rail holds in the northern economy, and regenerate vibrant, bustling districts in these cities.

“The first phase of Northern Powerhouse Rail will prioritise upgrading rail connections across Yorkshire and progressing work on the business case for the Leamside Line as part of ensuring services reach Newcastle, improving opportunities across the region.”

A future phase for NPR will focus on improved connections between Manchester and Sheffield given that it can take up to one hour 23 minutes to get to Manchester airport from Leeds or Sheffield, even though they are around 40 miles away.

This landmark upgrade to rail travel is one of the central building blocks of a plan for the North – to be published in the Spring. This will include plans for a northern growth corridor from Liverpool to York via West and South Yorkshire and bespoke plans for the North-East to make the most of opportunities in clean energy, AI, innovation and city centre regeneration.

Not only will plans improve travel connections, the redevelopment of stations and surrounding neighbourhoods will bring in new homes, jobs and local businesses. Rotherham's station masterplan shows how a transport improvement scheme can act as the catalyst for a much wider regeneration project supporting thousands of new jobs.

The idea is to use a mainline station integrated with a tram-train stop to further develop the advanced manufacturing cluster within South Yorkshire as part of the UK’s first Investment Zone. Future phases involve the creation of an innovation campus of around 180,000 sq ft of commercial space, further industrial zones and introducing new housing in the area.

Rotherham Gateway website

Images: RMBC

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News: South Yorkshire's new £68m growth fund

A £68m funding pot has been allocated to South Yorkshire as part of the Government's attempt to kickstart economic growth by addressing regional disparities in productivity.

The Local Growth Fund is a follow up to the Shared Prosperity Fund, which itself was funding to replace European Union (EU) Structural Funds.

The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) will be able to use the money for infrastructure investment, business support and skills development.

Previous EU settlements saw South Yorkshire allocated €410m for 2007-2013 and from 2014-2020 this was cut to around €180m. A legal challenge into the government's decision followed.

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) three-year fund, running from 2022/23, included an allocation for South Yorkshire of £46.2m, including £7.3m to address functional numeracy skills. A 25/26 allocation was announced earlier this and provided another £22.5m for South Yorkshire. The £68m Local Growth Fund runs for four years from 26/27 to 29/30.

The money can be used flexibly in line with SYMCA's new Local Growth Plan - a ten year plan which aims to grow the business base and labour market through delivering against four missions based around businesses, places, people and the future.

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Under infrastructure investment, the aim is to expand labour market reach and enable agglomeration benefits across functional economic areas. For business support, projects will need to strengthen regional clusters and increase innovation and investment to drive firm-level competitiveness and sectoral growth. Projects relating to skills development will work to provide the human capital aligned to priority sectors and emerging technologies.

A government policy statement explains that the funding is part of a new approach to regional investment with the Local Growth Fund "targeted at mayoral city regions in the North and Midlands with the highest productivity catch‑up and agglomeration potential, as part of a shift in how growth funding is delivered. It moves away from fragmented, short-term competitive pots to a single, flexible, long-term fund. This approach will empower regional leaders to drive local priorities and unlock the potential that exists in places across the UK, including city regions and high-potential sectors.

"For too long, local growth funding has been constrained by inefficiencies: short-termism, duplication, and wasteful competitive bidding. Opportunities for transformative change have been missed. The English Devolution White Paper set out a new vision: consolidating funding, devolving power, and allocating investment in line with locally led plans. By removing unnecessary processes and committing to long-term financial stability, we are enabling regions to plan and deliver this change with confidence.

"By backing the shared priorities agreed in Local Growth Plans, this investment will support small businesses, create jobs, regenerate commercial centres, enable new housing, and better connect communities through integrated transport – delivering the growth needed to fund our essential public services, enable further investment, and raise living standards."

The mayoralty will do well to support Rotherham's growth and replicate it across the region. Recent productivity statistics highlight Rotherham as one of the fastest growing sub-regions over the last two decades.

On the region's local growth plan, South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard, said: "Our goal is simple: to make sure South Yorkshire plays a leading role in solving the big challenges of our time, using the talent, resilience and creativity which defines us. We want those growing up here to believe, with confidence, that in South Yorkshire you can stay near and go far."

In previous years, Rotherham Council were able to decide were UKSPF funding should be spent - from shop unit grants and business support to Rotherham Children’s Capital of Culture and social value.

SYMCA website

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News: Rotherham Council to invest £1.5m in building Pride in Place

Rotherham has been awarded £1.5m by the government to be spent on regeneration projects quickly, helping to rebuild community pride in the local area.

Building on the £20m Pride in Place long term funding, Rothbiz reported in September that the borough will receive £1.5m from the Pride in Place Impact Fund to support community cohesion, and stimulate local economic activity through visible, short-term, community-led improvements.

Both central Rotherham and Maltby East will will receive £2m every year for a decade as part of the Pride in Place funding but in addition, Rotherham was one of 95 places selected for an impact fund that will be delivered by local authorities and targeted at areas "in need" with the aim of building strong, resilient, prosperous, and inclusive communities.

The £1.5m is expected to be used for capital projects and needs to be spent before March 2027. A recent cabinet report explained: "£750,000 has been allocated in 2025/26 and a further £750,000 in 2026/27 to be spent within each financial year on improvements to community spaces, public spaces and high streets across the borough."

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A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between the council and the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MCHLG).

A Government prospectus sets out that local councils will act as the accountable body for the Pride in Place Impact Fund, and "should work in collaboration with MPs and other stakeholders to identify the interventions that will deliver the most benefits to local residents and breathe new life into the areas in which they live."

A fund prospectus explains that the Pride in Place Impact Fund has three objectives:

a. Community spaces: creating, extending, improving or refurbishing existing community facilities and enabling community organisations to take control or ownership of underused but valued local assets.

b. Public spaces: enhancing the physical environment in public spaces - examples of initiatives include new or improved green spaces or public squares, improved outdoor play, sports and leisure spaces, installing street furniture, public art or wayfinding.

c. High street and town centre revitalisation: making these areas more attractive and welcoming places where people congregate and which encourage economic activity. Examples of initiatives that could be funded are shop frontage improvements, adaptations that bring premises back into use, streetscape improvements, public art, trails and wayfinding, and creating or improving the infrastructure for regular markets.

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News: South Yorkshire chambers unite to drive skills revolution

South Yorkshire’s business community is taking decisive action to reshape the region’s skills system, as the three Chambers of Commerce — Doncaster, Sheffield, and Barnsley & Rotherham — launch the next phase of the Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP).

The initiative, funded by Skills England, aims to move the region from diagnosis to delivery, ensuring that South Yorkshire’s workforce is equipped with the skills, training, and opportunities needed to power sustainable economic growth. It directly supports Mayor Oliver Coppard’s Plan for Good Growth, which sets out a vision for an inclusive, innovative, and resilient regional economy.

For years, employers have expressed frustration that the skills system has been too fragmented and complex to access. While the first LSIP gathered valuable insights, this next phase will turn evidence into action, creating a system that works for both learners and businesses.

Dan Fell, Chief Executive of Doncaster Chamber, said the message from employers was clear: “The ambition to build a skills system that truly works for employers and learners is absolutely right but the pace of change must now accelerate. This next stage is about delivery, not diagnosis. We need to ensure that every part of the system — from training providers to policymakers — is aligned with what our economy actually needs to thrive.”

Over the next six months, the three Chambers will lead a major consultation process across the region, convening a series of Workforce Development Partnerships. These partnerships will bring together employers, colleges, universities, independent training providers, and policymakers to identify the specific skills South Yorkshire needs to compete in the future economy. They will focus on growth sectors including advanced manufacturing, digital transformation, clean energy, logistics, creative industries, and emerging technologies.

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Louisa Harrison-Walker, Chief Executive of Sheffield Chamber of Commerce, said the collaborative approach is key to success. “We’re bringing together every part of the ecosystem — business, education, and government — to ensure we build a skills system that’s truly fit for the future. Employers have told us they want flexibility, responsiveness, and training that keeps pace with technology and innovation. This process is vital now more than ever to achieve the growth and productivity required to drive South Yorkshire forward.”

The new LSIP builds on findings from the first plan, which ran from 2023 to 2025 and engaged hundreds of employers across South Yorkshire. It revealed consistent challenges: the growing importance of digital skills, a shortage of technical expertise, and an urgent need to strengthen leadership and management capacity. Businesses also highlighted the need for more adaptable, modular training options and better pathways connecting education with employment.

Carrie Sudbury, Chief Executive of Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber, said that embedding flexibility and inclusivity will be central to the next phase. “We need to make sure that every learner, whether they’re entering the workforce for the first time or retraining mid-career, can access opportunities that work for them. This is about building a system that’s open, inclusive, and ready for change. The Chambers are united in our belief that South Yorkshire can lead the way in showing what an employer-led skills system really looks like.”

The LSIP will also use big data and real-time labour market analysis to track regional demand, identify gaps in training provision, and inform funding decisions. This evidence-based approach will ensure that policy and investment decisions are grounded in local realities rather than national assumptions.

The Chambers will share interim findings early next year, with the final LSIP report submitted to Skills England in 2026. In the meantime, the partnership is calling on employers of all sizes and sectors to get involved.

BR Chamber website

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News: Economic Trailblazer to continue in South Yorkshire

An economic inactivity trailblazer in South Yorkshire is in line for a funding boost to help give more people furthest from employment the tools to get into work.

Transformative schemes are being extended with an £80m funding boost as the government targets economic inactivity hotspots through joined up localised support.

Unlike traditional employment support, inactivity trailblazers empower local areas to design tailored solutions that tackle the root causes of economic inactivity - such as poor mental health, low skills, and barriers like social isolation - rather than just treating the symptoms.

New support that areas can offer will include work readiness skills, employer engagement to change hiring practices and support Local Growth Plans, mental health support, confidence-building social groups and skills training to move thousands more people closer to the labour market.

Rothbiz reported in April on an £18m scheme in South Yorkshire for a dedicated new service working with employers to hire those with health conditions, and a new “triage” system to make it quicker and easier to connect people to employment, health, and skills support.

These groundbreaking schemes are helping to break the vicious cycle between poor mental health and unemployment by trialling initiatives that combine job support with health and skills support.

Those who benefit from the trailblazer support face complex, often deeply personal barriers to work, and the scheme is part of the Government’s wider plan to deliver national renewal focused on opportunity and respect, ensuring everyone is seen and valued.

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Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Pat McFadden said: "For too long too many people have been locked out of the job market, which fails them and fails our economy.

"That is why we are doing things differently – putting local leaders in the driving seat so the right support goes to their community.

"By further investing in our trailblazers we’re helping people who were previously underserved or overlooked to build the confidence and skills they need to thrive."

By taking a holistic approach, the programme is already delivering results through early intervention, flexible training and working directly with employers to create supportive environments, rather than treating health and employment as separate issues.

South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard, said: "South Yorkshire has a proud industrial heritage that shaped our communities and powered progress far beyond our borders. But the legacy of industrial decline left behind deep-rooted challenges.  For too long, poor health, low skills, and limited opportunity have held too many people back. That’s not good enough, and we’re changing it.

"I’m proud that we’ve secured another year of funding for the Economic Trailblazer. It’s a vital part of our nationally recognised Pathways to Work programme, which is helping thousands of people across South Yorkshire into good, secure jobs.

"We’re building a South Yorkshire where everyone can stay near and go far, putting people and employers at the heart of everything we do - creating opportunity, transforming lives, and strengthening communities. Together, we’re making change happen."

South Yorkshire operates a Pathways to Work system, ensuring alignment and a coordinated one-system approach to employment support services on offer.

Through their new initiatives, South Yorkshire aims to reduce inactivity from 25.5% in 2023 to under 20% by the end of 2029 – equivalent to helping 40,000 people across the area.

Economic inactivity in Rotherham is higher (27%) than in South Yorkshire, statistical neighbours and the national average (21%). This is driven by higher economic inactivity among women, residents aged 50-64, and ethnic minorities.

South Yorkshire Pahways to Work website

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News: Improving Sheffield-Leeds connection through NPR supports Rotherham Gateway Station proposal

Political and business leaders from Sheffield and Leeds travelled to Westminster recently to make the case for "transformational rail investment" between the two city regions.

And this week mayors and leaders have written to the Chancellor ahead of the Budget, calling for investment that will unlock investment and opportunity across the North.

The government is yet to confirm costed plans for Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR).

The call is for major investment in infrastructure, by delivering NPR in full, complementing other rail investment across the North of England to deliver better connectivity across all places to create ‘a spine’ that connects the whole North.

A full NPR would include electrification of the Leeds-Sheffield line which currently has just one fast train an hour meaning that the growth of the cities is being held back by outdated, Victorian rail infrastructure.

The two cities are urging the Government to back NPR between Sheffield and Leeds, with a clear timetable and delivery plan.

That includes:

- Four fast trains an hour between Sheffield and Leeds, bringing services in line with comparable cities across the UK.
- Improvements at Sheffield Midland Station, freeing up rail capacity on the main line by expanding the tram-train network.
- Investment in greater capacity at Leeds City Station, so it becomes a hub for onward travel into the city centre and is fit-for-purpose for the new mass transit system.

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South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard said: “Sheffield is the largest city in the UK without electrified rail, and our station will be at capacity by December. Delivering four fast trains an hour to Leeds as part of Northern Powerhouse Rail will help to unlock over a million extra journeys a year, boosting jobs, growth, and opportunity across the whole of Yorkshire.

“Improving links between Sheffield and Leeds will also support the proposed Rotherham Gateway station, offering a once-in-a-generation opportunity to connect the UK’s first Investment Zone and Innovation Spine - right in the heart of South Yorkshire - to the wider Northern economy.

“After decades of under-investment, it’s time we got a fair deal. Investment in rail isn’t just about faster trains, it’s about tackling the big challenges we face and helping Yorkshire move forward.”

The pausing of plans for the electrification of the Midland Main Line to Sheffield earlier this year means that it remains the largest city in the UK without electrified railways.

Rothbiz reported in June on the 20-year masterplan for Rotherham Gateway Station at Parkgate which showed how a transport improvement scheme can act as the catalyst for a much wider regeneration project supporting thousands of new jobs.

One of the aims is for journey times to Leeds to be cut from 60 minutes to 30 minutes.

Rotherham Gateway Station website

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News: Restoring Rotherham's Pride in Place

Plans are being prepared on how to spend a £20m investment over the next ten years, building pride in Rotherham.

Rotherham Council has set out which types of regeneration projects are set to receive the most money.

In March, £20m earmarked for Rotherham by the previous Government was confirmed and given a wider remit focusing on neighbourhood renewal and improving social capital and renamed Plan for Neighbourhoods.

Last month it was announced that Rotherham will also receive £1.5m to restore pride in place, support community cohesion, and stimulate local economic activity through visible, short-term, community-led improvements.

Maltby was also named as one of the areas that will receive £2m every year for a decade.

Rotherham Council has now confirmed that the initial £20m Plan for Neighbourhoods for the built up area around the town centre has been renamed as the Pride in Place Programme for Rotherham Central.

Rothbiz has previously reported on the results of consultation and the government data that will support decision makers - the local Neighbourhood Board which brings together residents, local businesses, grassroots campaigners, workplace representatives, faith, and community leaders and those with a deep connection to their area.

Consultees (people who live, work or visit the main urban areas around the town centre) assessed the area low in most themes and picked out safety, run-down streets and parking as key issues.

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Government data, which covers key issues such as vacant property, crime rates and footfall, shows that there is still much to do in Rotherham, even to match the national averages.

A ten year programme, the £20m is set to be split - £15m on capital and £5m on revenue.

An update from Rotherham Council shows that interventions in line for funding will come under the themes of: regeneration, high streets and heritage; health and wellbeing; education and opportunity; cohesion, safety and security; and work, productivity and skills.

As the focus is on interventions where alternative funding is less accessible, it means that housing and transport projects will not be supported.

A report shows the main target areas with £5.72m earmarked for health and wellbeing and £3.84m for regeneration, high streets and heritage.

Possible interventions under the health and wellbeing theme include co-locating services under one roof in an accessible high street location, community mental health hubs, funding for local sport and activity facilities, initiatives and drug and alcohol support.

Potential interventions under the regeneration, high streets and heritage theme include public realm improvements, green spaces, community and neighbourhood infrastructure projects, support for arts, cultural, heritage and creative activities and initiatives.

At this stage, it is not a fixed investment programme and there will be flexibility to review interventions. The Neighbourhood Board will now work with Rotherham Council, who are the accountable body for the money, to create a Regeneration Plan that needs to be submitted to the government by November 28.

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News: Rotherham Council looking for new head of RiDO

Recruitment is underway for a new leader of Rotherham Investment and Development Office (RiDO), the economic development arm of Rotherham Council.

Sitting in the Regeneration and Environment directorate, RiDO exists to help stimulate economic growth in the area, creating jobs and prosperity into the future.

A new Head of Economic Development is set to lead on inward investment, business growth, and strategic partnerships, overseeing a diverse portfolio including five business centres, the newly redeveloped Rotherham Markets, employment and skills programmes, and economic development strategy.

The department works alongside the Regeneration team (which also recently recruited for a service manager), Planning and Building Control, and Transportation. Services report to the strategic director and assistant director.





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The job ad for the £75,585 - £80,726 a year Head of Economic Development post reads: "Rotherham is a borough on the rise - over the last two decades it has seen a remarkable increase in productivity, making it one of the fastest-growing sub-regional economies in the UK—and the fastest in the North of England. This transformation has been driven by the success of the Advanced Manufacturing Park and the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC), which has attracted global brands, fostered cutting-edge research and development, and helped reshape the region’s economic landscape.

"Looking ahead, Rotherham’s ambitions continue to grow. The Don Valley area is poised for significant development, including proposals for Rotherham Gateway Station - a new main line station and business park. These initiatives are set to unlock further economic potential, attract investment, and create new opportunities for businesses and communities alike.

"As Head of Economic Development, you’ll be at the forefront of this exciting journey—helping to shape the borough’s future, drive inclusive growth, and ensure Rotherham remains a place where innovation thrives and businesses succeed. Join us and be part of a team that is shaping a thriving future for our communities and businesses."

Recruitment is also underway for a Senior Economic Development Manager and Economic Development Officer.

RiDO website

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News: Rotherham regen roles refilled

Two council roles, key to the continued regeneration of Rotherham, have seen changes in recent weeks.

There is a new Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment and a new cabinet member for Transport, Jobs and the Local Economy.

Andrew Bramidge has recently been installed as the Interim Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment at Rotherham Council following the departure of Paul Woodcock.

With over two decades at the local authority, Woodcock has worked on almost all facets of economic development and regeneration, from inward investment and the business centres operated by RiDO (the regeneration arm of Rotherham Council), to the large scale investment projects coming to fruition in the town centre such as Forge Island.

Bramidge was most recently the Chief Executive of Harlow Council, having worked for the Essex authority since 2013 in roles such as Director of Strategic Growth and Regeneration and Head of Environment and Planning.

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The £125 - £131k a year role at Rotherham comes with the responsibility for 2,000 staff and a budget of £90m, plus further invested in capital projects. Recruitement was launched earlier this year for an interim appointment for "a period of at least six months. "

The recruitment post read: "It is an exciting time to join Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council. The Council has a number of significant regeneration programmes including the town centre’s Forge Island flagship scheme with a new 8-screen cinema; Riverside Gardens which is a new public park running alongside the River Don and the redevelopment of Rotherham markets and a new central library, supported by the Future High Streets Fund."

Following the May local elections, Cllr. Robert Taylor, the Aughton & Swallownest ward member that is fresh from a year representing the borough as the Mayor, has been named as the Cabinet Member for Transport, Jobs and the Local Economy.

Taylor replaces Cllr. Denise Lelliott, who was previously Cabinet Member for Jobs and the Local Economy and remains an elected member for the Hoober ward. Cllr Dominic Beck was Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment until October 2023. He remains an elected member for the Wales Ward

The Council has adopted the “strong” leader with a cabinet form of executive. The executive is responsible for most day-to-day decisions and cabinet members are appointed with a specific area of responsibility. The cabinet meets regularly to make decisions.

Cllr. Taylor's portfolio has overall responsibility for securing jobs and investment in the local economy as well as strategic responsibility for transportation and planning. It includes things like planning, regeneration, inward investment, economic growth and major town centre projects and development.

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News: MP backs plans for a new Rotherham mainline station

Local MP John Healey has backed bold plans for a new Rotherham mainline station.

Rothbiz reported last month on efforts to secure land at Forge Way, Parkgate.

This potential new station, developed by he South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) and Rotherham Council, alongside Network Rail, would see the reintroduction of mainline train services in Rotherham – including receiving direct London services for the first time since the 1980s.

The project was one of many contained in the "Network North" document, published by the Government when it axed HS2 going beyond Birmingham.

The total cost was listed as £107.6m in 2022. £99.5m for the station and £7.1m for the tram-train stop.

John Healey MP wrote to the Secretary of State for Transport last month to give his full support to the "visionary" plans and challenged Ministers to back their words with action.

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John Healey, MP for Wentworth & Dearne, said: “I’m giving my full support to this bold scheme to bring back mainline train services to Rotherham with a new station in Parkgate.

“Rotherham Council are working up a very impressive case for a major new transport hub in Parkgate, with a new station that provides for both mainline train services and to connect up with the Tram Train service already in the area. A new station in Parkgate is ideally placed to provide the greatest benefits of mainline train services for the town centre and the surrounding areas across the wider Dearne Valley region.

“I’m calling on Ministers to step up and match the ambition shown by Rotherham Council for our area by ensuring our scheme for a new mainline station is supported with the necessary funding needed from government to get this project done.”

In his letter, John Healey urges the Secretary of State to get behind Rotherham Council’s plans by ensuring the proper financial support required from government is given to ensure this scheme can be delivered without delay.

In the Network North document the Government states in their "commitment to the north" how they will take forward a £3billion plan to connect major cities in the North and this includes a commitment to: “Upgrade and electrify the line between Sheffield and Leeds. There is currently 1 fast train per hour taking 40 minutes; these upgrades will enable 3-4 fast trains per hour and include a new mainline station at Rotherham, which could receive direct London services for the first time since the 1980s.”

Healey has pressed the Government to provide more detail on this funding commitment, the process for how this support will be allocated and the timeframe for this to take place so the mainline station can be delivered.

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News: All South Yorkshire councils to cover Supertram losses

A transport levy paid by the four local authorities in South Yorkshire is set to be used to cover the £6.3m losses of Supertram after Stagecoach’s current contract for operation of the network ends in March.

Opened in 1994, Sheffield's Supertram system cost £240m and now serves major residential and employment sites in Sheffield. A tram-train pilot project brought new vehicles to Rotherham in 2018. The running of Supertram services, infrastructure and finances will be controlled by South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) through an arms-length company from March 22.

Rothbiz revealed in November that the cost to keep the Supertram network going for another 30 years is now nearly £600m, with only the first £105.95m secured, and that £7m is being set aside from the MCA budgets to support any operating losses. This is £7m each year, reducing over time.

The Mayoral Combined Authority Board is set to receive an update on the proposals, and budgets, when it meets next week with a business plan for Supertram on the agenda.

A 2024/25 operating budget for SYFTL (the arms-length company operating the tram) shows that operating costs are £23.6m per year for the 29km long network of four overlapping routes, served by 25 trams and seven tram-trains. Nearly 60% of costs go towards the wages and salaries of the workforce with almost 20% of the budget paying for the cost of electricity which powers the trams.

Annual income is £17.5m, which mostly comes from ticket revenues and around £1.8m from concessionary subsidies via SYMCA for elderly and disabled passengers and children.

Around 9.5 million people travel on Supertram every year. A long period of track renewal and the COVID pandemic has seen patronage fall from its peak of 15 million passengers per annum in 2010/11. There were 11.5 million passengers in 2019 prior COVID.

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A report to the SYMCA board said: "All these income streams are not enough to cover the tram system’s day-to-day running costs. In 2024/25, the operating deficit is forecast to be around £6.3m. SYMCA will pay an operating subsidy to SYFTL which will allow the company to meet all its financial obligations. SYMCA will also meet any costs necessarily incurred by SYFTL to deliver the asset renewal programme. In its own medium term financial plan, SYMCA has set aside sufficient resources (£5-7m per annum) from the South Yorkshire Transport Levy (paid by each of the four local authorities in proportion to their population) to cover the cost of the operating subsidy."

This year's transport levy is to be discussed at the same meeting. For 2024/25 it is set at £56.65m, raising an additional £1.1m of funding. The 2% increase would mean that Sheffield Council would pay in £23.6m, Doncaster £12.5m, Rotherham £10.6m and Barnsley £9.9m.

The new company's five year strategy sees Supertram go through a recovery phase before an improvement phase and then a growth phase. The plan forecasts that the operating deficit will decline as energy prices begin to stabilise.

The report adds: "One of SYFTL’s primary goals is to decrease its dependence on the public purse. To achieve this, the delivery plan includes several measures that aim to boost ticket sales and other forms of revenue, as well as identifying more cost effective ways of working. This includes new ticket collection machines which will speed up payments for customers. Efficiency in the business will be targeted with a major Timetable Optimisation Study the results of which will determine future service levels and support efficient running and manning of services."

SYMCA has put in place a two-year emergency support package for local transport in the face of a lack of resources and "stop-start" government funding for buses. The authority states that "without sustained Government funding this level of support cannot be maintained beyond financial year 2024/25."

SYMCA website

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News: South Yorkshire Apprenticeship Hub launches

A new initiative to recruit and train more South Yorkshire apprentices has been officially launched by regional civic and business leaders.

The hub, which aims to create better quality and a higher number of apprenticeships start-ups in the region, launched recently at Rotherham’s Aesseal New York Stadium, with employers, education providers and stakeholders from across the region attending to find out more about this new service.

Now launched it will have an initial target of 300 new apprenticeships and will be a one-stop shop for businesses, apprentices, and anyone hoping to start an apprenticeship by providing a range of services.

The initiative is being funded by the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) and the South Yorkshire Colleges Partnership.

Based at SYMCA’s office on Broad Street in Sheffield, the hub will raise awareness of the benefits of apprenticeships. The hub will also provide impartial guidance and connect employers with the best training provider for their needs.

South Yorkshire Mayor, Oliver Coppard, said: “South Yorkshire doesn’t just need a bigger economy, we need a better economy. But if we’re going to get there, and if everyone is going to be able to access the jobs and opportunities that the new economy will bring, we need to make sure people have the right educational skills, so they can access opportunity wherever it might be.

“That’s what our new Apprenticeship Hub is all about; offering people, organisations and businesses a ‘one-stop shop’ for all the information and support they need to get the right skills, in the right place, so we can all benefit from more jobs, grow.”

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The Hub is based at the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority offices in Sheffield and will be delivered through the South Yorkshire Colleges Partnership.

Fliss Miller, Director of Skills at South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, said: “This is great news for the South Yorkshire economy. At the moment, there is an opportunity for us to deliver a brand-new service that employers, providers and apprentices across South Yorkshire desperately need. By offering this service, that will be delivered by SYMCA in collaboration with South Yorkshire Colleges Partnership, we are going to be able to fulfil many of the requirements that have been lacking across our region for far too long.”

South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority’s Strategy Economic Plan has a vision that South Yorkshire will recover and grow an economy that works for everyone. This includes, in terms of skills, developing 30,000 more people with higher-level skills and 9,000 fewer people with low or no skills.

A new apprenticeship levy matchmaking service was also unveiled at the launch. The service will enable larger employers to donate part of their unspent apprenticeship levy to support SMEs in funding their apprentices.

The apprenticeship levy is paid by large employers with a pay bill of more than £3m. It is set at a rate of 0.5% of their total annual pay bill. Large employers can access their levy funds to pay for apprenticeship training. Their contributions can also fund apprenticeship training for smaller employers who pay 5% of the cost of apprenticeships.

Apprenticeships not only benefit employers but enable young people and adults to earn as they learn on-the-job skills, study a qualification, and start and progress in a career.

SYMCA website

Images: SYMCA

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