News: Welcome Break opens £55m services in Rotherham

After a slight delay caused by the weather, the new multimillion pound motorway service area (MSA) on the M1 in Rotherham is now open.

Rothbiz revealed in 2021 that Welcome Break, one of the UK’s leading motorway service operators, was to take on the site after outline planning permission was secured by Irish firm, Applegreen, for a new development at Junction 33 of the M1 at Catcliffe.

The first MSA opening in over 20 years for Welcome Break, sees the company investing €66m (£54.7m) in Rotherham.

Brands include Starbucks, KFC, Burger King, Waitrose, a standalone Starbucks Drive Thru, Pret a Manger, WHSmith, Chopstix, The Good Breakfast, and a convenient forecourt.

Welcome Break said in a statement: "Designed to look and feel just like a Yorkshire village, Rotherham is a completely new concept for our estate and one that makes stopping at Welcome Break a truly unique and memorable experience for our customers.

"Alongside top of the range facilities and dining options, the new service area has created approximately 230 new jobs – building our world class team, significantly boosting the local economy, and supporting the local community."

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Plans showed a main amenity building measuring 32,000 sq ft with seven concession units, a retail area, gaming area, toilets, seating and a kid's play area on the ground floor. A mezzanine floor includes an eighth unit, further seating and a business lounge / remote working hub. The site also includes 458 parking spaces, 28 EV charging points and dedicated HGV driver facilities.

Joe Barrett, CEO of Welcome Break posted about the opening on LinkedIn. He said: "Last week we opened Welcome Break’s £55 million state-of-the-art new Rotherham Motorway Service Area (MSA). It’s Welcome Break’s first new MSA in 20 years and showcases an entirely new concept for the brand.

"The new services area will create about 230 new jobs and more than 500 people worked on the construction phase of the project.

"It has been a really mammoth task to bring Welcome Break Rotherham to fruition, and I’d like to congratulate the entire Welcome Break team and all of its suppliers and contractors who put in such a huge effort to deliver a wonderful product for our customers."

Adrian Grimes, Commercial Director at Welcome Break, said: "Opening our 60th service area in Rotherham is a testament to our commitment to enhancing the journey experience for motorists across the UK. This new site will not only provide a variety of dining and retail options but also play a vital role in supporting the local economy through job creation. We are proud to contribute to the Rotherham community and look forward to serving travellers at this strategically important location."

Welcome Break website

Images: Welcome Break / LinkedIn

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News: Opening date revealed for new Welcome Break in Rotherham

The new multimillion pound motorway service area (MSA) on the M1 in Rotherham is set to open later this month.

Rothbiz revealed in 2021 that Welcome Break, one of the UK’s leading motorway service operators, was to take on the site after outline planning permission was secured by Irish firm, Applegreen, for a new development at Junction 33 of the M1 at Catcliffe.

In the UK, Applegreen is growing its Welcome Break business, which operates 58 sites, including 34 motorway service areas, and 31 hotels.

It is investing €66m (£54.7m) in Rotherham where around 300 jobs are being created.

The opening date has been confirmed as January 10.

With state-of-the-art facilities, the new MSA has been given the address of Orchard Road. Brands were revealed by Rothbiz first when recruitment got underway in 2024. These include Starbucks, KFC, Burger King, Waitrose, a standalone Starbucks Drive Thru, Pret a Manger, WHSmith, Chopstix, The Good Breakfast, and a convenient forecourt.

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Plans showed a main amenity building measuring 32,000 sq ft with seven concession units, a retail area, gaming area, toilets, seating and a kid's play area on the ground floor. A mezzanine floor includes an eighth unit, further seating and a business lounge / remote working hub.

Built by lead contractor HML on scrub land on either side of the motorway (where previous plans for a hotel and pub were approved but never implemented), the Welcome Break includes HGV parking and amenities to the north of the M1, with customer parking and amenities for other motorway users to the south of the M1, accessed via an underpass.

To access the 24-hour service area, visitors will use a new junction installed just before the A630 Rotherham exit of the roundabout. To exit, drivers will use a signal-controlled new access road joining the Rotherham - Sheffield Parkway where it has been recently widened just before the roundabout. An alternative exit for HGVs is being created via a new slip road to the A630 Rotherway.

Welcome Break website

Images: Welcome Break

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News: Rotherham Welcome Break brands revealed

The brands set to open at the new £40m motorway service area (MSA) on the M1 in Rotherham have been announced by the operator as recruitment gets underway.

Rothbiz revealed in 2021 that Welcome Break, one of the UK’s leading motorway service operators, was to take on the site after outline planning permission was secured by Applegreen for a new development at Junction 33 of the M1 at Catcliffe.

The £40m investment is set to create 300 jobs.

Welcome Break runs 59 Motorway service areas and 31 hotels across the UK's motorway network, including Woodhall on the M1 in Rotherham.

At Catcliffe, the company has confirmed that the new MSA will open in January 2025.

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An update from Welcome Break reads: "We're opening an impressive line-up at Rotherham - Starbucks, KFC, Burger King, Waitrose, a Starbucks Drive Thru, Pret a Manger, WHSmith, Chopstix, The Good Breakfast, and a convenient Forecourt.

"We're on the lookout for around 250 friendly faces to join our team across these brands."

Licences are also beeing sought for two of its "Game Zones" which include adult gaming machines.

A hiring event is schduled to be held at the Holiday Inn, Rotherham on the 10th, 11th, and 12th of October 2024.

On the scrub land on either side of the motorway where previous plans for a hotel and pub were approved but never implemented, the Welcome Break includes HGV parking and amenities to the north of the M1, with customer parking and amenities for other motorway users to the south of the M1, via an underpass.

Main contractor HML Construction began work on the development in 2023.

The main amenity building, measuring 32,000 sq ft, will include seven concession units, a retail area, gaming area, toilets, seating and a kid's play area on the ground floor. A mezzanine floor includes an eighth unit, further seating and a business lounge / remote working hub.

Separate plans were approved for a standalone drive thru unit for global coffee chain, Starbucks.

Access to the MSA is coming from the roundabout via a new arm junction between the M1 Southbound off slip and A630 Rotherway.

Exit for the majority of traffic would be via a new access to the Parkway some 300m from the junction. This exit will create new traffic lanes on approach to the junction. An alternative exit for HGVs would be created via a new slip road to the A630 Rotherway.

Welcome Break website

Images: Carwright & Gross Architects / HML

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News: Where is Popeye's going to go at Parkgate?

American multinational chain, Popeye's is coming to Parkgate at Rotherham and plans have been submitted showing where the growing restaurant chain is planning to go, taking over an established food unit.

Founded in New Orleans in 1972, Popeyes distinguishes itself with a unique New Orleans style menu featuring spicy chicken, chicken tenders and other regional items. It now has over 3,700 restaurants in the U.S. and around the world.

Rothbiz reported last month that, as part of building its presence across the UK, a Poepeye's site was due to launch in early 2023 in Rotherham at Parkgate Shopping. It is likely to be one of the chain's first drive-thru locations.

A planning application shows that Popeye's is taking on the current KFC outlet at Parkgate Shopping Park that is now listed as closed.

The plans are for a minor reconfiguration of car park and drive-thru lane to create dual ordering lane, designed to "enhance the function of the drive thru lane in order to reduce the potential for queuing vehicles to obstruct the customer car park."

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Plans, drawn up by FirstPlan, state: "At present, the existing drive-thru lane is very short, just circa 10m in length between the ordering point and collection window (circa two vehicles). In addition, the ordering point is currently located at the entrance to the drive-thru lane so an ordering vehicle will partially block the car park circulation and the first waiting vehicle will wait within the car park circulation. The proposed alterations and reconfiguration of the existing drive-thru lane have been designed to improve the operation of the drive-thru lane and reduce impacts on the car parking in relation to adjacent retail and commercial units."

The plans would result in a reduction of 25 existing car parking spaces near the unit but their will be the addition of two blue badge parking spaces, therefore totalling a net reduction of 23 parking spaces.

Plans conclude: "The proposals will secure the reoccupation of the restaurant unit and deliver clear economic and social benefits, which is supported by planning policy at all levels. As such, the provision of an enhanced drive-thru lane in association with Popeyes’ occupation of the restaurant will enhance the viability and vitality of the unit.

"The proposed development is situated in an out-of-town location however, due to the established restaurant use and the minor scale of the proposals, this proposal will not impact on the vitality and viability of Rotherham town centre.

"Occupation of this unit by Popeyes and provision of an enhanced drive-thru facility will expand the food offering and increase the desirability of the surrounding area and attract additional customer footfall."

In 2021, Popeyes announced its plans to open 350 restaurants in the UK over the next ten years. Overall, Popeyes UK is expected to open 20 restaurants in 2023, which brings the total number of UK restaurants to 31 by the end of 2023.

Popeyes UK website

Images: Popeyes / Google Maps

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News: Residents cry foul over Rotherham KFC development, with Costa planning to join

Updated plans for a food-led revamp of a former commercial property in a Rotherham village are being recommended for approval, despite a number of objections.

Rothbiz revealed back in 2018 that QFM Group, the Sheffield-based developer and operator of a number of fast food franchises, was progressing plans for new outlets in Wickersley, Rotherham.

QFM Group is one of the largest franchise companies in the UK and was founded in 1982 when it opened its first restaurant in Sheffield. It now has a chain of quick service restaurants and is continuing to grow with a current expansion programme. QFM operates world renowned brands such as KFC, Costa Coffee and Taco Bell.

Planning permission was secured and KFC opened in Wickersley last year in a building near to The Tanyard that was formerly used by Tirobaggi, an online supplier of quality handbags and accessories, and Edward Healy & Sons, a provider of shoe repair materials.

New plans are for a Costa Coffee alongside KFC.

Plans show that the 4,000 sq ft development could be subdivided into three units and planners previously concluded that "the proposed development represents an acceptable form of development in this locality that will be in keeping with its character and appearance and would not adversely affect the amenity of neighbouring residents or highway users."

However, differences between the scheme approved and that currently operating have resulted in the submission of a new application to regularise matters.

The latest application seeks full planning permission for the subdivision and change of use of the existing building to two units (rather than three) comprising a takeaway to the Bawtry Road frontage with a coffee shop to the rear area.

These differ from the café and take-away previously approved under the 2019 permission in that the take-away element has slightly reduced in area and the coffee shop element increased.

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KFC would continue to have public access from the Bawtry Road elevation with the coffee shop being accessed from the Fairways frontage. Also in the plans are an external seating area to the front and a service area and car parking area for three cars to the rear.

Applicants say that: "The proposal improves and re-uses one of the oldest buildings in the district centre in a way that would result in 20 jobs and increased footfall at this end of the centre."

A number of objections and a petition from local residents have been received covering issues around the need for more takeaways in the area, the character of the area, noise and odour issues and various highway issues.

Planners are recommending that planning board members approve the plans. They maintain that the application complies with council planning policies brought in to address the proliferation of takeaways to help maintain the economic vitality and viability of town district and local centres.

A planning report states that "the proposal would not result in more than 10% of the ground floor units in the district centre being used as hot food takeaways (this unit would bring the total to 9%)" and adds that two takeaways would not be operating adjacent to each other (against the policy guidelines) as the Seven Seas fish bar next door to the application site "has more recently added a restaurant onto the site so is not exclusively a takeaway use."

The opening hours are set to be 0700hrs to 2300hrs. Planning officers add that with "the building not being immediately adjacent to residential properties and the commercial nature of the area the proposed hours are considered to be acceptable."

The proximity to local schools was also raised by objectors but the council's policy means that, as the site is within a defined district centre and satisfies the relevant planning policies, it cannot be refused on these grounds.

If approved, planning permission comes with a number of proposed conditions including extraction systems to abate odours and plant and equipment that doesn't exceed certain noise levels.

Measures to prevent indiscriminate parking in the wide footway fronting and adjacent the premises have now been implemented following the recent insertion of the bollards in this location. These were part of the previous planning permission and KFC was forced to close until the works were carried out.

The plans are due to go before the planning board at Rotherham Council next week.

QFM Group website

Images: Google Maps

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News: What is joining KFC at new Rotherham development?

Work is underway on a new fast food development in a Rotherham village with updated plans showing what is set to open there.

Rothbiz revealed back in 2018 that QFM Group, the Sheffield-based developer and operator of a number of fast food franchises, was progressing plans for two new outlets in Wickersley, Rotherham.

QFM Group is one of the largest franchise companies in the UK and was founded in 1982 when it opened its first restaurant in Sheffield. It now has a chain of quick service restaurants and is continuing to grow with a current expansion programme. QFM operates world renowned brands such as KFC, Costa Coffee and Taco Bell.

Already operating from sites in Manvers, Canklow, Parkgate, Eastwood and the town centre in Rotherham, the company targeted the suburb of Wickersley, securing planning permission for new premises close to The Tanyard shopping centre.

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Formerly used by Tirobaggi, an online supplier of quality handbags and accessories, and Edward Healy & Sons, a provider of shoe repair materials, approved plans for the Bawtry Road property, drawn up by SSA Planning, show how the ground floor could be subdivided into a shop and a café.

New plans now show how the new 4,000 sq ft development could be subdivided into three units.

Plans for signage, drawn up by Pye Designs, show that KFC is set to front Bawtry Road with new external seating. Along Fairways, Dunkin Donuts and a Chopstix noodle bar are proposed to take the new units.

QFM operates a Dunkin franchise at Eastwood which opened last year.

Established in 2004, Chopstix is a noodle bar take away restaurant with over 80 sites across the UK and the Republic of Ireland providing its affordable, fresh and tasty Asian cuisine in food courts, motorway services and high street locations. A Chopstix Noodle Bar can be found at Woodall Services. With financial backing from Metro Bank, owners are planning an ambitious expansion that would more than quadruple the size of its UK business and launch overseas.

QFM Group

Images: QFM / PYE Designs

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News: Removal of takeaway policy hard to swallow

New hot food takeaways will be able to operate close to schools in Rotherham after a proposed Council policy was chucked out by the planning inspector.

Rotherham Council has been consulting on the Sites and Policies document within its Local Plan which sets out the detailed sites and development management policies to deliver growth over the next 15 years.

Policy SP 25 would only allow hot food takeaways in town, district and local centres if it didn't result in more than 10% of the ground floor units becoming takeaways; result in a high concentration of these A5 classed units on the same street; or negatively impact upon the amenity of surrounding businesses or residents.

A further part of the policy stated that hot food takeaways will not be permitted where they are within 800 metres of a primary school, secondary school or college, except where they are within a defined town, district or local centre and satisfy the requirements above.

Following inspection of the policies, the planning inspector, Christopher Anstey, asked the Council to remove the section about the distance to schools, stating that it "is not justified and is not consistent with national policy."

The Council said that the policy seeked to ensure that new hot food takeaways do not increase the exposure of school children and young adults to these uses. It added that the policy was in response to local health and wellbeing priorities and said that its approach was supported by a robust evidence base.

Damien Wilson, strategic director of regeneration and environment at Rotherham Council, said: "Unfortunately the restriction on hot food takeaways within 800 metres of schools, which I think was an admirable attempt in improving public health and issues around schools, is something that the inspector has recommended be taken out."

Cllr. Chris Read, leader of Rotherham Council, added: "The policy around takeaways close to schools was originally a scrutiny recommendation and so it would have been particularly nice to take it forward. It's frustrating when we know that similar restrictions have been put in place in other places."

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During the consultation, fast food restaurant chains KFC and McDonald's registered their opposition to the proposed new planning policy. KFC argued that the policy was unsound against national policy and didn't believe that a reasoned justification had been substantially provided. McDonald's described the policy as ambiguous, unjustified and unsound, also pointing out that no justification for 800m exclusion zones was provided.

The Inspector also asked the Council to identify and consult upon the additional housing sites in the Wath upon Dearne, Brampton Bierlow and West Melton area. This is to remedy a shortfall of around 500 homes against the Core Strategy housing target for the area.

Another policy to be removed surrounded the use of a Green Belt site at Todwick where the Council, land-owner and developers hoped to see a high quality business park with enough space to bring an estimated minimum of 1,500 jobs.

Damien Wilson added: "Local plans all across the country, for all sorts of reasons, have been thrown out by inspectors - made to go back to the start. So in a sense, the five years worth of research to come up with the sites and policies that sit within the local plan is a good news story. What the inspector is effectively saying is that "you've got this right" subject to a few minor tweaks.

"The majority of housing and employment sites have been accepted as far as the inspector is concerned. The addition of Green Belt housing has been accepted, windfalls have also been accepted as part of housing supply, the gypsy and traveller site at Kiveton Park has been retained.

"On a scale of things, and I've been through a number of local plans, this is not bad. There are plans that go through main modifications that are much more substantial than this. Generally speaking, if you can accommodate these changes, and the inspector will be happy to make the plan sound, then this will put us ahead of the game as far as some of our near neighbours are concerned, where plans are just at the beginning."

Images: Google Maps

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News: Taco Bell opening in Rotherham

QFM Group, one of the largest franchise companies in the UK, are set to open a new Mexican restaurant in Manvers, as construction work gets underway across Rotherham at another of its developments.

RJD Associates (North West) Limited has been appointed as the CDM Principal Designer on a construction project next to KFC off Manvers Way which involves the construction of a new build shell in connection with a Taco Bell restaurant, alterations and extensions to external pavings and drainage to suit new layout, and provision of new incoming mains electric and water supplies.

QFM Group secured planning permission for a two unit development back in 2011, shortly after it opened the large KFC restaurant, which now includes a Costa outlet.

The Sheffield firm is already recruiting staff for the new Taco Bell.

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Taco Bell is the world's leading Mexican-style quick service restaurant chain and serves more than 36.8 million consumers each week in approximately 6,500 restaurants worldwide.

The subsidiary of Yum! Brands, which also includes KFC and Pizza Hut, was founded in 1962 by Glen Bell, a former US Marine, who invented the preformed taco shell in 1951.

Brits got their first taste of tacos, burritos and quesadillas with the launch in the UK in the late 1980's. Outlets can currently be found in Sheffield and Barnsley.

Across the borough, a prominent brownfield site at Eastwood is being transformed by a regeneration scheme centred around new food retail units. The vacant site at Mushroom Roundabout was previously home to a D.C. Cook car dealership but has been empty since 2008 following demolition.

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Wilton Developments acquired the 2.4 acre site in 2012 as part of a wider Dansk supermarket portfolio - Netto was progressing plans for the site before they were acquired by ASDA in 2011.

Pub group, Mitchells & Butlers purchased 1.22 acres of the site and opened a new Toby Carvery pub last year. QFM acquired the remaining 1.18 acres and is set to deliver three further food and drink outlets. Approved plans show that occupants could include Costa, KFC and Hey Potato! and that the total jobs created could be 100.

RJD Associates were also appointed as principal designer for this development and have stated that plans have changed so that a KFC drive-thru restaurant will be joined by Costa Coffee and Taco Bell.

Oakstone Construction, which carries out around £4m of work per year with KFC, building and fitting out stores, is currently on site.

Fit out work and recruitment is also underway after QFM Group secured planning permission for new signage for a new Costa outlet in Rotherham town centre.

QFM Group website

Images: Taco Bell / RJD

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News: KFC objects to "unsound" Rotherham planning policy

Fast food restaurant chain, KFC has followed McDonald's and registered its opposition to a proposed new planning policy that would not permit new hot food takeaways opening close to schools in Rotherham.

Rotherham Council has been consulting on the Sites and Policies document within its Local Plan which sets out the detailed sites and development management policies to deliver growth over the next 15 years.

Policy SP 25 would only allow hot food takeaways in town, district and local centres if it didn't result in more than 10% of the ground floor units becoming takeaways; result in a high concentration of these A5 classed units on the same street; or negatively impact upon the amenity of surrounding businesses or residents.

A further part of the policy states that hot food takeaways will not be permitted where they are within 800 metres of a primary school, secondary school or college, except where they are within a defined town, district or local centre and satisfy the requirements above.

In response, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) considers the draft policy unsound against national policy and doesn't believe that a reasoned justification has been substantially provided.

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Consultants, SSA Planning Limited, on behalf of KFC, said: "The draft policy is not based on any objectively assessed development requirement. It effectively assesses the requirement for hot food takeaways within 800 metres of the boundary of a school or further education establishment as zero, but does so without evidence of either a link between the incidence of obesity and the proximity of hot food takeaways to such places or any particular distance at which that link is demonstrated.

"In fact, the distance chosen could have the effect of banning hot food takeaways from a majority of the Borough. No assessment has been made of the number of hot food takeaways that might be refused as a result of this or what the social, economic or environmental impacts of that might be, so it is not possible to balance these impacts.

"[KFC] cannot agree with measures that simply restrict choice for all members of the public and impact jobs and investment without good evidence of effectiveness."

McDonald's responded to earlier consultation, describing the policy as ambiguous, unjustified and unsound, also pointing out that no justification for 800m exclusion zones is provided.

Rotherham's policy states that it is guided by national planning policy which encourages local planning authorities to support local strategies to improve health and wellbeing and help create a healthier built environment. It adds: "Policy SP25 therefore seeks to ensure that new hot food takeaways do not increase the exposure of school children and young adults to these uses. Hot food takeaways will only be permitted within town, district and local centres. The Council is aware that proposals may be submitted as a departure to the plan and that other material considerations may be taken into account in determining planning applications.

"To ensure that access to hot food takeaways are controlled the policy also makes clear that such uses will only be permitted within 800 metres of a primary or secondary school or college where they are within a town, district or local centre and meet the requirements of the policy. For the purposes of this policy 800m will be measured in a direct line from the school/college gate used by pupils."

The KFC response discusses the negative assumptions of the policy regarding products sold by hot food takeaways and adds that "There is no evidence for a causal link between the incidence of obesity and proximity of hot food takeaways to schools or further education establishments and only limited evidence of any correlation at all, so it is unclear how refusing planning permission for hot food takeaways within 800 metres of such locations could ever be justified."

The proposed policy follows on from a case in 2012 when planning permission was secured for a KFC drive thru restaurant on a site close to Canklow Woods Primary School. Rotherham Council refused permission for the 300 sq m KFC on the site of the former Canklow Hotel pub off Centenary Way (pictured) due to the adverse impact on nearby residents.

The plans attracted objections from local councillors, residents and the School. Objections focused on a potential for anti social behaviour and an impact on the healthy eating ethos at the school.

However, the plans were approved on appeal when the inspector concluded: "I do not accept that the presence of a KFC restaurant/drive through would jeopardise the local healthy-eating initiatives."

The town centre branch of KFC closed on Corporation Street in 2015, a new build unit is set to open at Eastwood this year.

KFC website

Images: KFC / Google Maps

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News: Costa & KFC to join Toby Carvery in Rotherham

New outlets for Costa, KFC and Hey Potato! are planning to join the Toby Carvery at a new retail development in Rotherham.

A prominent brownfield site at Eastwood is set to be transformed by a regeneration scheme centred around new food retail units. The vacant one hectare site at Mushroom Roundabout was previously home to a D.C. Cook car dealership but has been empty since 2008 following demolition.

In September, Northern Retail Ltd secured planning permission for a two-storey Toby Carvery pub and family restaurant, a two-storey KFC restaurant and two smaller restaurant / take away units, together with over 100 car parking spaces and vehicular access via Aldwarke Lane and Sycamore Road.

Wilton Developments and fast food specialists, QFM are also involved in the plans, which state that the development would create 73 jobs.

Now a new planning application has been submitted for signage at the scheme which shows that the remaining units are set to operate as franchises of Costa coffee and Hey Potato!

Sheffield-based QFM, specialise in fast food retail developments. It operates a number of franchises in the area and brought forward similar developments at Manvers and Canklow.

A licence application has recently been submitted by Mitchells and Butlers for its planned Toby Carvery pub restaurant on the site.

Images: Costa

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News: New Rotherham pub restaurant plans passed

A prominent brownfield site at Eastwood, Rotherham is set to be transformed after planning permission was granted for a regeneration scheme centred around new food retail units.

The vacant one hectare site at Mushroom Roundabout was previously home to a D.C. Cook car dealership but has been empty since 2008 following demolition.

In May, Northern Retail Ltd put forward plans for a two-storey Toby Carvery pub and family restaurant, a two-storey KFC restaurant and two smaller restaurant / take away units, together with over 100 car parking spaces and vehicular access via Aldwarke Lane and Sycamore Road.

Wilton Developments and fast food specialists, QFM are also involved in the plans, which state that the development would create 73 jobs.

The land is zoned for employment use in the Council's development plan but the applicants argue that due to the previous use as a car showroom and the adjacent Gala Bingo and Iceland stores, the employment use of the site has ceased.

The planners didn't agree but were keen that this not hinder the redevelopment. The report to the council's planning board, said: "The Council do not consider that the site has no future employment prospects over the longer term, and it is clear that the immediate prospects of the site’s re-use have not been tested through marketing, however it is not considered that a refusal could be made based on the loss of employment land in this instance as there is an adequate supply of land within the Borough."

The report went on: "It is considered that proposed food and drink uses on this site would provide significant employment opportunities (49 full time positions and 18 part time). The application site at present consists of a vacant area of land which has a derelict appearance consisting of hardstanding and low barriers. The development of the site is therefore, in itself considered to be a benefit to the surrounding area by bringing the site back into use."

Applicants also stated that there are no sites or properties within the town centre that could accommodate the development in its current form and that the development is not considered to have any detrimental impact on Rotherham town centre. Travel planning and transport assessments have also been carried out, on what is a busy route in and out of Rotherham town centre.

Planners concluded: "It is considered that the proposed development is acceptable in principle and would not have a detrimental impact on Rotherham town centre or any existing or planned investment. Furthermore, the design and scale of the development is considered to be appropriate in this location and would not result in a material impact on the existing highway network."

Toby Carvery website

Images: Toby Carvery

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News: Planning inspector says yes to a KFC

A KFC drive thru restaurant could now be built in Canklow, Rotherham, after a planning inspector allowed an appeal against the refusal of planning permission.

Rotherham council refused permission for the 300 sq m KFC on the site of the former Canklow Hotel pub off Centenary Way due to the adverse impact on nearby residents.

Jacqueline North, the planning inspector has now gone against this decision, stating that any impact would not be above the existing impact of the dual carriageway and nearby LSM factory.

She said: "I am satisfied that any impact as a result of the proposed development would be negligible and aurally indistinguishable from the existing noise climate."

The plans also attracted objections from local councillors, residents and Canklow Woods Primary School, which is close to the site. Objections focused on a potential for anti social behaviour and an impact on the healthy eating ethos at the school.

However, the inspector concluded that "there is no detailed evidence to indicate that the proposed development would result in a problem due to disorderly behaviour."

On the issue of healthy eating she stated that primary school children are not usually permitted to leave the school at lunchtime, and that outside of the time they are at school, the children's diet is the responsibility of their parents or guardians. The inspector concluded that: "I do not accept that the presence of a KFC restaurant/drive through would jeopardise the local healthy-eating initiatives."

Local councillor, Mahroof Hussain, who objected to the plans, described the successful appeal as "unbelievable."

He added: "This is not a campaign against the KFC or fast food, it's about the location. It is too close to the local primary school and residential housing. It's an inappropriate location. We are very disappointed with the inspector's decision."

The planning permission comes with a number of conditions including restricted opening hours, screen fencing, CCTV, landscaping and ventilation systems.

The application is from the QFM group who successfully operate 31 KFC franchises and others across Yorkshire, the North of England and Scotland, including the 850 sq m restaurant at the Waterfront development at Manvers.

The development is expected to create 20 jobs.

QFM operate the restaurants as franchises and have been looking to expand in the area to meet known demand. They also operate the outlet in the town centre, which will remain.

QFM Group website

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