News: More pub conversions in Rotherham

Time appears to have been called at a number of vacant pubs in Rotherham, with a range of planning proposals coming forward to bring them back into use.

At Swinton, the Sportsman Inn, that has been vacant for six years, has seen plans approved to change the use of ground floor of the existing public house to a convenience retail store.

The approval comes after a previous refusal for plans for the Fitzwilliam Street pub building that has a mock Tudor external appearance. A number of highway safety concerns and parking issues were raised.

Dispite objections, the planning board at Rotherham Council voted to approve plans that would create a 1,744 sq ft retail unit.

Opening hours would be restricted to 7am to 10pm Mondays to Saturdays and between 7am to 9pm on Sundays.

Measures are also set to be taken to prevent customers from using the front area of the site as off-road parking. This proposal has also wholly removed the customer car park, and the proposed car parking facilities at the rear are now not intended to be used by customers, but by occupants of the first floor residential accommodation and staff only, which will be secured via a planning condition.

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At West Melton, the former Queens pub has secured planning approval to be converted into two retail units on ground floor with two flats above.

The planner's report states that previous plans were refused and dismissed at appeal, adding that "the ground floor of the pub has recently been converted to a hot food takeaway, with three flats to the first floor area. This work was unauthorised."

Previous plans were for three flats and this proposal is for one two bedroom flat and one one bedroom flat which now meet the minimum internal space standards.

At Parkgate, plans have been submitted for the vacant Travellers pub on Broad Street.

The plans involve the conversion of the 3,485 sq ft pub building into seven flats over two floors.

The freehold of the property was recently sold by agents from a guide price of £225,000.

Images: Everard Cole

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News: New owner for established Rotherham care home

A residential care home in Rotherham has a new owner following a purchase by a first-time entrant in the sector.

West Melton Lodge is a well-established care home registered with the Care Quality Commission to provide long-stay residential care for up to 32 residents. It is located in the village of West Melton in the North of the Rotherham borough.

The home, previously owned and operated by Stephen Oldale and Susan Leigh, was brought to market to allow them to pursue a well-earned retirement.

Following a confidential sales process with Jonathan Wickens at Christie & Co, it has been purchased by first-time entrant in the sector, Sriya Care Limited.

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Rahul Sood, Director at Sriya Care Limited, said: “We took over the West Melton Lodge care home in the Rotherham area at the end of June with a clear commitment to continuing the warm, resident-centred ethos that had been built over the years. We approached this as a long-term responsibility and are focused on ensuring residents feel safe, respected, and well cared for. In these initial weeks, we've been assessing all aspects of the home and have begun laying the groundwork to raise standards across care, environment, and systems over the coming months.

“The transition went very smoothly, and we’re grateful to the previous owners, who were retiring and incredibly supportive throughout the process. Their cooperation made the handover seamless. All existing staff transferred under TUPE, and we were especially pleased that Tania, the Registered Manager, chose to stay on. Her experience and calm leadership have been central to ensuring continuity and stability for both staff and residents. We’ve inherited a fantastic team - compassionate, capable, and genuinely committed to the well-being of the residents. It’s been a pleasure getting to know them and beginning to support them with resources and structure to help them thrive further. Our focus now is on steadily bringing the home up to the highest standards in every area, from compliance and care planning to resident engagement and family involvement.”

Jonathan Wickens, Director – Care at Christie & Co, added: “This is the fourth care home property we have sold for Stephen and Susan, and we wish them all the best in their retirement. It is good to see the home sold to somebody who approaches the care sector with such passion, and we are sure that Rahul will continue to support the great team at West Melton Lodge.”

West Melton Lodge was sold for an undisclosed price.

Christie & Co website

Images: Christie & Co

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News: 300+ houses planned in new North Rotherham development

A national housebuilder has submitted a planning application for a 311 home development near West Melton.

Persimmon is looking to build on land off Barnsley Road / Pontefract Road that was a greenfield site allocated for housing in Rotherham's development plan in 2018.

After the allocation, Fitzwilliam Wentworth Estates put the 11.73 hectare site up for sale in 2019.

The full application is for a development that provides a mix of, two, three and four bed dwellings and a range of sizes to meet family needs. In Persimmon's styles, the proposed units are all two storeys in height with the exception of some house types which are 2.5 storeys with a master bedroom provided in the roof space.

In response to the comments received during consultation last yerar on a proposed scheme for 330 dwellings, the number of units on the site has been reduced further in the application proposal to 311.

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The proposal will provide 78 affordable units (25%), so will ensure a policy compliant level of affordable housing provision.

The site will have a single point of access for vehicles from Barnsley Road via a priority junction.

The application, drawn up by DLP, adds: "Based on a six and a half year build period, the development is expected to support 123 direct FTE construction jobs per year of construction and 168 indirect FTE jobs per year of construction. Where appropriate, local labour would be given the opportunity to be involved."

Open space and a flood storage basin to manage surface water are also in the plans. Gateway space, meadows and a play area are included with the plans adding "the pylon and water easements across the site provide the framework for the green infrastructure on the site."

Founded in 1972, the Persimmon Group has grown to become one of the largest and most successful house builders in the UK. A listed company, the Group posted revenues of £3.61bn for 2021 compared to 2020's £3.33bn. It brought over 20,500 new plots into the business in 2021 and has £1.15bn of forward sales reserved beyond the current year as well as a quality pipeline of new developments coming on stream.

Persimmon website

Images: Fitzwilliam Wentworth

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News: £4m to revamp Rotherham's towns and villages and what it'll be spent on

Details have been revealed on projects that are set to benefit from a new £4m Towns and Villages Improvement Fund that aims to help reinvigorate town and village centres across the Rotherham borough.

The fund, which was supported by Rotherham Council’s Cabinet as part of its 2021/22 capital budget, will be used to brighten up neglected areas in smaller town and village centres, helping to restore confidence and a little civic pride in communities and also support local businesses.

The funding is due to be prioritised and spent in places that have not benefited from recent investments.

An update to Cabinet shows that projects have been put forward by Ward Councillors in consultation with their communities, including improving shopping parades, parking and green space.

Delivering scalable improvement works across local villages and townships, the overall aim of the scheme is "to work with neighbourhoods across the borough, to enhance their lived environment, through a variety of improvement projects, focused on town and village centres."

A framework has been devised for the capital scheme where projects will be allocated funds between April 2021 and March 2024.

Local councillors have been encouraged to act as community champions, engaging with residents, businesses, and stakeholders to create projects that will have a positive impact within their communities.

A number of schemes have been put forward and separated into four categories, dependent on meeting the objectives of the funding, the complexity of the scheme proposed and the potential cost of the project.

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Schemes coming forward first, seen as the least complex, timely and meeting the objectives of the scheme, are:

- Creation of off-road parking next to Brinsworth Lane shops
- Improvement to the area outside Ridgeway Convenience Store at East Herringthorpe
- Green link corridor between Greasbrough Park and Greasbrough Recreation Ground
- Off street parking at Laburnum Parade shops, Maltby, utilising and improving existing green space
- Improvement to area outside of Masefield Road shops, West Melton (pictured)
- Refurbishment of Broadway shopping parade, Swinton

A number of other schemes include land and buildings that are privately owned and require more work. These schemes focus on The Pastures at Todwick, Wellgate on the edge of the town centre, Ravenfield Crossroads, St. Johns Green in Kimberworth Park, the Swinton Bridge area, Maltby High Street, Whiston Village Centre, Thurcroft High Street and Bawtry Road in Wickersley.

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Maltby town centre is undergoing a masterplanning exercise which should highlight projects for this fund.

Much of the recent regeneration investment in the borough has been in the town centre with Council funding joined by money from other pots such as the Government's Future High Street Fund and Town Deal. Swinton town centre has also been lined up for larger scale regeneration.

Proposals for Dinnington and Wath were turned down by the Government as part of its Levelling Up Fund but they are being included in bids to further rounds of the fund.

Images: Google Maps

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