Plans have been drawn up to change the look of Rotherham High Street through the demolition of the former Primark building.
Rothbiz revealed in September that Rotherham Council was eyeing up the prominent site as it looked to continue building new houses as the masterplan places an importance on enabling more people to live in the town centre.
The owners of the retail unit have sought a buyer for some time but without success, primarily due to the size of the building. It was advertised with a rental figure of £200,000 per annum exclusive and was put up for auction with a guide price of £500,000.
The Council has now purchased the site using funding from the Towns Fund Accelerator programme and plans would see the building demolished and replaced, in the short term, with a pocket park and a high-quality public space.
The Government awarded a £1m grant to kick start regeneration projects in Rotherham town centre.
As Rothbiz reported, longer term plans include developing the site for new town centre residential living.
In 2017, Primark announced plans to open a new store at Parkgate Shopping. A Guernsey-based real estate company, established at the same time as the Primark move was announced, has been responsible for paying the empty business rates on the property.
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Cllr Denise Lelliott, Cabinet Member for Jobs and the Local Economy at Rotherham Council, said: "These are exciting and significant developments that will complement the work we are already undertaking to transform Rotherham Town Centre.
"The short-term plan, creating a pocket park, will help to create a more attractive area on the High Street and add to the leisure offer that is being developed to encourage families to socialise in attractive and diverse surroundings.
"Town centres across the country are having to adapt as their traditional uses start to change. We’re looking at what Rotherham town centre needs to thrive and that means thinking differently and looking at how people will live in and use the town centre in years to come. Long term residential plans for the site will contribute to the changes that we are delivering through the Town Centre Masterplan including three new housing developments and the leisure scheme at Forge Island."
Redevelopment of the site will start in early 2021 with the demolition of the building, which will be the subject of a planning application given its location within a conservation area.
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The plans form part of the Town Centre Masterplan which includes £30m plus funding for three major housing developments at Wellgate, Westgate and Sheffield Road, as well as improvements to open spaces across College Street, Bridgegate, Howard Street and Effingham Street.
The £20m Rotherham Town Centre Investment Fund, which was establish by the Council to deliver the masterplan, is funding the town centre regeneration with further funding being sought from other sources including via the Sheffield City Region Mayoral Combined Authority and the Government’s Future High Streets Fund and Transforming Cities Fund.
Images: RMBC / Allsop
Rothbiz revealed in September that Rotherham Council was eyeing up the prominent site as it looked to continue building new houses as the masterplan places an importance on enabling more people to live in the town centre.
The owners of the retail unit have sought a buyer for some time but without success, primarily due to the size of the building. It was advertised with a rental figure of £200,000 per annum exclusive and was put up for auction with a guide price of £500,000.
The Council has now purchased the site using funding from the Towns Fund Accelerator programme and plans would see the building demolished and replaced, in the short term, with a pocket park and a high-quality public space.
The Government awarded a £1m grant to kick start regeneration projects in Rotherham town centre.
As Rothbiz reported, longer term plans include developing the site for new town centre residential living.
In 2017, Primark announced plans to open a new store at Parkgate Shopping. A Guernsey-based real estate company, established at the same time as the Primark move was announced, has been responsible for paying the empty business rates on the property.
Advertisement
Cllr Denise Lelliott, Cabinet Member for Jobs and the Local Economy at Rotherham Council, said: "These are exciting and significant developments that will complement the work we are already undertaking to transform Rotherham Town Centre.
"The short-term plan, creating a pocket park, will help to create a more attractive area on the High Street and add to the leisure offer that is being developed to encourage families to socialise in attractive and diverse surroundings.
"Town centres across the country are having to adapt as their traditional uses start to change. We’re looking at what Rotherham town centre needs to thrive and that means thinking differently and looking at how people will live in and use the town centre in years to come. Long term residential plans for the site will contribute to the changes that we are delivering through the Town Centre Masterplan including three new housing developments and the leisure scheme at Forge Island."
Redevelopment of the site will start in early 2021 with the demolition of the building, which will be the subject of a planning application given its location within a conservation area.
The £20m Rotherham Town Centre Investment Fund, which was establish by the Council to deliver the masterplan, is funding the town centre regeneration with further funding being sought from other sources including via the Sheffield City Region Mayoral Combined Authority and the Government’s Future High Streets Fund and Transforming Cities Fund.
Images: RMBC / Allsop