Rotherham Council has approved its last resort to secure the properties needed for a £12m regeneration project centred around the markets in Dinnington.
£11m in funding for the project was allocated by Government in March 2023 and the funding agreement was received in June 2023. Rotherham Council's cabinet approved the start of the scheme in June 2023. A further £1m in council funding was allocated to the project in July 2024.
The scheme involves replacing old buildings and market stalls with six new commercial units and a large building, which could be used by the community and for commerce, plus a fully landscaped area of public realm to create a new market square.
However, the authority continues to warn that "protracted negotiations" with the private landowners has slowed the scheme down and Rothbiz reported in August that officers have been preparing to use a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) at the site.
The Government grants powers to enable acquiring authorities to compulsorily purchase land to carry out a function which Parliament has decided is in the public interest.
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A CPO order was made by Rotherham Council in its long-running attempt to acquire the burnt-out buildings on Corporation Street in the town centre. In the end an agreement was reached so the order, which could have taken more than 12 months to resolve if objections were received and an inquiry was required, was not necessary.
The cabinet met this week to authorise the Council in the making of a CPO for Dinnington.
Cllr. Robert Taylor, Cabinet Member for Transport, Jobs and the Local Economy at Rotherham Council, explained: "We have tried through negotiations to avoid getting to this stage. It has become inevitable as negotiations have continued and we don't want to stall the proccess any further, and prevent the development which will have a considerable advantage for the Dinnington area, from taking any longer than it should do."
The authority said earlier this year that it had acquired numbers 38-54 Laughton Road and agreed terms with four other owners regarding the acquisition of their interests. Further plots were acquired in July and September.
It was the Council's ambition to complete the assembly of the site by December 2024, with a view to commencing work on the new scheme in early 2025 and completing mid 2026.
With the Government funding having to spent by the end of March 2026, the council's own funds are expected to be used "toward the latter end of the programme to mitigate the risk of surpassing the funding deadline."
Plans for the development were approved last month.
Images: RMBC
£11m in funding for the project was allocated by Government in March 2023 and the funding agreement was received in June 2023. Rotherham Council's cabinet approved the start of the scheme in June 2023. A further £1m in council funding was allocated to the project in July 2024.
The scheme involves replacing old buildings and market stalls with six new commercial units and a large building, which could be used by the community and for commerce, plus a fully landscaped area of public realm to create a new market square.
However, the authority continues to warn that "protracted negotiations" with the private landowners has slowed the scheme down and Rothbiz reported in August that officers have been preparing to use a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) at the site.
The Government grants powers to enable acquiring authorities to compulsorily purchase land to carry out a function which Parliament has decided is in the public interest.
Advertisement
A CPO order was made by Rotherham Council in its long-running attempt to acquire the burnt-out buildings on Corporation Street in the town centre. In the end an agreement was reached so the order, which could have taken more than 12 months to resolve if objections were received and an inquiry was required, was not necessary.
The cabinet met this week to authorise the Council in the making of a CPO for Dinnington.
Cllr. Robert Taylor, Cabinet Member for Transport, Jobs and the Local Economy at Rotherham Council, explained: "We have tried through negotiations to avoid getting to this stage. It has become inevitable as negotiations have continued and we don't want to stall the proccess any further, and prevent the development which will have a considerable advantage for the Dinnington area, from taking any longer than it should do."
The authority said earlier this year that it had acquired numbers 38-54 Laughton Road and agreed terms with four other owners regarding the acquisition of their interests. Further plots were acquired in July and September.
It was the Council's ambition to complete the assembly of the site by December 2024, with a view to commencing work on the new scheme in early 2025 and completing mid 2026.
With the Government funding having to spent by the end of March 2026, the council's own funds are expected to be used "toward the latter end of the programme to mitigate the risk of surpassing the funding deadline."
Plans for the development were approved last month.
Images: RMBC