Related Articles
Packing up the current Sorting Office and moving it to the former bus depot at Masbrough could give Rotherham Council the chance to lead on the regeneration of the Sheffield Road and Westgate areas of the town centre.
The idea is in a new Town Investment Plan (TIP) which focuses on the economic growth corridor which stretches from Templeborough through the town centre and out to Eastwood.
The plan will be put forward in a bid to secure money from the Town Deal, a £3.6bn Government programme seeking to “unleash the economic potential” of 100 places across the country. Rotherham has been given the opportunity to access £25 – 50m and the Council has contracted consultants, ARUP and WYG, to work on the plan.
In the town centre, the plan looks at the Riverside area which is currently home to the Royal Mail sorting office, BT’s telephone exchange and land used for car parking.
The Council’s housing team has already identified the area as a target for more residential development following on from the project currently underway on the site of the former swimming baths.
Royal Mail have previously made it known that “the re-provision / relocation of Royal Mail’s operations will be required prior to redevelopment.”
Advertisement
The £13m site Westgate Riverside development on Sheffield Road consists of two apartment blocks containing 44 homes and 28 two and three-storey semi-detached and terraced houses. The Millfold House development over the road, which is valued at £10m, will feature one apartment block consisting of 31 apartments and 14 back-to-back houses.
The new plan adds: “This is phase one of a longer term plan which could included (sic) a number of other residential sites along Sheffield Road and also the Guest & Chrimes site across the river.
“The full development of this area will take many years but ideas at present formed through Town Deal include supporting the delivery of 350 new homes, community facilities which could also include local shopping and also a bridge over the River Don linking Sheffield Road to Guest & Chrimes.”
The rest of the plan focuses on the key routes into and through the town centre and improvements would come in the form of “greening,” “screening,” “revealing,” “wayfinding” and active travel. Interventions include wildflower planting, new trees, green walls, lighting, artwork, signage and cycle routes.
Consultants are carrying out a virtual exhibition before final plans are submitted to the Government in October.
Images: Google Maps
