Celebrating 500 new homes in Rotherham

Paul Walters, Harron Homes North Midlands Sales Manager, with Rotherham Council's Deputy Leader, Cllr Sarah Allen, and Assistant Director for Housing, James Clark
Paul Walters, Harron Homes North Midlands Sales Manager, with Rotherham Council's Deputy Leader, Cllr Sarah Allen, and Assistant Director for Housing, James Clark

Rotherham Council is celebrating a key milestone in its pledge to build hundreds of new homes across the borough with a formal handover of keys to the 500th new property this week.

The house, located in the Paddocks development, Wickersley, will be a Council house with a new tenant expected to move in before Christmas. The 500 homes have all been built or acquired since 2018.

It sits beside 11 other affordable housing properties, including five for rent and six for shared-ownership.

Rotherham Council’s Deputy Leader, Cllr Sarah Allen, said: “Reaching the 500 home mark in the Council’s pledge to create more affordable, high quality homes for residents has been an incredible journey for everyone involved, from our own members of staff to our contractors and private home builders to those who have made these properties their homes.

“We are grateful to Harron Homes for participating in the scheme and helping us reach this all-important milestone. Rotherham Council works to provide support for all those in our community and we are glad we can offer affordable housing to those who need it most. As a Council we have an important part to play in addressing the challenges faced and achieving better outcomes for the people of Rotherham.

“We are proud that we have been able to offer a range of properties including apartments, bungalows, and family homes either through social housing, private sale or shared ownership. I look forward to seeing the next 500 homes being built and giving more residents and families the opportunity to make their own homes in the future.”

Paul Walters, Harron Homes North Midlands Sales Manager, said: “It was an honour to celebrate this important milestone with Councillor Allen. Our teams dedicate themselves to delivering the highest quality in all areas and we are proud our homes can assist Rotherham Council in its goal of providing families with affordable housing. We look forward to continuing this relationship to support our local communities.”

Across the borough hundreds of properties have been either built by Council housing projects or been purchased through the Council’s acquisitions programme from private developers.

Earlier in 2023, the Council’s flagship housing developments in Rotherham town centre were complete with 171 new homes being made available for rent, shared-ownership or private purchase in Wellgate Place, Westgate Riverside and Millfold Rise.

This is just one of the many developments being built across the borough. Similar schemes are currently being developed or have been completed in areas such as Rawmarsh, Maltby, Broom, Dinnington and Treeton. In October, Cabinet agreed to 76 new council homes in Eastwood and Maltby.

Since January 2018 the Council has acquired 100 properties from private developers, including:

  • 33 bungalows
  • 61 family homes (41 for rent, 20 for shared ownership)
  • 6 apartments

By acquiring homes from developers, the Council is meeting local housing need for those on the housing register.

Further information about housing in Rotherham can be found on the Council’s website at www.rotherham.gov.uk/housing.

Published: 17th November 2023