Work has started on the creation of more than 170 new homes across three key town centre sites in a £30 million investment as the transformation of Rotherham town centre begins.
The housing developments are spread across three town-centre sites and feature a mix of tenures which include apartments for Council rent and a choice of ways to buy (outright sale or shared ownership).
The sites are:
Westgate Riverside – formerly Sheffield Road car park - 44 Council rented homes and 28 houses for sale
Millfold Rise – formerly Millfold House – 31 Council rented homes and 14 houses for sale
Wellgate Place – formerly Henley’s garage – 23 Council rented homes and 31 houses and apartments for sale
Councillor Dominic Beck, Cabinet Member for Housing at Rotherham Council, said: “These are exciting, significant developments which will deliver 171 new properties for local people, including 129 Council rented and shared ownership homes, It will totally transform three disused former industrial sites and kick-start a raft of new housing development in the town centre.
“The developments include a variety of property types to suit people of different ages including first-time buyers, key workers, families and older downsizers. There will also be a block of 23 Council-rented apartments on the former Henley’s Garage site which will be age-banded for applicants of over 50 years of age.
“A lot of hard work has gone into putting these plans together and I think we have come up with a fantastic scheme, which will contribute towards our ambitions for housing growth and town centre regeneration.”
The residential project mirrors the plans to improve Forge Island which will include a cinema, food and drink outlets, a hotel, and a car park, with the new leisure facilities set within an attractive public space.
Working with construction partner, Wilmot Dixon Construction Ltd, 75% of the properties will be affordable homes with Council funding coming from the Housing Revenue Account. The Council has secured grant funding from Homes England Shared Ownership and Affordable Homes Programme and from Sheffield City Region Housing Capital Fund.
Tom Bell, Assistant Director of Housing, said: “The forthcoming transformation of Forge Island will help create many of the conditions for an attractive town centre residential offer.
“The market is still relatively underdeveloped and by bringing forward this scheme, within a similar timeframe to Forge Island, the council is demonstrating the demand for town centre living in Rotherham and providing the confidence for the private sector to invest.”
The first homes are due to be available by Autumn next year and the entire scheme complete by early 2022.
