News: £4m upgrade for Rotherham college campus

RNN Group is currently in the midst of a £4m brand new Construction Centre and Virtual Reality Suite build at its campus in Rotherham town centre.

The RNN Group (made up of Rotherham College, Dearne Valley College, North Notts College and University Centre Rotherham (UCR) won the award of money from the Department for Education last year and the build began in September to to remodel, repurpose and upgrade the facilities in Rotherham College’s Clifton building to provide training for Brick and Joinery students and Advanced professional construction students.

Additionally, the college has received further funds for further refurbishments to include classrooms and facilities to enhance our computing curriculum including a Virtual Reality Suite, as well as Higher Technical Qualification (HTQ) classrooms.

The build is on target to be completed by September 2024 ready for a new set of learners to enjoy the facilities as well as current learners, who have been using the Rawmarsh Road Centre for a number of years, to be housed all together in the main central Rotherham College campus.

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Jason Austin, CEO and Principal said, “Construction is a core and developing area for the region and especially so following South Yorkshire becoming the UK’s first Investment Zone which will create 8,000 new jobs and bring £1.2bn of private investment by 2030.

“This build is great news for Rotherham College students both current and those starting in September as learners will be taught in state-of-the-art facilities in both construction and digital subjects, which are both key sectors.”

The Group has been granted £15m of Capital funding including a £4m T Level refurbishment project at North Notts College for Health and Social Care and Hair and Beauty as well as half a million pounds of funding for Dearne Valley College Animal Care and Land based Management, and Health where repurposing of facilities for Higher Technical Qualifications has been completed, the remainder of the funds are to be used for general improvements to the buildings and facilities.

RNN Group website

Images: RNN Group

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News: Leading accident repair group planning Rotherham centre

Plans have been approved for a new Solus Vehicle Accident Repair Centre in Rotherham.

Solus is wholly owned by Aviva and operates a nationwide network of vehicle damage repair centres. It repairs and manages the loss of vehicles after a driving accident or incident, managing a third of Aviva’s overall motor damage claims.

The new site is set to be at the Catalyst development on the part of Sheffield Business Park which is in the Rotherham borough boundary, close to the Parkway.

With over 20 sites in the UK, the expansion is part of Aviva’s strategy to support customers by increasing the number of claims managed from start to finish.

Plans show how the 22,000 sq ft Unit 5 at Catalyst would utilise the warehouse unit as a vehicle repair centre which relies on the ability to undertake cosmetic repairs to bodywork, including re-spraying paintwork. As such prefabricated spay booths require installing inside, with new extract flues added. Outside, a new wet and dry valet enclosure is proposed, as is a new compressor room.

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The plans add that Solus are looking to employ 25 full time staff positions, but possibly up to 30 as the business develops.

Recently approved without going before Rotherham Council's planning board, some conditions have been attached, including a restriction in operating hours given the potential for noise distrubance in the proximity of the hotel on the business park.

The Catalyst development has been built on a 17.9-acre site that was previously kept in the green belt when Sheffield City Airport was in operation. Developer's Premcor Estates, together with joint venture partner Peveril Securities sold the development for an undisclosed sum last year.

Premcor and Peveril concluded the deal to forward sell the scheme to Mirastar, KKR Real Estate's industrial and logistics platform in Europe, having structured the deal in such a way that they undertook construction while Mirastar took on its own marketing and search for occupiers.

Occupiers include surfaces specialist, Cosentino, who took 33,608 sq ft, with JLA Group, a market leader in the supply and maintenance of commercial equipment, taking 109,166 sq ft.

Solus website

Images: Solus / Mirastar

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News: Holiday let plan for Wentworth Woodhouse's south pavilion

A leading preservation and heritage charity is developing plans to create a unique holiday let within the historic mansion at Wentworth Woodhouse.

Founded in 1965, The Landmark Trust works to save historic buildings in danger of being lost forever. Sensitive restoration offers "landmarks" a new future by making them available to everyone for self-catering holidays. The lettings income from the 200 extraordinary buildings in the charity's care supports their maintenance and survival in our landscape, culture and society.

When Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust (WWPT) took over the Grade I listed mansion in 2017, decades of neglect had left one of the finest homes in the UK in a sorry state.

The 2018 masterplan had initial proposals for the area known as "Bedlam" - a suite of rooms once reserved for boisterous Georgian bachelors on the south wing of the house - to be converted into commercial spaces attractive to national PLCs and local companies.

When the masterplan was drawn up discussions around the significant capital outlay required for residential units, and the uncertainty around Brexit, meant that the project team opted for commercial uses.

But now pre-planning advice is being sought for residenital uses in the south wing and pavillion following the completion of repairs and restoration.

Bedlam’s roof, along with those of the mansion’s chapel and riding school, was one of the first to be tackled when £7.5m of Capital Works/emergency repairs began in late 2018, using grant funding awarded in the Chancellor’s Autumn 2016 Statement and managed by Historic England.

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WWPT is in the early stages of planning to convert, and ultimately operate, 25 double rooms to be used as overnight accomodation linked to events held at Wentworth - especially with the regeneration of the stable block which includes the riding school being converted into a large conference and events space capable of holding 600+ wedding guests.

The crowning glory would be at the end of the wing, where WWPT would lease the space to the Landmark Trust providing an addition income stream.

The Landmark Trust explains: "We hope to create a Landmark for two in the South Tower of the East Front. Around 1770, the upper chamber of the South Tower was adopted by Mary, 1st Marchioness of Rockingham, as her parlour. She had it decorated with fine plasterwork and wall plaques on Classical themes, and the scheme is an important survival of feminine taste in the Georgian period. This secluded eyrie in one of England’s most notable houses will, we hope, become a truly elegant place to stay."

Sarah McLeod, CEO of WWPT, recently talked about the financially secure and self-sustaining model for the site. She said: "Whatever we do here we want to make sure that we don't find a group of people in the same position we've been in when we took on Wentworth in a 100 years time. We want the solution to be a permanent solution that economically stacks up.

"We've also had to look at the capacity for change within the building so where there's been interventions in the past, or where historic fabric has been removed, there's a little bit more flexibility there in terms of planning whereas other parts of the house particularly, they simply can't be changed, nor would we want to change them. They are really really significant interiors and we we wouldn't want to change that.

"What we came up with is a mixed use solution which allows for us to have cashflow year round so, if you can imagine, certain parts of the year we're much busier with with visitors, with tourists, but in quieter times of the year, we're much busier with things like corporate clients so the solution will have some residential overnight accommodation, shops, restaurants, bars, big visitor experience.

"The really key part of it is a major event centre which will have a major indoor area and a major outdoor area as well. Areas such as The State Room inside the mansion which have survived relatively intact since they were originally completed offer little opportunity for a change of use they will always remain the historically important heart of Wentworth Woodhouse, but other areas inside the mansion, and across most of the Stables complex, were extensively remodeled during the 20th century and almost all of the original interior fabric has been lost, this provides opportunities for us to reimagine these areas creatively and to explore how they might be used to generate revenues that can help secure the future of the site as a whole."

The son of the Fourth Earl Fitzwilliam, Charles Viscount Milton, used the top floor of the tower as his study in the years leading up to his inheritance of the title in 1833. By the early 1800s that floor is described as Lord Milton’s Study.

It would have been a delightful place to work. It featured elaborate plasterwork in the neoclassical style, much popularised by the Georgian architect and interior designer Robert Adam, and had panoramic views over his family’s land, which stretched as far as his eye could see.

In addition, he could step from his office into the gardens via a private bridge.

The floor below, shown on plans from 1829, was the Credence Room, now thought to have held archives and records he would have needed to consult. The room could only be accessed by a staircase from the curved Quadrant Room on the ground floor.

Bedlam was originally the nickname of the Bethlem Hospital asylum in London. In Georgian and Victorian times young gentlemen of the house slept there, as did visiting bachelor guests and their male servants. The men-only domain switched to women-only when the rooms became the dormitories of the Lady Mabel College of Physical Education from 1950 to 1977.

Wentworth Woodhouse website
Landmark Trust website

Images: WWPT

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News: MBO completed at Rotherham industrial pumps group

An equity buy-out has completed at Rotherham-based Industrial Pumps Group (IPG) Ltd with company Managing Director, Dave Carley, and Sales Director, David Stacey, taking full control of the business for the first time since they completed on a management buyout (MBO) in 2016.

The announcement follows a period of sustained growth and profitability for the company, which continued to perform well throughout the pandemic under the watch of its new owners, adapting its product offering and building its market share through the early adoption of change in practice and procedure.

The ambitious duo initially took over the business from its previous owner in 2016 as part of a management buyout deal facilitated by a £500k investment from UKSE – an organisation which focusses on helping businesses in former steel areas with investments, loans and premises.

Since then, Dave and David have led the team on the Barbot Hall Industrial Estate, and have implemented changes which has taken it from a steady local business, to one that is capable of capitalising on growth opportunities. Moving from a reseller of pumps to a business that is an added value designer, servicer and supplier.

They now have framework agreements with a number of the major water companies which shows their importance within the industry and have approached UKSE once again for a further loan to help the company grow further.

With a clear vision for growth, they initially joined the business as trainees in the 1990s. Their agile and ambitious approach has seen the business increase its turnover by £5m, and its headcount by 23.

This would not have been possible without the UKSE investment, which secured the company’s growing presence amongst water utility companies and original equipment manufacturers, while this latest deal enables the duo to acquire 100% of the shares in the business.

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Industrial Pumps Group (IPG) was bought by the duo from its previous owner in 2016, where the pair had worked since trainee level in the 1990s.

The company continued to perform well throughout the pandemic, where the Directors showed a cool business head, pivoting the product offering and build IPG’s market share through the early adoption of change in practice and procedure.

UKSE said this was the right time to let Dave and David take full control in order to have autonomy to realise their ambitions.

Commenting on the equity buy-out deal Managing Director David Carley said the business will continue to grow organically and bring more job creation within the Rotherham area.

He went on to say that thanks to the structure of the 2016 equity investment from UKSE – an organisation which focusses on helping businesses in former steel areas with investments, loans and premises – the management team had now secured a 100% shareholding without incurring costs or penalties.

David said: “We are extremely grateful for the success and growth we have experienced over the past year and especially thankful for Steve and the UKSE team for the support we have received over the years.

“The initial investment helped to facilitate the expansion of Industrial Pumps across our customer base and create new jobs which meant we were able to secure the company’s future here in Rotherham.

“Furthermore, exit discussions were fair and straightforward over two rounds to suit our cashflow, with no penalties.”

“We believe we are a stronger and more valuable company for having worked with UKSE, and we remain committed to our original vision of continuing to grow, and to create further job opportunities in the local area.”

Steve Lyon, Area Manager at UKSE, said: “Working with Industrial Pumps Group has been an absolute pleasure over the last six years. The sustained growth of the business is a testament to the hard work and commitment the Directors have shown, we wish them the best of luck with their future growth ambitions.

“As ever we are delighted to have positively contributed to a business which is creating job opportunities and to have helped a local business retain its strong presence within the region.”

“Despite the team exiting us as an equity partner, they have recently approached us for further loan investment to help them expand further and we have been happy to support them again. As with all of the returns we make from our investments we will seek to invest this money in other local companies.”

Industrial Pumps website
UKSE website

Images: UKSE

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News: Roadhouse gets green light for new Rotherham venue

Craft beer specialist, Roadhouse, has secured planning permission to open in another location in Rotherham. It comes with a number of conditions.

Rothbiz reported in March that an expansion into new premises was already being progressed by the Roadhouse team when it was unexpectantly shut out of its Stag premises by its landlords.

With a premises licence already secured for a former opticians on Laughton Road in Dinnington, connected planning applications were submitted for a change of use and new signage at the empty 1,600 sq ft unit.

The site is located close to the planned £11m regeneration scheme which is focusing on high quality place making to restore the cultural heart of the town centre, increase footfall, boost the local economy, and restore a sense of pride amongst the community.

The Roadhouse application attracted nearly 250 letters of support from regulars at the Stag before its closure and Dinnington locals keen to see a micropub in the town centre and a vacant unit brought back into use.

A representation from the applicant stated: "Roadhouse Bar and Bottles has a proven record of re-connecting local residents with their local shopping area and discouraging the element of the community focused on anti social activities by the re claiming of otherwise vacant land.

"Popular areas offer prospect and refuge. Our bar and bottle shop provides a place that feels secure and brings the wider community together. With a continuous offer of community space, with art displays, live music, art workshops and charity events, the business is more than a bottle shop or bar and has a proven track record of promoting other local businesses and working collaboratively to increase footfall, contributing to the area's improved local economy."

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Rotherham Council has a policy that would normally see pubs and bars discouraged in so-called "Primary Shopping Frontage" areas, however, planners explain: "Whilst the supporting text to the policy notes that drinking establishments are not considered appropriate, micropubs are a relatively new innovation and are much smaller than traditional pubs/bars.... The proposed microbar will be open for much of the daytime period as well, and the applicant has indicated that it would also be used for the retail sale of “high end drinks” to be consumed off the premises.

"Whilst the proposed micropub is not a preferred use for a prime shopping street it is considered that in this instance the proposal will bring back a vacant unit into use helping to contribute to the vitality and viability of the Town Centre providing a day/night time facility for the local community that could encourage linked trips to other uses without being harmful to area.

"Furthermore due to the current vacancies in this location there are retail opportunities for other premises to come back into retail use."

The closest dwelling is located four metres away to the rear of the premises, boundary to boundary, and on the suggestion of environmental health officers, a condition means that the proposed use as a drinking establishment shall only take place indoors. No seats or tables shall be placed outdoors.

The plans were approved withouth going before the council's planning board and includes other conditions around opening hours (10.00-23.15 Monday to Sunday), delivery times and potential noise from music and patrons.

As for the Stag premises, where both Roadhouse Bar & Bottles and neighbours, Rancheros, announced in February that they had closed for the "forseeable future" when a notice of peaceable re-entry by the landlord was on display, a post to social media this week read: "The Roadhouse would love to come back to the Stag. Some things are simply out of our control. We shall continue to try to get back in."

Roadhouse website

Images: Roadhouse

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