News: Rotherham Council to vote on whether to oppose HS2

Councillors at Rotherham Council are to discuss the re-routing of the High Speed (HS2) rail line through the borough next week after a motion was proposed in opposition to the changes, and the £55.7 billion scheme.

Construction on HS2, the high speed North to South rail link that aims to provide extra capacity to handle increasing demand, will begin during this Parliament and has been given a funding envelope of £55.7 billion in 2015 prices. It should reach Birmingham in 2026 and Manchester and Leeds by 2033.

The new option announced in July proposes that HS2 services between London and Sheffield would take a spur off the new north-south high speed line and travel directly to the existing Sheffield Midland station using the existing railway line. These trains therefore could potentially also call at Chesterfield.

A city centre station solution for Sheffield high speed services would allow the main HS2 line to be built east of the previously proposed route, following the M1 and M18 through Rotherham, and through less densely populated areas that would avoid the complexities of building a line via Meadowhall.

The new route would affect Wales, Aston, Ulley, Thurcroft, Bramley, Hellaby, Ravenfield and Hooton Roberts.

A motion is set to be brought before the full council meeting on September 7 by UKIP councillor John Turner who represents the Hellaby Ward. It sets out that the council should note the intent of the Government to create the new HS2 railway system and the present altered suggestion for the route to go through Aston and Bramley. It asks the members whether they want to "oppose the intent to re-route HS2" and "persuade the government to abolish the project entirely."

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In 2014, Rotherham Council backed Meadowhall as the location for the South Yorkshire HS2 station, stating in its consultation response: "RMBC anticipates that the beneficial economic impact of the HS2 station at Meadowhall will not be confined solely to the immediate proximity of the station itself but, with improved connections from Rotherham and the other urban centres in the Sheffield city region, the development and economic growth impact will be seen across the Sheffield city region (SCR)."

Without a clear consensus in the SCR, a number of alternative options were examined as Sheffield Council pushed for the South Yorkshire station to be located closer to the city centre. The prospect of HS3 - a TransNorth high speed rail link connecting the North's great cities - also meant that it would be illogical for HS2 going to an out of town parkway station whilst the Northern Powerhouse Rail project goes to the city centre.

The options discounted include a costly plan to take the HS2 line through Sheffield Midland station and a HS2 loop through the unused Victoria station that was backed by Sheffield Council but discounted due to time penalties, costs and a lack of existing transport links.

The new spur would see two trains per hour into Sheffield on existing lines whilst the main HS2 line continues to carry trains serving Leeds and further North. With a station at Meadowhall, indicative service patterns showed six trains per hour in each direction stopping in South Yorkshire. A total of ten trains per hour are expected to serve the eastern network in each direction.

The "classic compatible" trains could also stop at Chesterfield. Compared to the fastest existing service of 120 minutes, this would result in a fastest London to Sheffield service of around 83 minutes for those trains which stop at Chesterfield and of 79 minutes for those that do not.

The route would also be around £1 billion less expensive even when the links to the existing line and the necessary upgrades have been paid for.

Local politicians have continued to call for the Meadowhall station to be reinstated.

Images: HS2 Ltd

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News: General Dynamics sets sights on new Rotherham premises

General Dynamics, a multinational company operating in the defence and security industry, is planning to take on new office space in Rotherham for its UK-based IT business.

General Dynamics IT provides clients in central government, local government, healthcare and the private sector with business process services, system and application development, data and information management, cyber security, human resources and enterprise IT solutions.

Part of the global aerospace and defence company based in Virginia, USA that employs approximately 95,000 people worldwide, the company is a market leader in business aviation; land and expeditionary combat systems, armaments and munitions; shipbuilding and marine systems; and information systems and technologies.

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General Dynamics UK has 11 world-class facilities across the UK and internationally with over 1,600 highly skilled members of the team.

With its UK head office at Canary Wharf in London, the IT business has been using premises at Hellaby in Rotherham for its Northern office. Now a planning application has been submitted that would see the leading name take space at the Phoenix Riverside development across the borough at Templeborough.

Regeneration specialist St Paul's Developments identified the six acre site as prime for commercial development some years ago due to its prominent frontage on to Sheffield Road and proximity to both Rotherham town centre and Junction 34 of the M1. The local developer created 26,000 sq ft of offices which are now let to In-Tend Ltd, the Royal Mencap Society and Niche Care Ltd.

St Paul's themselves have been using the 8,500 sq ft two-storey Unit 2 where new plans for general Dynamics show prominent external signage and indicative layouts for a call centre operation with space for over 50 staff.

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Niche Care Ltd took space at the completed development, which also includes a Hungry Horse pub, earlier this year. The provider of care to those that choose to live in their own homes took over Unit 1 from BT.

With offices on the ground floor, planning permission was approved for a change of use of the first floor to be converted into a day hub for the elderly and disabled. The new premises enables the company to increase FTE staff numbers from 50 to 78.

General Dynamics IT wesbite
St Paul's Development's website

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News: Historic Rotherham building hits the market

A prominent corner building at the foot of Rotherham town centre's regenerated High Street has gone up for sale.

38-40 College Street comprises a three storey, self contained building with a Portland Stone façade and is being advertised with Sheffield advisors, Commercial Property Partners.

Totaling nearly 11,000 sq ft, the building is currently home to Eastwood Domestics in the 2,500 sq ft High Street unit and the vacant 4,000 sq ft former Dorothy Perkins and Burton unit. The second floor has its own entrance and was the home of Central Snooker Club, a club with an 80 year history.

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Described as a "prominent town centre retail investment" the freehold of the property has not been given a guide price.

The building is on Rotherham Civic Society's local list which compiles properties of architectural or historic interest. The society states that: "No.2 High Street had been purchased by Montague Burton Ltd in 1926 with a view to expanding its presence in Rotherham. Following discussions with the Rotherham Corporation it became apparent that, due to the highway authority's plans to ease the College Street / High Street corner, Nos. 4 & 6 would need to be acquired in order to provide a site of sufficient size for Burton's new premises.

"In December 1929 the company's proposals for the new store were approved and the old property was demolished. The new building, designed by Harry Wilson, Architect, of Roundhay in Leeds was completed in 1931."

A number of uses have been recorded since then including Hart's wallpaper shop, Peter Lord's shoe shop and a ballroom / dance hall above.

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Rotherham High Street has seen the restoration of 13 key properties thanks to a total of a £4.7m investment from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), Rotherham Council and the property owners.

The Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI) scheme sees property owners and long term lease holders secure grants enabling them to restore, renovate and repair their historic buildings which are all within a conservation area that radiates from Rotherham Minster. The aim is to encourage new shops, apartments and businesses to locate in the town centre.

New independent retailers have ensured that the High Street is 100% let for the first time in years.

The council was denied the chance to continue the heritage-led regeneration when it was knocked back for further finance from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

CPP website

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News: Foreign direct investment continues into region

New FDI figures show the UK had a record number of inward investment projects and created second highest number of jobs ever in 2015 to 2016.

The figures are from the Government's Department for International Trade and across the country, 2,213 inward investment projects were secured in the tax year 2015 to 2016, an 11% increase on the previous year. This lead to around 116,000 jobs being created or safeguarded - the second highest number on record.

Almost 1,600 new jobs a week were created by foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2015 to 2016. UK Trade & Investment (UKTI), now part of the Department for International Trade (DIT), helped to secure four out of five of the projects that created these jobs. Since 2010, nearly 390,000 new jobs have been created through foreign direct investment in the UK.

For Yorkshire and the Humber, 104 FDI projects were secured, which meant a total of 2,992 new jobs created. The Northern Powerhouse saw a boost to FDI projects by nearly a quarter (24%) in 2015 to 2016.

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International Trade Secretary, Liam Fox, said: "These impressive results show the UK continues to be the place to do business.

"We've broadened our reach with emerging markets across the world to cement our position as the number one destination in Europe for investment. This continued vote of confidence in the UK will help attract foreign investment to create jobs, security and opportunities for people across the UK."

The USA remained the UK's largest source of inward investment providing 570 projects. This was followed by China (including Hong Kong) with 156 and India with 140.

Demonstrating the UK's attractiveness to an ever-widening pool of global investors, investments originated from a record 79 countries and the UK became the top European destination for projects from emerging markets. Projects from Latin America rose by 240% and those from Central and Eastern Europe surged by 131%.

Advanced manufacturing, a sector key to the economic success of Rotherham and the Sheffield city region saw an 11% increase in projects from 468 last year to 518, and a 13% increase in jobs created from 33,288 to 37,472.

FDI projects covered by Rothbiz in 2015 include Nikken Kosakusho Europe opening its £4m development on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham, where it is planning a £3m extension. Irish owned manufacturing firm, MGB Plastics, made a seven figure investment in new machinery at its Rotherham facility.

Also during the period, Acorn Industrial Services Group, one of the largest power transmission distributors in the country, was acquired by the Swedish industrial group, Axel Johnson International.

The department records wider types of inward investment projects, including mergers and acquisitions and those that are not publicly announced by foreign investors. Therefore, the FDI project figures reported are different from those reported by external organisations, such as Ernst & Young, who track FDI project flows mostly based on investment announcements. These external organisations report on calendar year, while the department’s statistics are for financial year

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News: Xeros' three bead trick

Xeros, a cleantech company based in Rotherham, is being coy about the future versions of polymer beads that it is developing, but it is certain that applications for them will be revolutionary.

Based on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP), Xeros is a Leeds University spin-out that has developed a patented system using a unique method of special polymer beads rather than the usual large amounts of fresh water to clean clothes.

In raising a further £40m in a share issue at the end of 2015, the The AIM-listed firm has boosted its R&D and engineering teams as it commercialises the technology. The patent portfolio currently comprises 40 patent filings which cover polymer bead technologies in applications from commercial and domestic laundry through to leather, metal surface treatments and information/communications technology.

At the start of this year, Dr Steve Jenkins, chief science officer (pictured), stepped down as a director of Xeros to concentrate on the firm's scientific development programmes which he discussed at a recent investor's day.

He told investors and potential investors about Xeros' "three bead trick," saying: "The first stage is to take stuff away from the substrate - this is of course the laundry application. Positive and negative charges on the molecule have the potential to attract the stain and it will move into the bead because nylon has this ability, when it's wet, to open up and let things diffuse into it.

"Trick two is polypropylene. We use that to actually put stuff on to the substrate - the massaging effect of the beads to help things go into leathers more readily. And that's basically because they don't want to be associated with the bead - it's pretty hydrophobic and wants to move things onto the substrate. We use that to apply things like dyes and other chemicals onto things like leather.

"Trick three is perhaps the most interesting one if you are a polymer scientist. It is the ability to temporarily change the surface of the bead so that it can pick stuff up, move it, and then drop it off again when you want to move it into a different part of the process. There are a lot of processes and a lot of instances where that can have a very beneficial effect."

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Jenkins was coy about the exact uses for the third generation beads but said that it involves taking some very expensive chemistry that couldn't previously be used in an aqueous system, and using it with beads.

With the current focus on commercial laundry, domestic laundry and leather processing, the company has worked on identifying three new areas to target. Research continues and IP is being protected.

Mark Nichols, chief executive officer at Xeros, believes that the company now has firm evidence that it is a platform technology. He added: "As Steve said, we've been coy, but the reason we are being coy with the three new substrates, is that if I announce them, it'll be out there and before we know it we have other people putting in intellectual property claims around them. Quite simply, we have to protect that right.

"What I can say is, two out of those three are as large as the things we've been talking about [laundry, leather]. And what I can say is that they are adjacent - they are not a long development path away. As a consequence, I don't see that we have this very long horizon for these new additions.

"What we have is a balanced portfolio of applications: here and now in laundry; soon leather; and another series coming shortly thereafter. And that provides us as a management team with great enthusiasm. We are passionate about this. We came from very different walks of life to get into this. We didn't have to do this but we really, really want to.

"We do it because it has got a great commercial and financial benefits. Sure, we are doing it for extrinsic rewards, the shareholders know that we have got a good share options scheme - could be better! - but we have a great intrinsic drive here - we are doing something that is game-changing for industries. They have not seen the likes of it before."

Xeros website

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News: Ability Handling relocate after acquisition

Following extensive refurbishment, Ability Handling is now fully operational from premises in Rotherham that it acquired when it secured a deal for SEV Materials Handling.

The firm specialises in the hire, sale and service of forktrucks and sideloaders and has grown from premises in Sheffield and Rotherham.

Having acquired the materials handling and electric vehicles business of Smith's Electric Vehicles (SEV) in 2015, the combined company, which had revenues at acquisition of £3.5m, has relocated to North Anston. The firm said that the relocation "marks a new chapter in the history of Ability Handling and provides the foundation for our future growth."

Ability Handling was established in 1989 by Roger J. Hardman who for many years had been involved with the service and repair of agricultural machinery, contractors plant equipment and transport. Continued growth saw the firm consolidate to a single site on the Barbot Hall Industrial Estate at Rotherham.

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Gaining a freehold property in the acquisition, the new premises offer the company a prominent road side position, close to major motorways, with ample land for future expansion. Until planning is approved, Ability Handling is renting nearby warehouse space to accommodate its stock of new and used forklift trucks and Cushman electric vehicles.

Smith's Electric Vehicles established SEV Materials Handling in 1993, which was a dealership for Doosan in the North East of England and TCM in South Yorkshire. Stephen Fisher, former MD of SEV Group, joined Ability Handling in late 2014.

As part of the growth plan, the new merged site is set to be joined by additional depots established to expand services to a wider geographical territory. Additional employment opportunities are also set be created in the region as plans go ahead to augment the current workforce of 30 with more engineers, sales and support staff. Further significant investment has been made in new fleet trucks, computer systems, vans, specialist equipment and employee training.

Roger Hardman, managing director of Ability Handling, said after concluding the deal: "We have already seen significant organic growth and this acquisition and planned investment puts Ability Handling at the forefront of its sector in the region and marks a major step forward."

Ability Handling website

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News: Developing entrepreneurial skills in the SCR

A new initiative has been launched to support adults in the Sheffield city region (SCR) by instilling confidence and developing entrepreneurial skills.

The programme is designed to tackle the root causes of poverty, promote social inclusion and drive local jobs and growth.

The project has received up to £546,300 of funding from through Building Better Opportunities, a programme jointly funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Big Lottery Fund.

This project is being delivered by the Doing Good Business Partnership throughout the SCR but will focus on the engagement of participants at a neighbourhood level. The partner organisations, which include the likes of Groundwork South Yorkshire, will bring a strong knowledge of the local area and issues that people face whilst trying to gain employment.

Lynne Hilson, operations manager at Sheffield Futures, said: "Doing Good Business promises to help the hardest to reach people to make the most of their skills and ambitions by receiving the maximum help and support they need. The funding announced today is an important step towards positive change for unemployed people in Sheffield city region."

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The two-year initiative focuses on community engagement, mentoring and coaching support. Participants aged 25 – 60, will be involved in activities to build confidence and establish entrepreneurial skills, as well as progressing in to further education. In the SCR, the rate of unemployment is 6.2%, which is above the national average for Great Britain (5.1%).

The programme will deliver specialist support for people with a disability, women, BAME groups, lone parents, carers and those who are over 50 years old.

The Department for Work and Pensions is the Managing Authority for the England European Social Fund programme. Established by the European Union, the European Social Fund helps local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support skills development, employment and job creation, social inclusion and local community regenerations.

The SCR Local Enterprise Partnership put out a call earlier this year as it looked to allocate £1m in ESF under its Socially Inclusive Self Employment programme.

Sheffield Futures website
Groundwork South Yorkshire website

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News: Liberty House linked to South Yorkshire's Tata Steel sites

The Liberty House Group, one of the bidders for the whole of the Tata Steel UK business, is reported to be in talks to buy Tata Steel's specialities business in South Yorkshire.

Following a board meeting in July, the Indian-owned steelmaker decided on a separate process for the potential sale of its Speciality Steels business, which until recently employed over 2,000 people at sites like Aldwarke in Rotherham and Stocksbridge in Sheffield.

The sale process for the rest of the UK assets was halted and the Tata board said it was looking at "alternative and more sustainable portfolio solutions" including a potential joint venture with Germany's Thyssenkrupp which would see the strip products businesses combined.

Liberty House is an international steel and non-ferrous metals group and has already taken on plants in Newport and Scotland. It also acquired parts of Caparo's advanced engineering products and precision strip businesses in the West Midlands.

Sky News reported that potential bidders for speciality had been told to table indicative proposals by July 15. Now the Economic Times of India is reporting that Liberty is in advanced talks to purchase the pipe business in Hartlepool, and is amongst the bidders for Tata's speciality steel operations in Rotherham and Stocksbridge.

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Speciality Steels is not considered a downstream business linked to Port Talbot and Tata Steel's strip products business. It produces around 225,000 tonnes of steel, comprising around 3% of Tata Steel Europe's total output. It has a £275m turnover and is Tata Steel Europe's only Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) based business, specialising in carbon, alloy and stainless steels for demanding applications like aerospace, motorsports and oil and gas.

KPMG, the accountancy firm is running the sale and according to Sky News, documents "forecast a turnaround in the fortunes of the division, with an £81.4m pre-tax loss in the year to March 2016 expected to become a £32.9m profit by the end of its 2018-19 financial year."

The Economic Times added that Liberty House is said to be the only bidder for the Hartlepool works, which employs 600 people, and that a deal could be concluded in September. Sources say that Liberty House values sites in Rotherham, Stocksbridge and Hartlepool at £100m.

The Government has previously said: "We understand that a number of offers were received for the speciality steel business as part of the sale process for the whole of Tata Steel UK's operations. This indicates there are good prospects for a wholly commercial transaction for both the pipe mills and specialities business, similar to that achieved when the Tata Long Products business was sold to Greybull Capital. Therefore, at this point we do not believe that the specialties business is likely to require the same level of support and investment to secure a sale as the strip business based at Port Talbot."

In May, Liberty announced that it was submitting a bid for the entire share capital of Tata Steel UK. It was being supported by a panel of financial advisers led by international investment bankers, Macquarie Capital (Europe) Limited, with the State Bank of India Capital Markets as co-financial advisers.

Prospective buyer, Sanjeev Gupta, chief executive officer at Liberty House, has outlined the group's strategy. One solution is to use Electric Arc Furnaces (EAF) to make "GREENSTEEL" from the UK's mountain of scrap. It is also looking at investing in low cost long term renewable power, as close to the steel plants as possible. The third element of the strategy is to invest in engineering companies that use the steel and turn it into advanced components for existing and new UK based growth industries.

Neither side is commenting as the sale process continues. Liberty House did say following the halting of the sale by Tata in July that: "In the short term we will continue discussions with Tata about the acquisition of a number of important assets that fit well with our strategy."

Liberty House website

Images: Liberty House

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News: New manager at Rotherham BizSpace

BizSpace, the leading provider of managed workspace in the UK, has appointed Zoe Wadsworth to manage its Rotherham workspace.

With over 100 sites throughout England and Scotland, the firm provides everything from industrial units, workshops and storage units to studios and offices.

Zoe was previously manager of the Oaks Business Park in Barnsley, on maternity cover, and has now taken on the role of business centre manager full time at the site on Bradmarsh Business Park in Rotherham.

The Templeborough business centre is preparing for a refurbishment of its reception area and its three meeting rooms, the installation of new corporate branding and signage, and the launch of an exciting partnership with Barnsley and Rotherham Chamber of Commerce.

Zoe Wadsworth, business centre manager at BizSpace (pictured), said: "As well as being appointed as manager of Bradmarsh, I am also now responsible for managing the development of Bizspace's meeting rooms nationwide.

"Throughout my career my roles have been focused on providing exceptional customer service and that's something I'll be continuing to prioritise. I'm excited to be working with all our customers in Rotherham and I am looking forward to the developments at the site, as well as welcoming new customers on board."

The business centre on Bow Bridge Close offers a mixture of office space from 320 sq ft and industrial units and workshops up to 1,000 sq ft, as well as mailboxes and virtual offices. It is currently at approximately 80% occupancy, with a mix of customers including British Gas, steel forging firms, healthcare companies, recruitment agencies, car repair firms and a café.

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Every quarter, Bradmarsh Business Centre will host a Keep It Local event in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce, where businesses can visit the site and find out more about the chamber, the business centre and the benefits of working with local companies.

And on Tuesday September 20 from 10am to 4pm it will be the venue for a Cycle Hub event, promoting the benefits of cycling to and from work.

Emma Long, sales and marketing director at BizSpace, said: "Zoe is so enthusiastic about her work and is a natural people person so is very popular with our customers. She has the drive it takes to make a real difference at Bradmarsh and we are delighted to welcome her to the role."

Bizspace offers flexible solutions to meet the short and long-term property needs of the SME, start-up and corporate markets. It also operates Dinnington Business Centre on the former colliery site.

The business was owned by Highcross, which was bought by Northwood for £635m in 2014. Last year, investment group, Värde Partners closed a deal for the Bizspace Group for £135m including the assets and property portfolio.

BizSpace website

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News: Purex expansion backed by Finance Yorkshire

Purex International, a manufacturer of fume extraction systems, has expanded with the support of business loan from Finance Yorkshire.

Rothbiz featured the move earlier this year, when the £8m turnover firm expanded from its Manvers base and relocated to Thorne Park in Doncaster.

The firm manufacture systems that capture fumes at the source, preventing fumes escaping into the workplace, before filtering and recycling them meaning that fumes are not pumped into the outside environment. The systems are used in electronics factories and to remove all of the odours created by wide format inkjet printing equipment.

50% of Purex International products are sold to overseas customers. It also has a network of distributors across Europe.

Moving into a 18,680 sq ft unit, which it acquired on a freehold basis for an undisclosed sum, Purex said that the new purpose built headquarters will allow it to fulfil its current rapidly growing business and ambitious future expansion plans.

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The business was introduced to Finance Yorkshire by Barclays, which provided a commercial mortgage, and the regional funding body provided a business loan to support the move.

Finance Yorkshire has invested over £105m into companies in Yorkshire and Humber having secured extra support from the Regional Growth Fund (RGF). Originally a £90m fund, it operated three investment teams - Seedcorn Finance, Business Loans and Equity Linked Investments. It secured £45m from the European Investment Bank, together with £30m investment from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and £15m from the Government via Yorkshire Forward.

The relocation follows a management buyout in 2015, supported by Barclays, which saw Trefor Jones and Andy Easey acquire the company from Domino Printing Sciences.

Trefor Jones, managing director at Purex International (pictured, far left), said: "We were in rented accommodation but wanted to purchase our own building. This move gives us more stability for the longer term.

"Last year we opened a subsidiary in the US where we have been trading for many years . We have a good reputation in the market for the quality of our products and now we are able to offer an enhanced, local service. The US market is worth $220m so there is potential for growth."

Melanie Reynolds, portfolio executive at Finance Yorkshire (pictured, second left), added: "There is an exciting future ahead for Purex International as it looks to build on an already strong reputation for quality and service by building its US sales, developing new markets and investing in new products."

Purex International website
Finance Yorkshire website

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News: Newell & Wright continues to expand Rotherham operations

A retrospective planning application is being submitted as a vacant Rotherham logistics site is brought back into use.

Haulage contractors, Newell & Wright Group, have been using part of the former Exel Logistics distribution depot on Grange Lane between Templeborough and Brinsworth since July but complaints have been made and the lawful planning use of the site needs to be clarified.

The company took on the DB Cargo site at Templeborough last year, creating a new rail port facility, installing six sidings, ranging from 300 to 400 metres, allowing for a significant level of rolling stock and container handling.

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Since opening in the summer of 2015, Newell & Wright Group have seen a significant increase in the number of containers that are now using the rail port container facility and further investments have been made in infrastructure and capital plant equipment such as reach stackers for container handling, new hardstanding areas for container storage and a management office located on site.

Spotting a gap in the market for a rail terminal in the Yorkshire, a deal was signed for a new freightline between Rotherham and the Port of Felixstowe.

The latest application states: "The company has secured a very significant new contract for distribution of retail goods throughout the UK. The application site seemed ideal, given its location near to their existing depot, and particularly having regard to its long history for distribution purposes.

"The initial operation in early July was to move a substantial number of full containers onto the site to facilitate the start of the distribution plan. At 4 no. containers high, maximum, the site can accommodate up to 450 no. containers. The initial stocking surge completed, the daily normal routine is now under way. There up to 25no. vehicles in and 25 no. vehicles out per day (the same lorry). Each will bring an empty container in and take a full container out, or conversely a full container in and an empty container out."

The new contract has enabled the addition of ten new drivers and two new container movement operatives.

Originally built in 1990 as a former distribution depot and lorry park for Excel Logistics, the sizeable property had plans approved and was converted for industrial use in 2010 when MTL relocated from 112,000 sq ft of manufacturing space in Darnall, Sheffield.

The contract manufacturer was bought out of administration in 2015 by the WEC Group Ltd, one of the largest engineering and fabrication companies in the UK. It went on to acquire the 300,000 sq ft factory and 30 acres of land for £7m as a way of strengthening operations at its Rotherham-based site, now called MTL Advanced.

Newell & Wright Group website

Images: Newell & Wright Group

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News: Wentworth Woodhouse back on screen

Rotherham's Wentworth Woodhouse, the largest privately-owned house in Europe, is back on screen this weekend as one of the filming locations used for ITV's new prime-time drama, Victoria.

The marvel of English architecture, which has recently had a sale agreed with a preservation trust, has previously been seen on the big screen in Mike Leigh's biopic of JMW Turner, standing in for London's Royal Academy of Arts and as part of Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, which was described as one of the most ambitious TV dramas ever undertaken in the UK.

The landmark series from award winning Mammoth Screen (Poldark, Black Work) stars Jenna Coleman (Doctor Who, Death Comes to Pemberley) as Queen Victoria and Tom Hughes (The Game, Dancing on the Edge, Silk) as Prince Albert. The ambitious 8-part drama follows the early life of Queen Victoria, from her ascension to the throne at the tender age of 18, through to her courtship and marriage to Prince Albert. Victoria went on to rule for 63 years, and was the longest serving monarch until she was overtaken by Elizabeth II.

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Victoria is the first large scale production to use Screen Yorkshire's Yorkshire Studios, re-purposed aircraft hangers at Church Fenton.

Screen Yorkshire works to secure and support the very best projects, companies and individuals, helping to make Yorkshire and the Humber one of the most sought after destinations for production in the UK. As an investor it operates the £15m, ERDF-supported Yorkshire Content Fund.

Buckingham Palace was recreated at Church Fenton Studios for the seven month shoot, which also filmed at Harewood House, Newby Hall, Castle Howard, Temple Newsam, Allerton Castle, Beverley Minster, Bramham Park, Carlton Towers, Wentworth Woodhouse, Whitby Pier, York City Centre, with a few days filming over the borders to take in Raby Castle in County Durham and the village of Rothley in Leicestershire. Creative England provided crew and locations support and helped with securing filming permissions for the shoot.

Wentworth Woodhouse was used to replicate Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace. The West Front of the house, rarely seen before it was opened up to the public, can be seen in the latest trailer for the drama.

Damien Timmer, managing director at Mammoth Screen, said: "The Yorkshire Studios gave us all the space we needed for our massively ambitious studio build, are a stone's throw from Leeds and close to the many fantastic locations we needed to capture the grandeur and opulence that the series demands.

"Queen Victoria's court is the perfect setting for an epic drama – a seething hotbed of scandal, corruption and romantic intrigue, involving everyone from the humblest dresser to the Mistress of the Robes, the lowliest bootboy to the Lord Chamberlain. When we join Victoria in 1837, England is unrecognisable from the country it will become by the end of her reign. As she takes her fledgling steps as monarch we slowly see modern Britain emerge."

Supervising Location Manager, Jim Allan added: "The streets of both York and Whitby along with the Stately Homes of Yorkshire looked fantastic and were ideal for Victoria, also nothing was too much trouble. With the on-going help of local Councils, Owners and Staff, plus the bonus of guidance from Creative England we achieved all our goals on schedule. Yorkshire has great locations and a 'can-do' attitude."

The first episode will be shown on ITV at 9pm on Sunday (August 28).

Screen Yorkshire website

Images: Mammoth Screen / ITV

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News: Airport sees busiest month ever

Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield, the regional airport for the Sheffield city region, has seen a record number of passengers for July, its busiest month ever.

A "transformational deal" with Flybe was signed last year and eight new routes launched in April with 44 departures per week and almost half a million seats on the new routes in their first year of operation. The new routes are Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Jersey, Newquay, Malaga, Alicante and Faro.

Since April, new routes have been announced for Dusseldorf and Chambery in the Rhone-Alps region of south eastern France. Flybe as also announced that it will take over the route to Dublin, previously the Aer Lingus Regional service operated by Stobart Air.

With the new routes and the opening of the new £56m Finningley And Rossington Regeneration Route Scheme (FARRRS), passenger numbers for July increased by 42% from the previous year to 141,155, with the airport on track to deliver over 1.3 million passengers for the year.

As passenger numbers grow, a £200k investment has been made in the airport's departure and security operations.

The purchase of four state of the art security machines will allow for quicker scanning of hand luggage and reduce the number of person searches required; meaning that passengers can expect an enhanced passenger experience. On average, the airport now aims to process passengers through security within ten minutes.

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Other improvements include the introduction of airport ambassadors who will meet and greet passengers on arrival at the airport, assisting with any information requirements and their efficient flow through the airport.

Steve Gill, chief executive of Doncaster Sheffield Airport, said: "We are delighted to be seeing growth in our passenger numbers and have made this investment in our terminal and staff to ensure that we improve the ease and speed of using our airport.

"This will allow us to increase the speed of journeys for our passengers through the airport whilst maintaining stringent security levels so a real gain in convenience for leisure and business travellers alike."

Peel Holdings bought the site from the Ministry of Defence when it was RAF Finningley in 1999 and has invested around £150m. It was the first full service airport to open in the UK in 50 years when the first commercial flight took off in 2005.

Ian Howarth, finance director, Pegler Yorkshire Group, who are regular users of the airport for business travel from their Doncaster head office, said: "The airport is key to supporting our business, allowing us to easily bring staff to our UK operations from group operations in France, Germany and Holland alongside facilitating our wider travel needs. The ease of access to the airport through the new link road, convenience of parking and quick processing times through the airport are all major reasons driving the use of our local airport."

Jillian Thomas, managing director of Future Life Wealth Management based in Sheffield and President of Sheffield Chamber of Commerce added: "The new Flybe routes to European travel hubs have been a real benefit to my business allowing me to access long haul destinations such as Dubai.

"The opening of the new motorway link road, the closeness of the parking to the terminal and fast processing through the airport means I use our local airport whenever possible. I would encourage others to use the airport when travelling to enjoy these benefits and support a key asset for the Sheffield City region."

Robin Hood Airport website

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News: Maltby restoration plans recommended for approval

New plans that involve the importation of 1.32 million tonnes of material for the restoration of Maltby Colliery in Rotherham are being recommended for approval.

The 500 acre colliery was mined for over 100 years until geological conditions could not be overcome and underground operations ceased in 2013.

It had been expected to continue coal production until 2025 but the winding tower was brought down in 2014 and the mine shafts have been filled and capped. With the sudden closure, the future restoration scheme, included in the planning permission for the mine's operation, is being re-examined.

On behalf of Hargreaves Maltby Limited, consultants at Signet Planning submitted new detailed planning documents to Rotherham Council outlining the scheme.

The plans, which involve cut and fill operations, the import of 1.32 million tonnes of suitable fill material and 150,000 tonnes of soil making materials, are going before the council's planning board this week and planners are being recommended to approve the plans, subject to a number of conditions.

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A previous application involving the importation of 450,000 tonnes of mine runoff fines, known as MRF, to be transported each year from nearby Hatfield Colliery and deposited in the current lagoon at Maltby were refused by the planing board in 2014, despite the council's planning officers recommending that the plans be approved.

Regarding the latest restoration, which is estimated to take six years and six months, planners have assessed impacts such as noise, traffic and landscape and made comparisons to the previous scheme approved in 2010.

The site sits within the borough's Green Belt and the restoration is set to include 19.8 hectares of new native broadleaved woodland and scrub; 23.1 hectares of neutral grassland with wildflowers; 47.2 hectares of amenity grassland and/or biomass; and 3.6 kilometres of new public access routes linking with the wider rights of way network.

2014 plans were refused by the members of the planning board who felt that the importation of material represents inappropriate development in the Green Belt, as it does not relate to the material produced from the Maltby Colliery, and that the HGV vehicle movements resulting from the development are detrimental.

In this case the planners agree that the restoration will bring many positive benefits and that "very special circumstances" exist to warrant the grant of planning permission for this development in the Green Belt in this instance.

The plans envisage a worst case of five to six HGV arrivals per hour (or ten to 12 HGV movements) whilst material is being imported. The planners state that this is "very similar to the traffic movements generated by the colliery when it was operational." A contribution of £6,000 for additional road improvements is being made a condition of planning permission.

The report to the planning board concludes: "While there are some negative impact of the proposal, mainly the importation of material by HGVs, the positive impact of the environmentally acceptable restoration scheme to secure the reclamation of the site clearly outweigh the impacts."

Images: Hargreaves Services

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News: New Costa proposals to perk up Parkgate

As fit out work continues for a new Costa unit in Rotherham town centre, another is being planned for Parkgate Shopping.

Rothbiz reported first that "The Nation's Favourite Coffee Shop" was taking on the empty unit on Corporation Street that was vacated by fast food chain KFC last year.

Now a planning application has been submitted for a 1,800 sq ft standalone drive-thru unit to be occupied by Costa between Wilko's and Morrison's supermarket in the existing car park at Parkgate.

Part of Whitbread plc, Costa was founded in London in 1971 by Italian brothers, Sergio and Bruno. With over 2,000 coffee shops in the UK and more than 1,240 in 31 overseas markets, Costa is the fastest growing coffee shop business in the UK and is aiming to create 5,000 new UK jobs by 2020. It already operates in Rotherham at a 2,000 sq ft unit at Parkgate Shopping and the Waterfront development in Manvers.

Drive thru stores are operated by the company and by franchisees. Costa's turnover grew by 15.9% to £1.1 billion for the year to March 3 2016. Underlying operating profit was up 15.8% to £153.5m.

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The proposed development, which would take up 45 parking spaces, would be single storey and include feature glazing, and red and grey render and include a drive thru, not currently available at the existing Costa on the park.

The owners of the park, together with potential operators and visitors have all shown an interest in an improved food and drink offer at Parkgate. A 4,000 sq ft Frankie & Benny's restaurant opened in 2012 to complement to the existing instore cafés and fast food outlets. A similar size Nando's opened at the end of 2015, a new development replacing the former Pizza Hut restaurant.

In 2016, an in-house coffee shop and eatery, UK Coffee Shop, opened within the 45,000 sq ft UK Outdoor Clearance site.

McDonald's opened a 24-hour restaurant and drive thru on the edge of Parkgate Shopping in 2014 and plans for a 2,000 sq ft Starbucks drive thru coffee shop at nearby Foundry Retail Park were approved in 2015.

Due to the small size of the proposed Costa unit, there is no requirement to undertake an impact assessment. On previous restaurant developments, Rotherham planners stated that "no evidence exists to demonstrate that the proposed development would have a significant adverse effect on the town centre."

Sequential tests ensure that development is located in the most sustainable location first (usually in town centres), before other, less sustainable locations are chosen. In this case, the applicants have discounted a number of sites in the town centre.

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Parkgate ranks in the top ten of British retail parks ranked by the total retail spend attracted to each centre. Attracting over nine million visitors a year, the 575,000 sq ft retail destination is one of the largest retail parks in the UK. Home to over 40 shops, the park is anchored by the likes of M&S, Outfit, Next, Boots and H&M.

Recent opening include The Works and Smyth's Toys. A tenant is close to moving into the empty unit vacated by BHS, the national retailer that went into liquidation.

In a transaction worth around £175m, BMO Real Estate Partners (BMO) acquired Parkgate Shopping in September 2015 from the Hercules Unit Trust (HUT), which is advised by British Land and managed by Schroders.

The latest application shows that Interest Trustees Ltd and Spread Trustee Company Ltd are now trustees of the Rotherham Unit Trust.

Costa website
Parkgate Shopping website

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News: Eadon's MULE does the heavy lifting

Design engineers from Eadon Consulting have played a key role in a £9m coastal defence scheme by designing a clever machine to lay 780 metres of concrete-stepped revetments.

Rapidly expanding engineering design consultancy, Eadon Consulting works across a number of sectors, with expertise in mechanical, control, hydraulic and structural design and has moved office four times in six years within the AMP Technology Centre on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham due to the growing nature of the business.

The experts were approached by Balfour Beatty in the autumn of 2014 to design a vehicle that could be used to transport and lay precast units weighing 14 tonnes that are used as part of a coastal defence project in Sandsend, North Yorkshire.

Worn-out coastal defences have been replaced along a 1km stretch of the A174 where it runs close to the shoreline. The road had a history of landslips and had required the County Council to undertake costly repairs over the years.

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The mobile unit lifting equipment vehicle (MULE) carried revetment units 800 metres along a pre-built track at around 2km/h and layed them into the correct position using the machines' three adjustable legs to ensure accuracy. Each of the legs was able to vary its height and angle with the aid of hydraulic cylinders.

Working at the foot of a cliff and between a busy road and the sea, the MULE meant that contractors didn't have to use heavy lifting to move the units in to place.

The machine, which consists of a main frame on which the revetment is loaded, has a counterweight section at the back on which the hydraulic power pack and generator can be loaded, and it is moved by a separate unit attached to the frame via a specially designed coupling. The drive unit uses two hydraulic motors to drive the drive wheels sitting in the same guide channels and also has additional ballast which is required to meet the units traction requirements.

Eadon, who were the mechanical and structural designers on the project, carried out all of the calculations and the development of the concept. The project also saw engineers continue through to the detailed design and 3D model and manufacturing drawings.

A spokesperson for Eadon said: "The project presented several challenges during the process and were required to make significant changes to the mechanism and strengthening concepts to ensure the Mule functioned correctly. Environmental factors also had to be taken into account as the machine is required to work in a hostile, coastal environment. The design team also had to bear in mind that the client ultimately wanted a cost effective solution."

An opening ceremony has recently been performed for the scheme which saw 360 revetments successfully laid into place.

Eadon Consulting website

Images: Balfour Beatty

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News: Housing plan for empty call centre

A Rotherham building designed especially for a call centre operation could finally get tenants after being vacant for ten years.

At the centre of the Dearne Valley Enterprise Zone, Callflex Business Park includes a 35,000 sq ft office and four smaller buildings developed by development and finance company, Cannock Developments in 2002. It is now home to the Department for Work and Pensions, Keepmoat Regeneration, a G4S contact centre and South Yorkshire Police's Training Centre, but one unit, unit 7, has never been occupied.

Building 7 is a modern purpose built office / call centre building comprising 53,665 sq ft of Grade A offices, arranged over three floors. With little prospect of securing a contact centre operation, a planning application has now been submitted to assess if it would be permitted to convert the use from employment to residential use.

Applicants Castan Ltd are proposing that the building be subdivided into 62 separate dwellings.

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The plans state: "The unit was constructed to be a 53,000 sq ft call centre but was never occupied due to lack of demand.

"Callflex Business Park sits in the heart of a regenerated area. The location benefits from good transport links and integrated bus and rail networks. The local area provides significant amenities to the workforce with pubs, restaurants and nearby Cortonwood Retail Park.

"Unit 7 has been vacant for ten years and is ideal for subdivision into residential units in an attractive landscape setting. The unit is in the far corner of the site and noise and traffic is minimal in this location."

In 1995 the area was designated a ten year Enterprise Zone, offering employers and investors significant financial incentives to help rejuvenate the area. Since then, more than £200m of private funding has been invested in offices, light industrial and distribution schemes. It is estimated that around 10,000 jobs had been created in the area by 2002.

Images: Knight Frank / Jones Lang LaSalle

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News: GameBird takes flight

A spectacular aerobatic aircraft, which passed airworthiness tests at the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) with Boeing, has been put through its paces at the world's largest recreational aviation, experimental aircraft and aeronautics airshow.

Based on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham and a partner in the HVM Catapult (the government's strategic initiative that aims to revitalise the manufacturing industry), the AMRC focuses on advanced machining and materials research for aerospace and other high-value manufacturing sectors.

It houses an Advanced Structural Testing Centre (ASTC) which provides state-of-the-art means, methods and skills to validate engineering materials, components, assemblies and full products.

Lincolnshire-based Game Composites utilised the centre when it needed testing for a new aerobatics aircraft. The company was founded with the aim of creating an easy handling two seater aircraft that would be recognised as the most fun to fly aircraft in the world.

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The GB1 GameBird was the first fixed wing, light aircraft to undergo a full airworthiness test in the UK for more than 30 years.

Now it has taken to the air in the skies above Wisconsin, in the USA, at the EAA AirVenture annual airshow, which is attended by more than 550,000 enthusiasts from 80 countries.

The first public display at Airventure in Oshkosh, WI, saw co-founder Philipp Steinbach take the controls. Philipp is a former German national freestyle aerobatic champion and aircraft designer.

Engineers at the ASTC designed a bespoke test rig to apply forces up to ten times those exerted by gravity, simulating the forces the aircraft will have to cope with as it carries out high speed manoeuvres.

Following the ASTC's work and further tests on seats, harnesses, the GB1's fuel tank and baggage compartment, the aircraft completed European Aviation Safety Agency flight tests ahead of its debut at the EAA AirVenture airshow.

Phil Spiers, head of the ASTC, said: "It's been a privilege to be involved in proving the safety, security and integrity of this aircraft and fantastic to see the GB1 up in the air.

"This is the first, fixed wing, independently designed and built light aircraft to be certified in the UK for 30 years. Now that we have re-established this country's capability to carry out the full range of airworthiness tests we hope other designers will chose to have their testing done here."

Game Composites website
AMRC website

Images: Game Composites / Jean-Marie Urlacher

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News: Region's businesses urged to remain confident post Brexit

The quarterly economic surveys carried out by the four chambers of commerce ensure that they have the finger on the pulse regarding the major issues for businesses in the Sheffield city region.

The impact of the referendum on Sheffield city region businesses was debated at the latest Quarterly Economic Survey Event run by the Sheffield City Region's four Chambers of Commerce, Local Enterprise Partnership and sponsored by RBS South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire. It highlighted there is a great deal of business uncertainty, resulting in calls for stability, clarity and action.

The Chambers listened to the comments raised by businesses and plan to respond in the Q3 Quarterly Economic Survey by questioning local companies further on the issues that concern them the most. The latest survey launches this week.

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Andrew Denniff, chief executive of Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber of Commerce, said: "Immediately following the UK's decision to leave the European Union, business leaders aired some concerns about the uncertainty of financial markets, exports and future prosperity. Naturally, we have an unknown journey ahead as we proceed with Brexit.

"Businesses across the region however are resolving to look upon the decision as an opportunity; an opportunity to draw investment and export goods and services. Recent indications show exports are up in Barnsley and Rotherham, and it's a trend that is growing across Sheffield City Region right now.

"Challenges may lie ahead, but businesses across Sheffield City Region have always been resilient and have a determination to succeed. What is really important right now is local businesses maintaining their confidence and drive growth in the regional economy."

As an extra incentive for businesses in the Sheffield City Region to take the survey, all respondents will be entered into a free prize draw to win a pair of flights to Berlin, courtesy of Doncaster Sheffield Airport.

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As well as completing the survey, all businesses are invited to attend the free Quarterly Economic Survey Breakfast on October 7 to network with other regional businesses, and hear the analysis of the Q3 results.

At the Q2 event more than 80 local business leaders attended at Ringwood Hall and heard from Prof. Andrew Simpson from the Sheffield University Management School on how the survey results suggest that regional economic growth was generally positive in the second quarter of 2016, and that firms held a positive outlook on the regional economy looking forward.

The Quarterly Economic Survey, run by the British Chambers, is the country's biggest and longest- running private sector survey. It acts as an economic indicator and often highlights underlying trends in the economy long before other surveys or other official statistics pick them up.

Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber of Commerce website
SCR Economic Survey website

Images: screconomy.org.uk

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News: Theme park visits for Rotherham planning board

Councillors on the planning board at Rotherham Council are set for a site visit with a difference - a second trip to a Gulliver's theme park.

The operators are close to submitting a planning application for a £37m Gulliver's Family Theme Park resort adjacent to Rother Valley Country Park in Rotherham.

Gulliver's, who also operate theme parks in Milton Keynes, Warrington and Matlock Bath, developed an initial masterplan for the first of their sites in the UK to encompass all their major family entertainment elements in one location with new attractions exclusive to Rotherham.

Updated plans went on show as part of the consultation earlier this month with the developers on track to submit a more detailed planning application in September.

Site visits are often used to provide members, who will vote on proposals, a first hand appreciation of the issues - traffic, size of development, etc. In preparation for the impending theme park application it was agreed at the August 4 meeting of the planning board that: "Members of the Planning Board would make a visit of inspection to the Gulliver's Theme Park at Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, during September or October, 2016."

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The Council has been in discussions over the sale of the greenbelt land known as Pithouse West and plans were updated as a result of comments received at the pre-application public consultation on the development proposals and information gained during Gulliver's due diligence exercise that identified potential ground contamination on the site.

The latest proposals will see Gulliver's buy a reduced area of the site (approximately 250 acres rather than the full 330 acres).

The masterplan shows the park providing essentially the same scheme as previously consulted on albeit over a different development area. The major change is the proposed entrance to the scheme switching from Chesterfield Road to Mansfield Road.

The proposals for a year round destination aimed at 2 - 13 year olds include a theme park hub, woodland adventure centre, ecology and education centre, lodges, hotels and a holiday village. Expected to be built in four or five phases over 12 years, the theme park would come first and further developments would follow afterwards.

Bronwen Knight, planning manager at Rotherham Council, said at the meeting: "It's a site that's been identified for a leisure use for some time and it has had a previous planning application approved on there for what was called the YES! Project. That didn't manage to get the funding and we were looking at something called Visions of China and that didn't end up coming forward.

"Gulliver's are really interested in the site and members had a site visit to Warrington before Christmas to have a look at the sort of things they are proposing for the site.

"They have now done the public consultation and they've made some amendments to the scheme as a result of the comments that they had back and are currently going through a second round of consultation. What they've asked now is if members would like a site visit to one of the theme parks, given that board membership has changed quite considerably since that visit [due to the election], they are saying that Milton Keynes would probably be the most appropriate park to visit as it is the most similar to what they are proposing at Pithouse West."

Members voted to approve the arrangement of a site visit to Gulliver's Land at Milton Keynes. A site visit to Rother Valley is expected when the application comes before the board for determination.

The site of the Brookhouse Colliery included a coking works to the North West at Chesterfield Road and this land is set to be retained by the Council.

The authority is seeking consultants to undertake ground investigations on the retained site "to assess the contamination on the site and the potential for migration on to the adjacent site."



Images: Gulliver's / Facebook

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News: Millers in demand

Rotherham United have sold out the AESSEAL New York Stadium lounge for the forthcoming Sky Bet Championship showdown with Newcastle United.

The club provides a range of seasonal and matchday hospitality packages in the the lounge at the £20m stadium, all come with food, panoramic views and executive seating to watch the game.

With their first win under their belt in their third consecutive season back in the second tier of English football, the Millers prepare to welcome clubs that have played in the Champions League and those that have won the European Cup and Premier League in the not-to-distant past.

On October 1, the Millers take on the Toon Army in a league fixture for the first time since 1983, and businesses and supporters alike have responded by snapping up tickets for hospitality and sponsorship packages in double-quick time.

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It is another step forward for the commercial wing of the club, with Head of Commercial Mark Hitchens confirming that a number of other key fixtures are also close to selling out.

"There has been so much interest in the sponsorship and hospitality this season, and we expected the games against the likes of Newcastle would be popular,” Hitchens told the club's website.

"I think we are a little surprised just how many people wanted to be involved in this game, resulting in rapid sales.

"It isn't just the Newcastle game that has proven popular, a number of other fixtures are getting close to selling out too, as we look forward to another successful season on the commercial side of the club.

"Every year seems to get more exciting, and while we continue to strive for improvement on the field, the same can be said behind the scenes commercially."

The club is also taking measures to ensure that tickets in the home sections of the 12,000-seater stadium go to home supporters as a sell-out is expected.

In September, Nottingham Forest and Blackburn Rovers visit the AESSEAL New York Stadium and the November Yorkshire derby at home to Leeds United, a fixture the Millers have won in the previous two seasons, has been selected to be shown live on Sky.

Rotherham United website

Images: RUFC

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News: Steelphalt wins national award

Rotherham road surface specialist, Steelphalt, has won a major national award for one of its most important products.

SteelPhalt - part of the Harsco group of companies - has been developing and manufacturing high performance asphalt products for the UK road making industry since the 1960s.

And its SteelStop road covering was named Global Slag Product of the Year at the recent 2016 Global Slag Conference and Exhibition in London.

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Designed in conjunction with the Ulster University and tested at trial sites across Sheffield, Rotherham and Doncaster, SteelStop high friction surfacing was developed to help put the brakes on traffic in busy or skid prone areas, providing extra grip for road users and safety benefits for pedestrians.

SteelPhalt surfaces, which are used across the region, uses steel slag, which is a co-product of the steelmaking process, and have a high skid resistance and are also a key tool in increasing road safety in busy areas like the roads around schools and other high traffic volume sites.

The SteelPhalt plant in Sheffield Road, Rotherham, converts steel slag into a surface course for road making.

Dean Raynor, commercial manager at Steelphalt, said: "We are delighted that SteelStop has been recognised by such an important industry body.

"All our road surface products are designed with two important factors always in mind, road safety and the environment, and this award makes it clear that the industry is taking notice of the excellent work being carried out in both these fields in South Yorkshire."

Steelphalt website

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News: Routes shortlisted for potential Trans-Pennine tunnel

Five routes have been shortlisted for a potential Trans-Pennine tunnel that would address the journey times between Manchester and Sheffield. The Government has described the project as "the most ambitious road scheme undertaken in the UK in more than five decades."

Consultation work began in 2014 to explore the options for improving trans-Pennine road links between the Sheffield City Region and Greater Manchester. The Department of Transport (DfT) and stakeholders on both sides of the Pennines looked at the issue, seen as key to the economic fortunes of the North, with the DfT procuring a feasibility study to look at connectivity.

The Woodhead Pass corridor, with all of its problems, is the only real option for all vehicle classes. A tunnel could be a national first and almost halve journey times between the two cities.

The first report outlined the high level case for the Trans-Pennine tunnel road scheme and feasibility of constructing a new road link. Further studies examine the strategic options for the tunnel, to understand the viability, costs and deliverability of the scheme. Work has also been carried out on the strategic and economic case for the connection.

Five shortlisted routes join the M60 east of Manchester to the M1 north of Sheffield, with four options starting at the M67, and will see journeys cut by 30 minutes.

Transport for the North (TfN) - which brings together representatives from across the North - would like to see the journey times between Sheffield to Manchester, and Sheffield and Leeds, reduced to 30 minutes.

The tunnel could provide an economic boost to the two cities as well as the surrounding area. The link would help protect the environment by reducing traffic through the Peak District National Park, as well as support the Government's plan to build a Northern Powerhouse.

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The report said that it is at too early a stage in the design of the scheme to present robust analysis on any of the economic costs and benefits but initial modelling suggests that there could be the potential for significant benefits relating to reduced travel times, improvements in reliability and the potential to attract further inward investment.

Costs could run way into the billions for a scheme that "will include a tunnel (or series of tunnels) that could be longer than any road tunnel constructed in Europe to date."

John Cridland, Chairman of Transport for the North, said: "The study shows a tunnel beneath the Pennines would both boost the economy of the region, and potentially benefit the environment of the Peak District by reducing traffic in the national park.

"This is just one of the visionary projects Transport for the North is working on, as well as other schemes, such as Northern Powerhouse Rail [HS3], as we continue to develop a Transport & Investment Strategy to connect the North and transform its economy."

Martin McKervey, partner at Nabarro LLP and lead board member for transport at the Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), added: "This is very a positive step forward for the Trans Pennine Tunnel project which will be hugely beneficial for businesses in the Sheffield city region, boosting our economy and creating jobs.

"Business people and residents know that for our businesses to grow our great city regions must be better connected and improving travel times between Manchester and Sheffield City Region is critical to this.

"Leaders from the public and private sector in Sheffield City Region are working closely with Government and Transport for the North on this project. We believe that there is a very strong strategic case for taking this project forward as quickly as possible as it brings together two major cities as part of national ambitions to strengthen the North and rebalance the UK economy."

The study looks at potential indicative route options for a strategic link and identifies a shortlist of better performing options. One option would join the M60 between Denton/Hyde and Romily/Bredbury in the East with the M1 in the area of Junction 35 on the edge of the Rotherham border. This option would involve a 24 mile link with 16 miles of tunnels. It is one of the most expensive options put forward relative to the others - potentially 40% - 60% more expensive.

Most routes are in a central position on the M1, providing good access to Sheffield, Barnsley and Rotherham regeneration areas. One shortlisted option would join the M1 further north, so, whilst providing good access to Barnsley regeneration areas, they are further from Sheffield and Rotherham regeneration areas.

Peter Kennan, Chair of Sheffield Chamber of Commerce Transport Forum, and Partner at Hawsons Chartered Accountants, welcomed the study but added: "We still need to be convinced that Sheffield city centre would directly benefit without the addition of a new fast link road to the tunnel. A journey to the new route via Junction 33, 34 or 36 of the M1, with already severe congestion and major air quality issues at Meadowhall, would take not much less time than the present route over the A57 Snake Pass, despite all its numerous problems – and also involves considerably increased mileage with the Co2 and fuel use consequences that entails."

The next stage will provide a cost estimate for each option and consider the extent to which it offers synergy with rail and/or light-rail options. A proposed link connecting the M1 and the M18 through Barnsley and Doncaster is also discussed.

The study is part of the Government's next phase of road improvements, which will get underway from 2020. The current Road Investment Strategy period covers 2015 to 2020.

The Sheffield City Region LEP is looking ahead further with a potential £75m+ large transport scheme on Pan Northern Connectivity - a new Trans-Pennine through route linking the SCR with Manchester and the Humber ports.

Transport for the North website

Images: Transport for the North

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