Decision details

Date of Decision:

16/12/2025

Title:

Land Located on Sheffield Road, Rotherham

Decision Maker

(Including Job Title)

Kevin Fisher, Assistant Director of Property & Facilities Services

Details of Specific Delegation

A decision was made by Cabinet on the 14^th April 2025 –

That Cabinet:

1. Endorsed the allocation of the ‘Strategic Acquisition Fund’ to undertake the acquisition of land and property at Sheffield Road, shown in Appendix 1 of the report.

2. Authorised the Assistant Director of Property and Facilities Services to agree the terms and conditions and complete the acquisition of the land shown at Appendix 1 of the report in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Transport, Jobs, and the Local Economy.

Cabinet Paper 14 April 2025

Printed minutes: Cabinet April 2025

Due to a change in Portfolios of Cabinet Members, consultation has also taken place with the Cabinet Member for Finance and Community Safety.

Cabinet Member for Jobs and Local Economy approval date 08/10/2025.

Cabinet Member for Finance and Community Safety approval date 16/11/2025.

Decision:

To negotiate and agree terms for the purchase/acquisition (including purchase) of land and property at Sheffield Road, Rotherham, as previously approved by Cabinet.

Reasons for the Decision:

This decision enables the Council to proceed with the purchase and finalise the land assembly for the Riverside Residential Quarter (RRQ). This forms part of the wider strategic land acquisition approved by Cabinet 28^th March 2022.

Cabinet report March 2022

28 March 2022 Cabinet Meeting minutes

Details of alternative options considered and rejected:

Option 1 - Do nothing

This work could not be taken forward at this time, seeing the property remain in private sector ownership. The Council has acquired significant land and property within this area of the town, the proposition for the market and impact on the town centre of a larger development site is considered more beneficial.

If the Council were to pursue acquisition at a later date, it would necessitate a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) process—incurring significant additional costs in time, resources, and public funds, while also introducing legal complexity and potential delays that could jeopardise the momentum and credibility of the wider regeneration programme. However, the capital funding allocated and the acquisition of this and a number of key town centre sites over the last two years has been for the specific purpose of regeneration and the achievement of Rotherham’s ambitions. With the availability of Strategic Acquisition fund and the £600k allocated Feasibility Funding for the strategic sites work, alongside Rotherham town centre’s ongoing regeneration, it is now considered to be the right time to undertake this work.

Option 2: Acquisition by Negotiation

The Council will always seek to acquire properties by negotiation. Terms have now been agreed between the parties which will allow the scheme to progress. This option is therefore recommended.

Conflicts of interest declared by any Cabinet Member consulted by the decision maker which relates to the decision:

None declared

Dispensations Granted:

(If any)

NA

Conflicts of interest declared by the Decision Maker if they sit as a Cabinet appointed representative to an outside body which relates to the decision:

None declared

Dispensations Granted:

(If any)

NA

Reports or parts of reports considered

ODR Report – All appendices are exempt from publication