Demolition is already well under way on the former Tesco building in Rotherham Town Centre

Yorkshire Photography

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News: Latest - distributed around Yorkshire April 14, 2017 11:26:28 AM

Demolition is already well under way on the former Tesco building in Rotherham Town Centre – as the regeneration of Forge Island takes another step forward.

Rotherham Council purchased the land from Tesco in February to prepare it for development – with the site set to play a major part of the town centre’s Masterplan.

The Masterplan is currently being drawn up by global urban design company WYG Group – with the first draft expected within weeks. Contractors Demex are currently at work on the Forge Island site clearing the former supermarket buildings, with work expected to finish in the next 6-8 weeks.

Cllr Denise Lelliott, Cabinet Member for Jobs and the Local Economy, said she was pleased to see good progress being made on the site, in preparation for development.

“We have already seen a lot of interest in Forge Island from potential developers and this is a hugely important site in terms of town centre regeneration and the Masterplan,” said Cllr Lelliott.

“The site, with its waterfront location, is an attractive one to investors and we look forward to it working with developers to turn it into a vibrant leisure quarter.”

Damien Wilson, the Council’s Strategic Director for Regeneration and Environment added: “It’s great to see our vision for this key site take another positive step forward.

“With the recent acquisition of the former magistrates’ court we have scope for an attractive and varied development.”

In the short term, the Council has submitted a planning application for the cleared site to provide an extension to the existing Forge Island car park, increasing the number of spaces from 309 to 544.

Shoppers will continue to benefit from the “red zone” spaces providing two hours free parking.

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