What the future could hold for Millmoor - Rotherham United's former home
Millmoor was home to Rotherham United before the New York stadium was created
Landmark structures at Rotherham’s Millmoor football ground could vanish under proposals put to Rotherham Council planners for expected future redevelopment.
The site is owned by the Ron Hull Group, which bought out CF Booth when that company went into administration.
Now a plan has been submitted to the council which could see the Millmoor Lane covered stand and the railway stand demolished, along with the removal of all pitch lighting columns, the maintenance building “and other associated buildings and grassed areas”.
No details about potential future use of the Masbrough Street ground are included in the current application.However, it refers to “the possible changing nature and use of the site” making the maintenance building redundant.
Rotherham United Supporters Club have suggested both a nostalgic event to mark the end of Millmoor as fans remember it, and also the potential for a dedication to mark it’s place in Rotherham United history, should it be redeveloped for sport.
Spokesman Roy Squires also suggested an event at the ground, to allow fans “to say a last goodbye” to the ground.
“I think that would go down well,” he said.
“If they wanted any help from the supporters group, we would definately get involved. It is the end of an era.”
Documents filed with Rotherham Council say two stands - with the railway stand capable of accommodating 2,000 away fans when Rotherham United played there - are in a state of “neglect and disrepair as a result of having not being maintained since the football club’s relocation”.
The proposal is to take down all the buildings, then “the ground slabs will be removed and the ground tidied and left in a state where redevelopment will be possible.“The client does intend to redevelop the site a future date.”
It is anticipated that the demolition and clearing work would be completed by the end of January next year.
If it goes ahead, it will be the second major change to Rotherham’s historic landscape in that area, with the office buildings at the CF Booth site recently demolished.Ron Hull Group would carry out the work in-house, as a recycling company.
It is only two years since efforts were made to improve Millmoor, making it suitable for youth football, financed by members of the Booth family, while the site was in their ownership.
That included restoring the pitch, clearing rubbish which had accumulated while the ground was out of use, and improving changing rooms.
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