Plans could bring kitchen showrooms and small workshops to Eastwood factory site
A former industrial building in Eastwood could soon be home to a mix of small businesses after new plans were lodged with Rotherham Council.
The application, submitted for the Backer Electric building on Shaw Road, asks for permission to widen the types of businesses allowed to operate from the site. The building already has approval for storage and distribution (B8 use), but the owner now wants to add extra categories to attract a broader range of tenants.
If approved, the site could host kitchen showrooms, furniture retailers, light manufacturing, and even small welding workshops, according to the application submitted by Khurum Khan. The application states that the change would give the building “the flexibility needed to support a range of local start-ups and specialist businesses.”
The premises, which sit off Fitzwilliam Road, have been partly vacant for some time, according to planning documents. Previous plans to subdivide the building into smaller storage units were approved, but the new application aims to encourage more varied commercial activity and bring new employment to the area.
Documents submitted with the application say the use of the building for general industrial work, light manufacturing related to retail, or specialist showrooms is in line with the area’s existing industrial character.