Redevelopment of Swinton town centre including library demolition and 49 new houses to be approved – despite objections

If approved, the library off Station Street will be demolished and the area is to be landscaped.

The existing customer service centre will be refurbished to create a replacement library, and 49 homes will be built across two sites on opposite sides of Charnwood Street.

A new play area is proposed, between the existing Civic Building and Station Street and a new pedestrian access directly from Station Street.

The scheme is recommended for approval at the next meeting of Rotherham Council’s planning board on July 21.

A report by planning officers to the board states that developers will be required to provide 12 affordable houses, £91,228 towards education provision, £23,600 for the provision of replacement offsite tree mitigation and £500 per house towards sustainable travel under a S106 agreement.

The site has been vacant since 2017, following the sale of the vacant Rotherham Council owned former swimming pool, Charnwood House, neighbourhoods office and doctors surgery site.

The two to four bedroom family homes will be built on the site of the former council offices on Queen Street, the former swimming pool and health centre, and the old Charnwood House care home, with access to the sites off Charnwood Street.

The proposal seeks to improve the accessibility of the civic square; improve pedestrian flow between facilities; and “create a mix of high quality new homes that will add footfall and vitality to Swinton town centre.”

Twenty-seven objections to the plans have been submitted, on the grounds of “insufficient” parking; traffic issues; restricted access to an existing garage; potential impacts on trees and “increase in accidents.”

One objector stated that Highfield Drive is “already used as a rat run, the plans will make this worse”.

A petition with around 150 signatures was also submitted, objecting to the scheme on the grounds that green space would be lost and existing highway congestion.

Three letters of support were also submitted, indicating that the area needs investment.

The planning report states: “The main issues in the principle of the development revolve around the regeneration of Swinton Town centre, which includes a significant area of vacant and or underused land that lies to the north of the current pedestrianised area along with previously demolished Council buildings on Charnwood Street.

“Alternative provision of community facilities is also proposed as well as improvements to the public realm.

“The new library will provide improved and updated facilities, including a new outside reading area.

“This community facility will not therefore be lost, but services consolidated and modernised.

“The existing library is in a poor state of repair and is the subject of anti-social behaviour.

“From a highway safety and amenity perspective the scheme is considered acceptable and in accordance with the Councils recommended parking and highway layout standards.

“Whilst this overall tree loss is regrettable, it is considered that theregeneration scheme offers significant wider economic benefits to the local area and the economic and retail uplift of Swinton Town Centre in particular.”

The scheme is recommended for approval.