‘Rotherham Council are saying no to jobs’ by objecting to Compass, Liberal Democrats claim

Cllr Adam Carter, the leader of the Rotherham Liberal Democrats, criticised Rotherham Council for objecting to the Compass project.

Last month, Jeremy Hunt, the chancellor, and local leaders announced the South Yorkshire Investment Zone and Compass (Composites at Speed and Scale) was part of that arrangement. It will be an extension to Sheffield University’s AMRC Factory 2050 on what is now Sheffield Business Park.

The £80million project is reportedly backed by some of the largest companies in the UK, including Boeing.

However, the Local Democracy Service was told that Rotherham “is objecting to the Boeing Compass project”.

When asked, Rotherham Council’s Head of Planning, Nigel Hancock, said the applicant had “out of date information” regarding transport links – and they were requested to submit “up to date” information.

Mr Hancock then said: “Sheffield City Council received a planning application to extend the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre and Rotherham Council have been consulted.

“However, the application has out of date information regarding transport links to and from the facility. The planning service has therefore requested that the applicant submit up to date information so that a further review of the impact of the development on the local highway network can be reviewed.”

Sheffield and Rotherham Liberal Democrats are now attacking the council for delaying the project.

Cllr Carter described Labour as “anti-business”.

He said: “Objecting to this is further proof that anti-business Rotherham Labour just aren’t interested in creating new jobs in the area.

“The facts are that residents of both Sheffield and Rotherham will benefit from investment from global companies such as this, and by objecting and putting blockers in the way, Rotherham Council are saying no to jobs.

“Labour squabbling over the City Region deal has already left us millions of pounds out of pocket, and we’ve lost out on much needed local jobs. The Labour Mayor is yet again found lacking, being absent on the job. It’s clear that no matter what Labour promise to residents, they won’t deliver.

“Whether it’s promising to make our ever-worsening bus services better, or promising to bring investment to our area, Labour politicians just keep failing us. Residents deserve better than Labour.”

The government announced that Sheffield, Rotherham, Doncaster and Barnsley would all benefit from an estimated 8,000 new jobs and £1.2billion of private funding by 2030, which the Investment Zone would help to deliver.

Boeing, Spirit AeroSystems, Loop Technology and the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) have partnered to support the first investment worth over £80m.