Regeneration project saved by £6.5m bailout

A £6.5m bailout has been approved for the redevelopment of a South Yorkshire town centre after costs of the project escalated.

Rotherham Council's plan for the markets complex off Drummond Street will go ahead as hoped after the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority approved the funding, which brought its total investment to £9.9m.

Approved in March 2023 with a budget of £31.7m, the total cost of the project now sits at £40.9m after surveyors found issues like asbestos and the use of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).

Andrew Bramidge, council regeneration director, said it would be "not just a market" but a "place to learn, connect and take part in community life".

"Without this scheme, the existing building would inevitably reach the end of its life, leaving the town without an indoor market," he said.

"This isn't an option we are prepared to accept."

The project includes a new purpose-built library, cafe, gallery and upgraded market areas, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Rotherham Council said it would secure the future of the market and deliver a "safe, modern and attractive" destination that brought people back into the town centre.

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