£7m revamp for Herringthorpe athletics stadium

Rotherham Borough Council has reiterated its intention to sell off the site of Herringthorpe Leisure Centre and the former depot off nearby Boswell Street, with the land likely to be used for housing.

It will use the proceeds to revamp Herringthorpe Athletics stadium and the surrounding sports facilities and pitches.

But up to £2.7 million may have to have be found from council coffers, grants or Government cash as the land sale is only expected to bring in up to £5 million.

A report presented to a meeting of the council’s Cabinet gives more details than ever before on how the money could be spent, including:

q £2.24 million on a 1,000-seater grandstand.

q £2.21 million on developing new football pitches, plus £900,000 on new all-weather pitches.

q £250,000 on new car parking.

q £92,000 on play areas and £70,000 on a multi-use games area.

The feasability cost plan presented to councillors predicts that the sale of the leisure centre site could bring in between £2.3 million and £3 million, with another £1.9 million to £2.5 million expected from selling the depot.

This would leave a shortfall of between £1.4 million and £2.7 million on the stadium scheme’s projected costs of about £6.8-£6.9 million.

The council insisted that the figures in the report were only given as examples and should not be seen as representing any certain financial position but officers asked councillors for permission to press ahead their their plans.

The masterplan involves upgrading all Herringthorpe’s grass pitches, including new drainage and levelling where needed, and the introduction of a full-size, floodlit, all weather pitch and floodlit five-a-side pitches.

Architects’ drawings of the redeveloped stadium, complete with grandstand, have now been released.

The project is seen as vital for the development of Rotherham’s sports facilities and the expansion of Rotherham Harriers Athletics Club.

It has not proved universally popular, however, as it prompted a 6,500-name petition led by members of the Broom Residents’ Action Group in protest at the prospect of new housing being built on the sold-off sites.

The money from the sale of the two Herringthorpe sites will all be spent on improving the neighbouring sports facilities.

Mr Hallsworth said that it was in the hands of the council’s director of asset management to work out how to maximise the potential income from the sites, including the type and scale of development and when to put the land up for sale.