​Peter Elliott welcomes Herringthorpe Stadium stand approval

The 100-seater “spectator seating pod” will look over the home straight of the running track at the venue which is the long-time home of Rotherham Harriers Athletics Club.

Rotherham Council’s approval of the proposals was welcomed by Peter Elliott, the town’s former middle-distance champion and now Harriers president who has been behind the idea.

"This isn’t about Rotherham Harriers. This is about serving the wider community because the stadium is used for many sports and other events,” he said.

"As I’ve mentioned before, if you are trying to encourage young kids to come down and parents to bring their young kids down and stand, as they are at the moment, on a bleak training night, it’s not a great appeal.

"This stand will provide much-needed shelter for the track and pitch users and spectators.”

The structure will be about 160 metres from the nearest houses, on Middle Lane South, and a similar distance from Rotherham Hospice.

RMBC was satisfied with those distances, while its transport department noted that no large increase in supporters or vehicles is envisaged.

England Athletics said the presence of a covered stand will enhance the standing of the facility and enable it to host a higher level of licensed competition.

The land is held in trust to be used for recreation, and RMBC said the stand represents an investment in the site for sports purposes.

The area has a split allocation in Rotherham’s Local Plan, with the open grassed parts being greenspace and the stadium and surroundings designated for community facilities.

Added Peter: "The stand is a nice looking structure and we are looking to get electric to it and lights in there.

"A Rotherham company has come forward to provide us the funding to get this thing in situ, and that’s great.

“It’s all systems go and if all goes well we should have the stand in place by the end of February.”