Planners show that where there's a will, there's a way

Development chiefs have unveiled plans to use paving slabs and other building materials left over from earlier projects to revamp a town centre site which has been left vacant as a result of the recession.The site of the former All Saints Buildings, in Church Street, Rotherham, was supposed to be redeveloped as an office block, but Iliad, the firm behind the scheme, pulled the plug in 2009.

This left council officers with a major headache over what to do with the site, but 5,000 has now been found to draw up a design for the area, and paving and bollards have been found after a depot clear-out.

At a meeting of Rotherham Council held last week, officers described the area as "a piece of important space which has suffered from a lack of investment and maintenance".

They added: "Officers have been proactive in finding an affordable solution for this area. Currently the council highways depot is relocating from Greasbrough Road to Hellaby.

"This move, together with limited storage space at the new depot, has resulted in a significant amount of paving materials which would be ideally suited, becoming available."

It is hoped the newly-revamped area, which will be known as Minster Gardens, will be used by occupants of a new "arts hub" in the town centre.