Public given say on new sites for businesses

Rotherham Council is drawing up a Local Development Framework which will provide a blueprint for where all developments, both housing and business, will take place.

Planners said feedback from the public on how Rotherham's economy might change and where new jobs might be created in the future would help "inform" decisions made in the document.

A council spokesman said: "The Framework will guide decisions on planning applications and set out what activities can take place on different areas of land across Rotherham.

"The Employment Land Review looks at how the local economy is currently performing, what changes might occur, how much land is needed for new jobs and industries and how suitable different sites and premises are to provide for future job needs.

"The review highlights the growth in Rotherham's employment rate between 2000 and 2005 and traces the impact of the recession since 2008. Despite a decrease in job creation due to the recession, there are still 16,000 more Rotherham residents in employment than a decade ago.

"Looking forward, it notes that public services, manufacturing, construction and wholesale/ retail will remain as key sectors of Rotherham's economy in the future."

Current estimates suggest that the borough will need around 620 acres of employment land business developments in the next decade.

Existing employment sites have been surveyed as well as possible new sites. Existing sites could provide 163 hectares of land while a further 69 hectares have been identified as potential new sites. A further 20 hectares of land need to be found.

A deadline of July 23 has been set for people who wish to make their views on the review known to the authority.