Demolition starts on law courts

Work to demolish the Law Courts started in July and is being carried out Rotherham based contractor G. Morley Ltd.

Over the summer, workers have been stripping the internal of the building and preparing the surrounding area for external demolition.

Now, work has started in earnest, with plans on track for the site to be flattened by the end of the year.

Forge Island is a key part in plans to regenerate the town centre, as part of the town centre Masterplan, and includes its use as a major leisure destination with a cinema, hotel, and eateries.

Rotherham Council is currently in the process of selecting a partner to work with the Council to deliver its plans, with a formal tender to go out in the coming weeks. Work on site is expected to start in 2019.

Rotherham Council’s Cabinet Member for Jobs and the Local Economy Cllr Denise Lelliott said a decision on the use of the former Law Courts was still to be made, but the site was central to redevelopment of the Forge Island area.

She said: “Forge Island is a major component of a reinvigorated town centre and will act as a catalyst for the regeneration of adjacent sites. Our ultimate aim is to have more people living, working and spending their leisure time in the town centre and development of the law courts site will enable us to move forward with those plans.”