The corner building at the foot of the regenerated High Street has been up for sale for £100,000.
Totaling nearly 11,000 sq ft, the building was previously home to Eastwood Domestics in the 2,500 sq ft High Street unit which sits alongside the 4,000 sq ft former Dorothy Perkins and Burton unit. The second floor has its own entrance and was the home of Central Snooker Club, a club with an 80 year history.
The plans show the ground floor split into two units. The larger unit looks set to be used as a convenience store with a smaller unit, with a new entrance fronting High Street, acting as a lobby for a coffee shop and cultural centre on the first floor.
The application is for the installation of a new entrance door on the front elevation and a change of use of the first floor from Commercial (Class E) to Sui Generis (a use that does not fall within any particular use class).
The plans, from Huseyin Esendemir and drawn up by Architechnica LTD, state: "The proposal seeks to create a self-contained unit on the first floor, enabling its independent use from the ground floor commercial premises. This change of use is necessary to make the first-floor space viable for a new purpose, specifically Turkish Cultural Centre/coffee shop."
Rothbiz reports that the plans were approved without going before the planning board at Rotherham Council. It comes with a number of conditions.
Planners concluded that the new use as a community centre and coffee shop is an acceptable use in the area which is allocated for retail. Only a small area of the ground floor will be impacted by the plans.
An officer's report, addd: "The only external alteration would be in the insertion of double entrance doors to the elevation fronting High Street. This alteration is relatively minor and would match the existing shop front as the doors would be constructed with matching aluminium frames. It is considered that the insertion of the doors would not harm the overall character and appearance of the existing shop front and would not impact on the setting of the adjacent Grade II listed building, No. 1 High Street."
If the premises was to be used for the commercial cooking of food, an Odour Impact Assessment will need to be approved by the council and any proposed extraction plant will also need signing off.
The building is not listed but was on Rotherham Civic Society's local list which compiled properties of architectural or historic interest. The society stated that: "No.2 High Street had been purchased by Montague Burton Ltd in 1926 with a view to expanding its presence in Rotherham. Following discussions with the Rotherham Corporation it became apparent that, due to the highway authority's plans to ease the College Street / High Street corner, Nos. 4 & 6 would need to be acquired in order to provide a site of sufficient size for Burton's new premises.
"In December 1929 the company's proposals for the new store were approved and the old property was demolished. The new building, designed by Harry Wilson, Architect, of Roundhay in Leeds was completed in 1931."
A number of uses have been recorded since then including Hart's wallpaper shop, Peter Lord's shoe shop and a ballroom / dance hall above.
Images: SMC Brownhill Vickers
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