Rotherham: 'Pocket park' plans for old Primark site

Snail Yard in Rotherham will include picnic benches and art installations (artist's impression)

Plans for a "pocket park" on the site of Rotherham town centre's old Primark have been given the go-ahead.

Rotherham Council bought the site in 2020, with funding from the government's Towns Fund Accelerator programme.

Temporary planning permission has now been granted to build the landscaped park with seating, instead of the original plans for a food area.

The park will include picnic areas and art installations, the council said.

The temporary permission allows the park to remain for five years "until a permanent built redevelopment of the site can be brought forward", according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Originally, plans included food and drink venues and a scaffolding wall feature on the site but these had to be scaled back because of rising costs, the council said, and the pocket park was approved instead on Thursday.

The pedestrian walkway connecting Snail Hill with the Crofts and Wellgate will remain.

Snail Yard's plans form part of Rotherham's town centre masterplan, which includes £30m-plus funding for three major housing developments at Wellgate, Westgate and Sheffield Road.

Improvements to the open spaces across College Street, Bridgegate, Howard Street and Effingham Street are also planned.