Deal could spell new home for Rotherham Phoenix

Rotherham Phoenix, part of Rotherham Rugby Club, could soon be kicking off at Herringthorpe Playing Fields if a deal with Rotherham Borough Council gets off the ground.

The club, which has more than 400 junior and amateur members, has outgrown its home at nearby Clifton Lane and is in negotiations with the council to lease part of the playing fields as a permanent base.

Clifton Lane is used by the club’s first team, Rotherham Titans, meaning that amateur and youth sides have to train and play at various pitches around the area.

The proposal was backed on Wednesday by the council’s Cabinet as councillors supported an officer’s verdict that the move—which would involve part of the fields being fenced off—would be good for the community.

In a report to councillors, the council’s leisure services manager, Steve Hallsworth, said: “The greatest difficulty that the club has to address is the lack of facilities to sustain its activities.

“Facilities at Dinnington, Wath, Rawmarsh, Wickersley School and Dearne Valley College have been used to accommodate the growing demands of the club.”

The club said that its requirements were for a secure site which could accommodate three full-size rugby pitches and said it believed that taking responsibility for a section of

Herringthorpe Playing Fields would be right up its street.

The club wants to fence off an area of the field, upgrade the playing surface and drainage, build new changing rooms and install floodlighting.

Councillors were told that a management plan aimed at reducing the impact of any increased car parking was being drawn up and preliminary discussions had taken place with planning officers over the planning permission required for new buildings and other facilities.

Club officials have told the council that they will provide all the funding necessary to deliver the improvements.

No figures have yet been revealed about the cost of the lease but Mr Hallsworth said in his report that a reduced rate could be agreed if the project was seen to be in the “public good.”

The Phoenix arm of the club was formed in 2004 and has three amateur teams drawn from its 100-strong membership, while 300 youngsters play across ten different age groups.

The club is applying for a minimum 15-year lease to reflect its intended level of investment and provide sufficient security to attract external funding.

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