Forge Island on track for summer opening

Rotherham’s £47m leisure destination, being delivered by Bowmer + Kirkland for Muse and the council, should be open in late summer 2024, the partners said.

Work began on site in November 2022 and is now entering the final phases, with all topping out milestones due to be reached early next year on the cinema, Travelodge hotel and retail buildings.

Once construction completes at the end of spring, the tenants will fit out their premises ready for the scheme opening.

Forge Island was announced as 100% pre-let in October 2022. The project team also includes Arup, Helm Consulting, Arcadis and re-form Landscape Architecture. The new pedestrian bridge was designed by FaulknerBrowne Architects.

Together with Rotherham’s markets and library project – set for final sign-off at cabinet level this week – the improvements are a key part of the local authority’s regeneration plans.

Rotherham Council’s cabinet member for jobs and the local economy Cllr Denise Lelliott said; “These developments form the main cornerstones of the council’s multi-million-pound investment in Rotherham’s future.

“A number of major milestones have been achieved at Forge Island over the last 12 months, including the installation of a new pedestrian bridge, which connects to the town centre and which nods to the town’s rich engineering heritage and is inspired by the world-famous Bailey Bridge designed by Rotherham-born civil engineer, Donald Bailey, during the Second World War.”

Two construction cranes were dismantled last month as construction work nears completion.

Raife Gale, senior development manager at Muse, said: “Developing a transformational scheme of this scale always comes with its challenges – not least the difficulties of building on an ‘island’ surrounded by water – so the fact we’ve remained on track is a testament to the hard work of the whole project team.

“It’s fantastic to see the impact Forge Island has already made on the town centre skyline, and we can’t wait for the community to come and enjoy all that it has to offer when it opens next year.”