| Abstract: |
MAP Archaeological Practice Ltd undertook a record of Swinden Technology Centre, Moorgate Road, Rotherham, South Yorkshire, prior to demolition, on instruction by Keepmoat Homes The Development has planning permission for the demolition of unlisted buildings and erection of 170 houses and the conversion of 4 existing buildings to create 27 apartments with associated landscaping and works at former Swinden Technology Centre. The site was the TATA Steel Research Centre, originally built by United Steel Company as the Swinden Laboratories Research and Development Department, then nationalised by British Steel and becoming Corus Swinden Technology Centre in 1999. Swinden Technology Centre comprised purpose-built laboratories, a canteen, office buildings and a substation constructed between 1950 and 1990. The older (pre-1948) buildings within the Development Area included several heritage assets such as Swinden House which was a Grade II Listed Building with stables and surrounding formal garden and walls, Sitwell House to the west, the Gate House at the entrance off Moorgate Road and the former lodges to the east, which were within the curtilage of the listed building. In 2016, a Level 3 Building Record was undertaken by ECUS on Swinden House, the Lodge, the stable block and walled garden and Sitwell House. The buildings recorded included fourteen structures. Blocks A, B, C, D & H were joined, as were Blocks F & G and Blocks E & L. The canteen, Blocks J, K, Q and R were detached. Blocks A, B, C, D & E were built in 1951 and Block F in 1958, Block G in 1961, Block H in 1964, Block J in 1965 & Block K in 1966, the Canteen was built in 1967 and Block Q was built in 1970. Block R was built in 1983 and the Block G Extension was built in 1989. All the buildings were steel framed, constructed of concrete and brick with flat roofs. Blocks C, F and Q were three storeys high. Block L was one and two storeys high with a basement. Blocks B, J & K were two storeys high. Blocks A & H were two storeys high with a connected basement. Block G was one storey high with a mezzanine level. Blocks D & R were one storey high. The canteen was one storey with a small lower floor. A drone survey was undertaken by Hopgrove productions, which comprised 21 video files and 266 high resolution digital images. The photographic record of the fourteen structures comprised thirteen films (370 monochrome images and 109 colour slides) were taken, in conjunction with 394 high resolution digital images. The Photographic Record and Archive were of the laboratories and other buildings at Swinden Technology Centre, Moorgate Road, Rotherham, South Yorkshire, prior to deomolition and the site being redeveloped for residential housing. |
