The Waterfront is a key component in Doncaster’s renaissance and transformation. The long term vision for this site is to create a very high quality, mixed use development that includes residential, commercial and leisure accommodation.

The Waterfront boasts an excellent location, straddling the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation Canal, and being closely connected with Doncaster’s urban centre and main transport network, including the new transport interchange and shopping centre. At 46 hectares, it is one of the largest remaining city centre brownfield waterfront sites in the UK, and will become one of Doncaster’s flagship developments, maximising the potential of its canal side location.

The Waterfront development was identified in the 2003 Urban Renaissance Masterplan as being a key building block in stimulating investor confidence in Doncaster, and creating excellent investment opportunities. The first occupier on the site is Doncaster Education City (DEC), a £70 million gateway scheme that opened in September 2006. DEC, together with the award-winning public realm that surrounds the buildings, sets the standard for the future design and development of the Waterfront.

The main activity of the Council's 3D team, tasked with delivering the scheme, is centered at the moment on the preparation of a 15 hectare site ready for development. In respect of this a number of achievments have been made to date including the filling in of the former gashouse bight and construction of a 90 berth marina, provision of utilities infrastructure and the acquisition of key land and buildings including associated clearance and clean-up works. Also proposals to make the necessary improvements to the Holmes Market junction to form the principal vehicular access into the site are currently being developed.

In addition to the above the scheme to relocate the sewage pumping station is expected to be completed shortly which will free up the Victorian pumping station building to become a key focal point of the proposed development.

The design and development of the Waterfront has been supported by a number of market analysis studies and a more detailed spatial strategy. The spatial strategy identifies clear development plots for commercial, residential and retail opportunities, and again emphasises the world-class quality and potential of the site.

The project is supported by Yorkshire Forward, Objective One, Doncaster Economic Partnership, British Waterways, Doncaster College and the Learning and Skills Council.

Page updated: 10 September 2009