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.

3D has focused on getting the first 15 hectare phase of the site ready for development. The team has been successful in securing nearly £30 million of public sector money to prepare the development plots, and is now in a position to begin the site assembly, engineering and remediation works. In total, the project includes creating a 90 berth marina, which will act as a focal point for future development, strengthening the canal walls, installing the utilities infrastructure and improving access to the site via the creation of St George's Gyratory.

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.