Approval for £50m shopping and leisure park on Sheffield outskirts

Members of Rotherham Council's planning committee this week voted in favour of proposals for Waverley Square, a huge development next to the Advanced Manufacturing Park next to Rotherham.

The 12-acre site is one of South Yorkshire’s biggest brownfield regeneration opportunities, and is being led by property firms Dransfield Properties and Harworth Group.

The development would link the AMP and nearby homes. At the same meeting Sky-House Co won approval for 44 homes, a modern take on Victorian back-to-back housing.

Following the decision Harworth Group chief executive Owen Michaelson said: "This is a key development for Rotherham and for the Sheffield City Region in that it will create the sort of high-quality local facilities that both businesses at the Advanced Manufacturing Park and local residents increasingly expect.

"Waverley is growing into a prominent placemaking destination in the region and these facilities will further attract new residents and businesses to live and work at the development."

Waverley Square would include a 24,500 sq ft food store, offices, a medical centre, a new hotel and 70,000 sq ft of further retail space alongside a gym, restaurants and coffee shops. Shops, restaurants and cafes will be set around a central car park area with a mix of independent and national names.

Complementing the high quality’ office space created above the retail units would be attractive walkways and rooftop terraces, landscaped piazza’ areas with water features and a town square’ where regular farmers’ markets can be held.

Dransfield Properties is the company behind the Fox Valley shopping centre in Stocksbridge, which was completed last year and recently hosted the climax to the Tour de Yorkshire.

The planning application for Waverley Square references Fox Valley and highlights some of the design choices used in the Stocksbridge centre.

Mark Dransfield, managing director of the firm, said: "We are delighted that our application for Waverley has now been approved by Rotherham Council.

"We have been keen from the outset to design a genuinely outstanding scheme befitting of Waverley, with architecture and materials to match.

"With the combined experience and knowledge of our two companies we are confident we will deliver an excellent scheme for Waverley to serve this growing community over the next two and a half years."