Natural play area and teen-friendly space planned in final phase of Waverley park
A new natural play area with swings, slides, hammocks, a maze, and even musical chimes could soon be coming to Waverley, as the final phase of Highwall Park has officially been submitted for planning approval.
The latest plans focus on the northern end of the park, known as The Ridge, and would complete the long-awaited green corridor running through the heart of the Waverley development.
A children’s play area at the centre will include climbing ropes, an inclusive roundabout, hammocks hung between trees, and an ornamental maze with a flower-shaped windmill at its centre. Musical instruments, timber shelters, and quirky paths made from recycled rubber mulch are all intended to encourage exploration, creativity and connection with nature.
But it’s not just younger children who have been considered. The plans include a covered seating area designed specifically with teenage girls in mind, a group that’s often overlooked in public park design.
Rather than opting for a typical metal youth shelter, which can feel cold or uninviting, the developers have proposed a timber pergola-style structure that blends into the landscape and offers a safe, social space close to the park entrance. Research has shown that teenage girls are more likely to use public spaces when they feel welcoming, visible and comfortable, and the plans aim to reflect that.
The Ridge also features new woodland planting, wildflower meadows, scrub habitats for wildlife and informal walking trails. A wide, accessible gravel path will link The Ridge to Olive Lane and Highfield Lane, forming part of a larger east-west route designed for both cyclists and pedestrians. Bird and bat boxes, bug hotels and carefully chosen plants are all included to help boost biodiversity in the area. A realigned drainage system with planted swales will ensure surface water is managed sustainably.
This marks the third and final phase of Highwall Park, a 1.25km green space at the centre of the wider Waverley development. Previous phases, which were approved in 2024 and early 2025, are already under construction and include a bike track, multi-use games area and additional landscaping. Together, the three phases form a continuous park connecting new homes, shops, schools and workplaces with much-needed green infrastructure.
The developers, Harworth Estates, say they’ve worked closely with Rotherham Council over the last 15 years to bring the vision to life.
One remaining corner of the site, where a former show home office stood, is not yet fully designed but is expected to be added to the park at a later stage.