Plans revealed for offices and warehouses that could create 3000 new jobs close to Sheffield

The site, known at ES10 in the council’s local plan, will be allocated as employment land, to the south of the Dearne Valley Parkway.

It was formerly green belt land, but was reallocated for employment use in the local plan in 2019.

The Goldthorpe Masterplan, as it is also known, was approved at today’s (September 30) full council meeting.

The 73-hectare site, near the Aldi retail distribution centre, will provide “new employment opportunities”, and detailed plans are expected at a later date.

The council has committed £580,000 of a ministry of housing, communities and local government grant to buy the land, and £50,000 for traffic, drainage and ecology surveys.

Councillor Kevin Osborne, Labour member for Darfield, told today’s meeting that he welcomed the plan.

Coun Osborne added: “The reason why I welcome this is simple; jobs, jobs, jobs. This area is desperate for employment.

“The one thing that this area needs is jobs, and I welcome this plan.”

Councillor Dorothy Coates, who represents Dearne South, told the meeting that the proposed 10 percent biodiversity net gain should be “firmly placed in the Dearne,” adding: “It’s crying out for it”.

Leader of the Council, sir Steve Houghton, said that the masterplan shows the council’s commitment, and reiterated that he has “never been as optimistic about the future”.

“We’ve a huge task in front of us. These masterplans are hugely important to the future of the borough”, he added.

“We have to grasp those opportunities – not for us, not for me, for our children and grandchildren, so they can have a better chance of a future than maybe we did.”