Prestigious site overlooking Doncaster Racecourse is up for sale

Doncaster Council is seeking a developer to deliver a high quality residential development at Rose Hill, a prime greenfield site in an extremely attractive environment overlooking the historic Doncaster Racecourse and adjoining mature woodland.

The site represents an important opportunity to develop around 170 high quality dwellings in a range of house types and sizes, including the opportunity to construct a number of substantial individually designed executive homes overlooking the racecourse.

The selected developer will share the Council's aspirations to develop an outstanding scheme of architectural merit on the site and meet the wider ambition to deliver high quality development throughout the Borough.

Doncaster benefits from excellent communication links being located immediately to the east of the A1(M) at its junction with the M18, the latter providing access to Doncaster Sheffield Airport via the Great Yorkshire Way. The M18 also links with theM1 at Sheffield, M62, M180 and the east coast ports. Junction 3 of the M18 lies 3.5 miles to the south of the site.

The site occupies a prime location overlooking Doncaster Racecourse and Town Moor Golf Course less than 2 miles south east of Doncaster Town Centre situated on the northern edge of the established residential areas of Bessacarr and Cantley.

The site is extremely accessible by car and public transport being situated off Rose Hill Rise and The Avenue which provide access to the A638 Bawtry Road, a major traffic route leading directly to the Town Centre and outer ring road system (Carr House Road / Leger Way). Frequent bus services run along Bawtry Road and Cantley Lane to and from the Town Centre and Doncaster Train Station.

The location has the benefit of being within close distance to a wide range of facilities including a number of primary and secondary schools, local shops and a post office as well as major public open space at Doncaster Racecourse and Cantley Park. The recreation, leisure and sporting facilities at The Dome Leisure Park complex together with an Asda superstore are also close by.Description

The site extends to circa 6.79 hectares (16.8 acres), is relatively level and self-contained with well-defined boundaries from the existing housing to the rear of The Avenue, the Racecourse, mineral railway line and the mature deciduous woodland of Redhouse Plantation. The boundaries are softened by the presence of trees and hedgerow shrubs alongside the railway line and the rear of the properties of The Avenue. The Racecourse boundary consists of tall hedgerow containing some large mature oak trees connecting with the woodland of the Redhouse Plantation.

The land was previously cultivated, however it has remained unused for a number of years and is now characterised by rough grassland with pioneering mixed scrubland. The surrounding area is primarily suburban and predominantly residential in character with a wide range of house types including larger spacious villas in the leafier older suburbs to the north and south of Bawtry Road.

The Council's aspiration is to encourage a high quality development at this high profile and important location and wish to see the highest urban design and architectural standards adopted in order to realise this ambition.

A Planning and Development Brief has been prepared which sets out the general policy advice, key planning requirements and development guidelines in respect of the site. A copy of the Planning and Development Brief is available upon request.

A summary of some of the key information from the Planning and Development Brief is as follows:

• The site is allocated as a housing site in the Doncaster Unitary Development Plan (UDP) adopted July 1998 (Proposal PH1 2/12).• The site is suitable for residential and ancillary residential (principally public open space) purposes only.• It is estimated that the site could accommodate around 170 units.• There is a high potential for the survival of significant archaeological remains associated the Roman period pottery production and associated settlement and agriculture. A programme of archaeological evaluation will need to be agreed with the South Yorkshire Archaeological Service (SYAS) at an early stage.• A Heritage Statement detailing how the results of the archaeological evaluation have informed the design of the scheme will be required to accompany a planning application.• The Council is committed to promoting high quality development throughout the Borough and therefore applicants should be able to demonstrate how they have taken account of the need for good design in their proposals having regard to Policy CS14: Design and Sustainable Construction.• Approximately 15% of the site should be laid out as a single area of public open space, including children's play equipment in the form of a LEAP in line with UDP Policy RL4.• A mixture and range of housing types should be delivered. It is envisaged that mainly 3 and 4 bedroom houses will be provided with some 2 and 5+ bedroom properties with the opportunity to accommodate large individually designed "executive homes" with a villa character backing onto the Racecourse.• A high standard of development will be required throughout the site.• A comprehensive landscaping scheme will be required for the site in accordance with Policies CS16 and ENV59 which will include the retention of existing hedgerows and trees.• The site may be supporting a wide variety of wildlife, therefore a full range of ecological surveys will be needed to assess the habitats present and determine whether or not protected species are present.• Where appropriate footpaths that serve the site are to be enhanced. There are 3 footpaths that cross the site and appear on the Council's Public Rights of Way claims register although they are not currently recorded as public rights of way.• A pedestrian footpath/cycle-route is to be created through the site to Redhouse Plantation linking with Sandall Beat Forest Park.• A contribution to off-site countryside access and woodland improvements to Redhouse Plantation may be required.• In 2009 the site was subject to an application to register it as a village green, however the application was rejected.• The affordable housing requirement is 26% of all units, with a 74%/26% social rent / intermediate tenure split. The suggested housing mix is 55% 3 bed 5 person, 40% 2 bed 4 person and 5% 4 bed homes.• There may be other S106 requirements/contributions required including Education, public open space, landscaping, bio-diversity off-setting and signalling and junction improvements.

Any potential developers are encouraged to work closely with the Council's Design and Conservation Team during all stages of the pre-application process, in order to ensure delivery of the design aspirations.

Prospective purchasers are advised to contact Jordan Butler, Principal Planner on (01302) 734892 at an early stage to discuss development options. A list of additional key contacts is provided in the Planning and Development Brief.

The site can be viewed at any time from the public highway.

All enquiries regarding the site should be directed to Doncaster MBC, Strategic Asset Management, Civic Office, Waterdale, Doncaster DN1 3BU.

Samantha Taylor01302 [email protected]

Martin Kaye01302 [email protected]