Member Article

Milestone hit on Doncaster’s £56 million infrastructure project

Construction of the Finningley and Rossington Regeneration Route Scheme (FARRRS) has reached an important stage in its journey.

Over the last two weekends, 27 pre-cast concrete beams were lifted onto the bridge which will carry the £56 million link road over the Brancliffe to Kirk Sandall (BKS) railway line.

Preparation work for the second and longer bridge over the East Coast Main Line is also underway with piling works for the foundations about to start.

Ros Jones, Mayor of Doncaster, said: “These are major milestones for FARRRS which will be the catalyst for significant private sector investment in Doncaster and the transformation of our town.

“As well offering tremendous benefits for those travelling to and from our international airport and the new iPort development at Rossington, FARRRS will help deliver thousands of new homes and jobs.

“Doncaster is clearly making great strides and has much to look forward to.”

Access over the new BKS bridge to the iPort construction site should be ready by the end of the year and this will be followed by the partial completion of the link from FARRRS into the former Rossington colliery site owned by Harworth Estates. Construction of the first of 1,200 homes is expected to begin in March 2015.

Work on the two new bridges where FARRRS crosses the River Torne and the Mother Drain at Parrott’s Corner has started and modifications to the junction where FARRRS will connect to the A638 Bawtry Road will begin next year.

The completed road, which will connect south east Doncaster to the dramatically improved White Rose Way at Junction 3 of the M18, is expected to be fully open in early 2016.

Steve Gill, managing director of Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield said: “We are delighted to see work progressing on the development of the new road.

“This is fantastic news, not just for the airport but for the region. In the long term this development could lead to the creation of over 20,000 jobs and the investment of over £1.5 billion. This will be a transformational project.

“From day one Doncaster Council understood the strategic importance of this road to the region and how it can help the airport realise its potential and so we are delighted to see work commence.

“The delivery of this much needed infrastructure will truly place the airport at the heart of the region, helping to position Doncaster Sheffield Airport as the natural airport of choice for passengers and freight operators.”

The Doncaster Council led regeneration project has backing from the Government’s Regional Growth Fund and private sector partners Harworth Estates, the Peel Group and Verdion/HOOPP. It has been supported regionally by the Growing Places Fund and the Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).

Carillion is the main contractor delivering the scheme.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Clare Burnett .