Proposed £50m retail and leisure scheme in Rotherham to create hundreds of new jobs

Property firms Dransfield Properties Ltd and Harworth Group Plc have entered into a joint venture agreement to deliver a £50m retail, office and leisure scheme at Waverley, Rotherham.

The new 12-acre development is part of the strategic regeneration of the 740-acre Waverley development, just two minutes from Junction 33 of the M1. The planned centre is expected to bring hundreds of new jobs to the region.

The development will feature a 24,500 sq. ft. food store, new office space, a medical centre and transport hub, as well as a new hotel and 70,000 sq. ft. of further retail space.

Shops, restaurants and cafes will be set around a central car park area, and there will be office space created above the retail units as well as walkways, landscaped piazza areas with water features and a “town square” where Farmers’ Markets can be held.

A planning application is scheduled to be submitted in Spring 2017 and will include a transport hub for Rotherham to improve connectivity to the region as well as a hotel and a new medical centre to serve the growing business and residential area.

Mark Dransfield, managing director of Dransfield Properties, said: “This is a really exciting project to be involved with. We are delighted to work alongside Harworth, bringing our team’s experience and knowledge of delivering retail developments to this new community.

“Waverley is an exciting development which has great potential for creating a high-quality retail and leisure environment, designed to support the growing community and the wider region. We look forward to being a part of this project.”

Owen Michaelson, chief executive of Harworth Group plc, added: “We are delighted to partner with Dransfield for this significant development on our flagship site, given their track record across the UK and their absolute focus on quality.

“We expect the local centre to become central to the Waverley community, as it co-joins the AMP and the residential area, offering a range of essential facilities and bringing hundreds of job opportunities to the region.”