New family homes at Rossington enabled by the development of Great Yorkshire Way.
This year has been a bumper year for housebuilding in Doncaster, with 1,170 new homes going up across the borough – the highest number of annual new house completions in the past 15 years.
It’s good news for Doncaster and great news for local people.
These figures demonstrate the confidence that developers have in Doncaster and the benefits of taking a pro-active approach to house building.
Most importantly, the wide range of homes being built is helping to meet the different needs that local people have: whether it is private ownership or affordable rents; homes for single people and families; opportunities for first time buyers or supported living units and specialist housing for older people.
The good news is that this trend also looks set to continue. Doncaster is expected to benefit from a staggering £350million of investment in new homes worth about £560million in the next ten years offering something for everyone.
Something for everyone
As Mayor, I am determined to make sure that Doncaster is able to meet the housing needs of everyone in the borough. As demand grows we need to build a wide range of high quality new homes, so completing nearly 1200 new homes in just one year is great news.
Cllr Jane Nightingale, Cabinet Member for Housing, hands over the keys to one of 120 new Council Houses.
120 brand new Council Houses are being built at nine different sites across the borough, in Adwick, Armthorpe, Balby, Bentley, Carcroft, Rossington, Scawsby and Dunscroft. They include 2, 3 and 4 bedroom houses, 1 bedroom flats and 2 and 3 bedroom bungalows and once completed in 2017 will be managed by St Leger Homes.
In January, Swallowdale, a £6.9million Extra Care housing scheme for older people opened in Edlington. The 64 two-bed apartments and 2 two-bed bungalows, which also offer support and care services on site, were built by local firm Keepmoat Homes for not-for-profit housing provider Housing & Care 21 in partnership with Doncaster Council.
Earlier this summer my Cabinet and I approved plans for 72 new extra care apartments to support older people in Thorne, Moorends and the wider area too. Work on the £9.4million scheme is expected start this autumn.
The Gables. One and two bedroom homes located in the heart of Doncaster. (Muse Developments)
New developments are taking shape at Denaby and Mexborough, boosting local housing supply and supporting the community, and the first phase of over 300 homes of the Dominion scheme at Woodfield Plantation is nearing completion. Delivered by Keepmoat and Strata, the development is one of the largest ‘custom built’ schemes in the country offering a mix of quality homes, affordable homes for rent and share ownership opportunities.
Numerous developments offering family accommodation and exclusive top end executive homes are also springing up across the borough.
A selection of four bedroom properties are going up at Heatherfields, Torne Park. These are the first of 1,200 new homes lined up to be built on the former Rossington Colliery site – a scheme which became possible with the delivery of Great Yorkshire Way, our new airport link road.
The Residence, Lakeside. New luxury 2, 3 and 4 bedroom Homes (Muse Developments)
Other prestigious, high end homes include Muse Developments’ The Residence, Lakeside – a collection of 51 luxury two, three and four bedroom homes. More than 80% of these homes at this desirable waterside location have been sold, with only a handful of properties remaining.
Meanwhile, in the town centre, Muse Developments and Doncaster Council have worked together to oversee significant changes to the public realm, with the transformation of the £300million Civic and Cultural Quarter (CCQ) and The Gables residential scheme.
The first phase of ‘The Gables’ sold out earlier this year and work has now started on site for the second phase.
Even more to come
With planning permission approved for major schemes like Waystone’s J5M18 Unity Project, which will secure growth in Hatfield, Stainforth and Dunscroft and is expected to deliver 3,100 new homes, the housebuilding boom is set to continue in the future.
The Unity Project at Junction 5 of the M18 will deliver a new motorway link, new employment sites and around 3000 new homes over the next 20 years.
Earlier this month my Cabinet and I approved another new scheme in Balby and we also are due to consider two further new Council supported schemes in Thorne and Wheatley in the coming weeks.
Housebuilding is now seeing a real revival in Doncaster as we have been successful in attracting developers into our borough. Only four years ago the number of new completions was just 316 homes, so this success is a welcome boost to the town.
We’re taking really proactive approach to housebuilding, through initiatives such as our Housing Summit which saw us engage with key players in the sector and is already starting to pay dividends. As well as providing new homes, the industry is stimulating economic growth, creating jobs and apprenticeships.
It’s a great success story and I would like to thank everyone who has been involved. Our challenge now is to make sure we continue this positive trend and keep on delivering for local people and the borough.
My View 