Green light for Doncaster’s £21million Future High Streets Fund bid

If successful the funding will contribute to a major £49million scheme coordinated by the council and backed by both the public and private sector. It will complete an overhaul of the area around the Waterdale Shopping Centre and Duke Street to create an outstanding pedestrian experience from the new look train station gateway to the Civic and Cultural Quarter. Exciting plans have been drawn up which will see the area redeveloped into new residential opportunities, office space, retail, leisure schemes, new public spaces, pedestrian routes and other complementary uses, all designed to breathe new life into this part of Doncaster town centre. The Civic and Cultural Quarter has seen a remarkable renaissance in recent years with superb new developments going up. With numerous other schemes built and underway across the town centre, thanks to the ambitious Doncaster Urban Centre Masterplan, there has been significant new interest from investors and developers. The new proposals build on the Civic and Cultural Quarter project helping to grow the Creative and Cultural Sector. It will attract more people into the town centre to live, work and visit and help the town centre and the rest of the borough thrive going forward. Cllr Bill Mordue, Cabinet Member for Business, Skills and Economic Development, said: “Doncaster town centre has changed dramatically in the last few years as we look to diversify our offer so it’s less dependent on the traditional retail sector. “We are absolutely focused on building a town centre we can all be proud of and one which brings more people back into our urban centre. It is top quality, well thought out, schemes like this Waterdale and Spring Gardens project which Doncaster needs. "Transformational change in our town centres across Doncaster is at the heart of our ambition moving out of the Covid-19 crisis. We want to be able to build on the investment already committed in the Civic and Cultural Quarter – with the Danum Gallery, Library and Museum, the University Technical College and the cinema and restaurants which are all due to open in the next 12 months. “This is a strong and dynamic bid which addresses an underperforming area. It builds on what we have already achieved and helps take us to a whole new level. We are delivering on our vision for a vibrant and buzzing town centre which will benefit the whole borough.” The Government will make its decision on bids for the Future High Streets Fund later in 2020.