Doncaster Council to buy up two car parks to help regeneration plans
The authority has not named the sites but says it will buy them to make it easier to move forward on major plans to redevelop the town centre over the coming years.
The council has announced a number of redevelopment schemes as part of its town centre masterplan.
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Hide AdThe masterplan includes plans to transform the area in front of Doncaster railway station on Trafford Way, and to transform the markets area.
Future proposed schemes include the redevelopment of the waterfront.
No details have been released on how much the council is paying for the car parks.
Mayor Ros Jones confirmed the land that the car parks are on may be redeveloped in the future if it was needed as part of the masterplan.
The council’s cabinet has now backed the purchase.
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Hide AdThe move comes after the council scrapped a deal with developer Muse so that it could proceed with plans for certain areas of the town centre under its own steam.
A report from council assets surveyor Simon Maxton and property manager property manager David Stimpson said: “Through the recently published Doncaster Urban Centre Masterplan (DUCM) the council has identified the need to redevelop and regenerate the town centre.
“The acquisition of two town centre car parks, that produce an income, would enable the council to become a strategic land owner and have an ability to invest and improve in the town centre.
“The council historically divested all its interests in the town centre, however in order for the DUCM to become a reality this policy needs to be reversed.”
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Hide Ad“The termination of the Muse agreement and the acquisition of these two car parks, will lead to the Council becoming a significant landowner and investor in the town centre.”
Within the masterplan there are a number of car parks and sites that have been identified for redevelopment purposes and officials say buying two more car parks will help the regeneration of the town centre directly or indirectly.
Those sites are the Council House Car Park, Scarborough House. And Chappell Drive and Church Way Car Park are shown in the Town Centre Master Plan as re-developed into a new Marina.