Harworth Reveals Plans for New ‘Heart of the Community’ at Flagship Waverley Development in Yorkshire

Harworth Group plc, a leading regenerator of land and property for development and investment, has unveiled plans for a new mixed-use scheme which will form the heart of the community at its flagship Waverley development in Rotherham.

The new development at Waverley will be called Olive Lane and has been designed by Harworth in close collaboration with Coda Architecture, PWP Landscape Design and BE Design. The plans comprise retail uses, a gym, offices, restaurants and cafes, a supermarket, a medical centre, community space, a bus hub and residential development, all of which will create a vibrant centre for local people. It is proposed to be developed on around 10 acres of land that sits between the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) and the site’s existing residential area.

The centre will support Waverley’s burgeoning resident population, which currently numbers over 2,500 people, in addition to the 2,000 workers at the AMP where occupiers include Rolls-Royce, McLaren Automotive and the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre. These occupiers have recently been joined by the UK Atomic Energy Authority, following the practical completion of its new 22,300 sq. ft nuclear fusion research facility in October 2020.

Harworth is now sharing its plans with residents and workers ahead of the submission of a planning application in 2021. It is also actively seeking expressions of interest from potential occupiers to add to the growing list of interested parties wanting to take space at the proposed development.

CGI pictures of proposed Olive Lane development

Waverley is Yorkshire’s largest brownfield redevelopment, with outline planning consent in place for 3,890 homes and 2 million sq. ft of commercial space. To date over 1,000 homes have been built by Barratt Homes, Harron, Taylor Wimpey, Avant and Skyhouse, alongside 1.5 million sq. ft of commercial space predominantly for advanced manufacturing. Other local facilities have also been developed on-site, including a new primary school that opened in September 2020.

Waverley also sits at the heart of the region’s Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District (AMID). This district spans over 2,000 acres and is a major contributor to the rebalancing of the UK through its businesses developing research-led, technology-based solutions in sectors as varied as aerospace, defence, transportation, nuclear, low-carbon energy and healthcare technologies.

“The importance of strong communities and the need for liveable, walkable neighbourhoods is central to our vision at Waverley, which has been reinforced by the COVID-19 pandemic. Our proposal for Olive Lane brings together a high-density mix of uses with an emphasis on high-quality design and finish, providing the facilities that local residents and workers at the AMP rightfully expect. Our continued investment at Waverley also supports the Government’s rebalancing programme, along with its desire to ‘Build Back Better’. I am looking forward to consulting with residents and workers before submitting our planning application early in the new year.”

Duncan Armstrong-Payne, Associate Director – Major Projects, Harworth Group plc

“This is a really exciting project to be involved with and we are delighted to be working alongside Harworth Group. The Olive Lane development has great potential to create a high-quality retail and leisure environment and to provide the much-needed facilities to ensure the area works as a viable, vibrant and dynamic community. These facilities will further attract new residents and businesses to live and work at the development and also encourage sustainable patterns of shopping and service within the heart of a genuinely sustainable community.”

Richard Petyt, Partner, Knight Frank