MEDIA INFORMATION
27 April 07
WATERFRONT LAUNCH SPELLS 1500 JOB CREATION
John Healey, MP Marks Commencement of 285-acre Mixed Use Scheme at Manvers, Rotherham
An ambitious £130m development crowning the massive regeneration of South Yorkshire’s Dearne Valley area was launched today [Friday April 27, 2007] by John Healey, MP.
“Waterfront” is bringing new life to a 285-acre former coalfield area around Manvers Lake, Rotherham. The project, by Anglo-Dutch company Express Park Developments, will create 1,500 jobs, 471 homes, leisure, retail and commercial space and a business park.
It is believed to be the first such mixed-use development in South Yorkshire, and won praise from Mr Healey and others at the launch, including the head of regeneration for Rotherham.
Those in attendance included the directors of Express Park Developments, representatives from Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council and its regeneration arm, Rotherham Investment and Development Office (RiDO), as well as local dignitaries and commercial agents. Addresses were given by managing director of Express Park Developments (Northern), Stephen Holme, RiDO director Richard Poundford, and the area’s MP, John Healey.
The development will include a 250,000 sq. ft leisure/retail park; 471 new lakeside properties, including an 84 unit retirement village; a 9-hole pay and play golf course; a quality hotel and family pub, a car showroom and petrol station, as well as 200,000 sq. ft of office and distribution accommodation.
The first phase of construction started this month on the golf course and family pub, with the hotel, retirement village and commercial accommodation following soon after.
Stephen Holme, managing director of Express Park Developments (Northern) commented: “The realisation of this major scheme has relied on the consistent input of several parties and a close working relationship between ourselves, RiDO and the Council over many months. Today’s event is highly significant as it marks the physical beginning of the scheme which will really surge forward and take shape from this point. The event has also proved a great opportunity to communicate the great benefits of Waterfront to all the parties involved in attracting occupiers. We are delighted to be masterminding its development which will have such a positive impact on the local economy.”
RiDO’s Richard Poundford said: “We’ve been closely involved in bringing Manvers back to life. This development is the last major piece in the jigsaw – and what a significant piece it is! It’s an excellent, ambitious development, and we’ve found Express Park a superb company to deal with. Its project here typifies the massive regeneration that’s been going on, and is still going on, right across the borough for many years now."
John Healey, MP commented: "This is one of the final parts of a remarkable transformation of the Dearne since the mines closed, bringing more than 11,000 new jobs into the area. This new development will bring not just a further 1500 additional jobs, but much needed leisure facilities for the Dearne and wider area."
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Editors’ Notes:
*Express Park Group is a privately-funded Anglo Dutch development and investment company that aims to develop and hold long term high quality investments throughout the UK and Europe. Express Park Development Company is an operating division of the Express Park Group, bringing forward high quality mixed use developments. One of the group’s major UK developments represents a £100 million 105-acre mixed use business park in Bridgwater in the South West.