THE biggest indoor leisure and tourism development in Europe will attract visitors from around the world and create over 2,500 jobs at a former pit site in South Yorkshire, it was claimed yesterday.
Ian Waugh
The ambitious pledge came as a planning application for the £300m YES! development close to Rother Valley Country Park in Rotherham was lodged yesterday.
There will be over one million square feet of entertainment facilities including the biggest th
eatre complex outside London's West End, a four-star resort spa and conference hotel and a major extreme sports centre with an olympic slalom canoe course.
There will also be an exhibition centre, restaurant, bars and festival retailing and a golf range included in the scheme which is being backed by developers Oak Holdings and Rotherham Council.
The chief executive of Oak Holdings, Steve Lewis, said: "It will be mould-breaking and it will create a new genre of leisure experience. There is nothing like it in Europe.
"Undoubtedly YES! will be a sensation, providing South Yorkshire and the UK with a tourism and leisure development to be proud of and encouraging people to travel into the area.
"Apart from creating up to 2,700 new jobs, YES! also has educational, environmental and cultural merits that will significantly benefit surrounding communities."
The 320-acre development on the former Pithouse West coal mine and coking plant site has been discussed for some time. It is close to Junction 31 of the M1 and the soon-to-be opened Robin Hood Doncaster Sheffield Airport, and is within easy reach of large population areas.
Rother Valley Country Park's 1,000-acre existing leisure facilities will be integrated into the development which will feature a striking architectural design and a brewery attraction.
Companies have already been signed up to operate the theatre, extreme sports site and the golf centre. There has also been keen interest from major companies in operating the hotel.
However the Whitehall will have to approve the planning application as Rotherham Council, the planning authority, owns the land and there is a potential conflict of interest. Government would also be involved because of the scale of the plans.
A huge level of funding will also have to be put in place. Mr Lewis said that the the project would be entirely funded by private finance.
He added: "The principles of the funding are in place. It will not be a problem."
It is hoped that construction work could start next summer and the complex could be open to the public in early 2009.
The executive director of Rotherham Council's economic and development services, Adam Wilkinson, said: "There's a rigorous planning process ahead, but we're confident Oak can meet the criteria.
"Once that's complete, we'll be creating more than a development – it will be a vision of how future leisure attractions could take shape.
"There are over 20 million people within easy travelling distance, but the scheme would bring in visitors from all over the country, even internationally, so the scope for extra tourism is huge
"Add YES! to other facilities in South Yorkshire and the area would become a leading centre for leisure and tourism."
ian.waugh@ypn.co.uk
