Rother Valley Country Park: Plans for new lakeside cafe and play area revealed

If approved, the new cafe, at Rother Valley Country Park, will be sited in the area currently used by Firbeck Sailing Club, made up of a flat-roofed building, boat storage and concrete jetty, which will be relocated to the existing activity centre.

Planning documents submitted to Rotherham Council state the existing Stables Cafe “only has limited capacity”, and will still be used as a cafe but only selling “grab and go” items. The proposed new waterside cafe will “accommodate increased user numbers that the park is already seeing”.

Staff facilities and customer toilets will also be provided, with the cafe facing the water’s edge, as well as a children’s play area to the rear. The car park next to the Stables Cafe will become an “outdoor amenity space”, creating a pedestrian friendly area.

The existing park rangers’ bungalow to the south of the central courtyard area will be demolished to make way for the relocated cycle hire hub, with the rangers’ facilities to be moved to the disused adventure valley play area. The development will be funded through the Government’s levelling up fund.

A planning report states: “The proposed development will enhance the attractiveness of the country park as a destination for outdoor recreation. A new cafe building and function space is an appropriate facility for outdoor recreation, as its presence will encourage visitors to the park.

“The proposed replacement cafe… has a clear practical and functional link to the wider use of the country park, providing refreshment and rest facilities, and improving the attractiveness of the country park as a destination for recreation.”

Residents can comment on the plans until December 30.