Link road row over new town plan

Harworth Estates, the land-ownership arm of mining company UK Coal, has outline planning permission to build the houses, schools, shops, pubs, restaurants, a transport interchange and open space on the site of the former Orgreave colliery – where some of the bitterest clashes in the 1984 miners' strike took place.

Outline plans have also been agreed by Rotherham Council for Helical Governetz to build 60,000 sq ft of government offices on the site, alongside a hotel and leisure facilities.

However, while Harworth Estates is planning to begin building work next year, the future of the multi-million pound Waverley Link Road – which was supposed to provide access to the new town – is in doubt.

At a meeting of Sheffield Council's cabinet highways committee tomorrow, members will suggest going back to the drawing board altogether, after the new coalition Government refused to commit to funding the road and residents of nearby Woodhouse Mill objected to it being built on existing playing fields.

In a report due to go before tomorrow's meeting John Bann, Sheffield Council's head of transport and highways, says: "It is not clear if the scheme will proceed. The planning application for the Waverley Link Road has been deferred."

A spokesman for Harworth Estates, however, said the developer was confident that final plans for the link road would be agreed before building work begins next year.

He said: "There is ample time to try and resolve this outstanding issue. We want this to be a successful, attractive addition to the local community and good connection links are important.

"The road link is not something that's in our remit, it's a local authority issue. But all parties are keen to find a resolution."

The spokesman added that, despite suggestions that house prices were falling once again, there had been a "substantial amount of interest" in the Waverley new town project by developers.

They said: "Waverley is in the same position as many other housing schemes around the country. It's the uncertainty that's causing the delay.

"We won't waste any time in preparing detailed plans to ensure that Waverley is a new community with a heart.

"In terms of construction, that will be sometime next year, and hopefully the road link will be a done deal by then."

At tomorrow's meeting, members of Sheffield Council's cabinet highways committee are expected to agree that the Waverley Link Road plans should be put on hold until further discussions have taken place.

This comes after Sheffield Council resolved, at a meeting last month, to oppose plans to build the link road at its proposed site on Woodhouse Mill playing fields.

The proposals had proved hugely unpopular with residents, who want to protect the playing fields area by having it designated as a recreation ground for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

Mr Bann's report adds: "The delay in progressing this scheme, due to the present economic climate, should be seen as an opportunity to undertake a detailed review to see if the route can be further amended."

Outline plans for the new homes and offices developments were given consent by Rotherham Council last month, after being sent to the Government Office for Yorkshire and the Humber for consideration.

A spokesman for Rotherham Council, which will be responsible for submitting a new planning application for the link road, was

unavailable for comment.