We are incredibly proud to share that The Urbanists have led the development of the newly refreshed Doncaster City Centre Masterplan—a transformative, long-term framework designed to guide investment, development, and regeneration across the city over the coming years.
Building on the successes of the 2016 Masterplan (which catalysed over 50 regeneration projects), this refreshed vision is built on deep community engagement. Funded by the UK government, the strategic direction was directly informed by the Big City Conversation, which captured the views of over 8,000 residents, alongside vital input from the private sector-led City Centre Board.
A Collaborative Effort
Delivering a framework of this scale requires a multi-disciplinary approach and in-depth collaboration with the City Council. We were privileged to be supported by a phenomenal team of specialist sub-consultants:
Hyas Associates: Handled comprehensive stakeholder engagement.
Aspinall Verdi: Provided vital commercial property and viability advice.
Genecon: Undertook rigorous economic appraisals.
Stantec: Supported with robust transport and infrastructure advice.
Furthermore, the City Council operated not just as a client, but as a key part of the team. The Council ensured this was a deeply integrated effort, actively pulling in officers from across multiple civic departments to break down traditional silos. Crucially, this momentum was anchored by unwavering executive and political sponsorship. With visible, hands-on direction from the City Board, the Mayor, and the Chief Executive, the framework benefited from the high-level mandate necessary to translate an ambitious vision into deliverable policy.
The Vision by the Numbers
The masterplan establishes an ambitious pipeline to revitalise underused land, providing places for people to live, work, and socialise.
Key deliverables include
2,000 new city-centre homes.
100,000 sq ft of Grade A commercial office space.
650,000 sq ft of new, accessible green space.
82 acres of vibrant waterfront neighbourhood development.
Key Opportunity Zones
The Waterfront (82 acres total): Featuring Minster Canalside (15 acres) to strengthen links to St George’s Minster; Waterfront East (32 acres / 317,000 sq ft capacity); and Waterfront West & Friars Gate (35 acres / 323,000 sq ft capacity).
The Civic and Cultural Quarter: 57 acres accommodating over 527,000 sq ft of mixed-use development, bringing new homes and green spaces.
City Gateway: A 19-acre commercial hub built around key transport links, with a capacity for 343,000 sq ft of mixed-use development.
Retail Core & Markets: Preserving Doncaster’s proud retail heritage across 36 acres while introducing dynamic new leisure, arts, and cultural uses.
As Mayor of Doncaster, Ros Jones, rightly noted:
“This refreshed Masterplan sets out an exciting vision for the future of our city centre. It reflects our aspirations for sustainable growth, new investment, quality jobs, city living, cultural opportunities and attractive public spaces.”
We share the Mayor’s confidence in Doncaster’s future.
