Doncaster City Centre Masterplan
A forward-looking strategy to guide long-term investment, development, and sustainable growth across Doncaster City Centre
Project information
Client
City of Doncaster Council
Partners
Hyas Associates, Aspinall Verdi, Genecon, Stantec.
Location
City Centre, Doncaster
The Challenge
Building on the success of the 2016 Masterplan the City of Doncaster Council required a refreshed, forward-looking strategy to guide long-term investment, development, and sustainable growth across its city centre. To maintain momentum and adapt to evolving socio-economic needs, the city needed an actionable framework that could unlock underused land, reimagine key character areas, boost high street vitality, and deliver vibrant spaces for residents and businesses to live, work, and socialise.
Our Role
The Urbanists led a multi-disciplinary team to develop the refreshed Doncaster City Centre Masterplan. Working seamlessly with City of Doncaster Council officers, executive leadership, the Mayor, and the private sector-led City Centre Board, we ensured the strategy was rooted in local priorities and backed by strong political sponsorship.
Deep community and stakeholder engagement was central to the process, drawing directly on the Big City Conversation, which captured insights from over 8,000 residents. To deliver a robust, viability-tested vision, we collaborated with a specialist consultant team:
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.
We identified and structured interventions around four key Opportunity Zones:
The Waterfront (82 acres): Unlocking vast canalside land, strengthening connections to St George's Minster, and driving waterside residential and commercial development.
The Civic and Cultural Quarter (57 acres): Creating a mixed-use district delivering high-quality new homes and accessible green space.
City Gateway (19 acres): Developing a high-profile commercial hub anchored by key transport links.
Retail Core & Markets (36 acres): Safeguarding Doncaster's rich market heritage while diversifying the high street with new leisure, arts, and cultural uses.
The Outcome
The refreshed Masterplan establishes an ambitious, deliverable pipeline to shape the city's future over the coming years. Key strategic outcomes include:
2,000 new city-centre homes to support modern urban living.
100,000 sq ft of Grade A commercial office space to drive employment and business investment.
650,000 sq ft of new, accessible green space to enhance biodiversity and public wellbeing.
82 acres of vibrant waterfront neighbourhood regeneration.
The final document provides the City of Doncaster Council and its partners with a long-term statutory and strategic roadmap, positioning the city to attract major investment, foster sustainable growth, and create high-quality public spaces for current and future generations.
