Restoration breathes new life into Waverley
The former industrial site at Waverley has been carefully and sensitively restored to provide an exciting platform for the development of a vibrant, sustainable and thriving new community. Contoured and sculpted to provide discrete development areas for homes, businesses, public amenities, open spaces and leisure facilities, the Waverley site is poised to burst into new life, creating fresh opportunities for people right across the region.
Restoration scheme
Approved by Rotherham Borough Council in 1994, work began on the Orgreave Restoration Scheme the following year. The scheme was extended and amended in 2004 to allow the remaining coal on site to be recovered from the site tip and sub-structure. This work was completed in 2006 and the plan for the layout and landscaping of the reinstated site was finalised, offering maximum potential for future development.
As site restoration enters its final stages, the Waverley landscape now comprises a series of contoured development platforms with an effective surface water drainage system. Selective planting and ecological enhancements have been introduced to kick-start the regeneration of the natural environment, and a number of public footpaths across the site have been restored.
Development zones
The restored site is divided into four distinct zones, which will form the foundations for the layout and structure of the new community.
Zone 1: Waverley Hill
A prominent hill close to the western boundary of the site, this area is now lush meadowland/grassland boasting spectacular views of the entire Waverley development.
Zone 2: The lakes
Three inter-linked lakes, including a 65 acre reservoir, effectively form a single water body. This functions as a balancing reservoir for water running off the site. It discharges into the River Rother at a rate agreed with the Environment Agency. The lakes add ecological value to the site as potential habitats for wildlife, as well as providing an attractive, spacious lakeside environment for leisure and recreational activities.
Zone 3: River Rother corridor
The River Rother runs along the eastern and northern boundaries of the development. This zone comprises the realigned river with well-established vegetation on either side, along with a strip of undisturbed land down its eastern bank.
Zone 4: Development plots
The stepped development plots take up the bulk of the central section of the development. Here the land has been contoured into a series of right-angled plateaux, stepping down to the lakeshore – providing parkland and waterfront vistas from all levels. The plots provide a high-quality landscaped environment for residential and community development.
top