£34m residential development approved for former school site

Yorkshire housebuilder Avant Homes is bringing 143 new homes to Doncaster, after planning permission was granted by Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council to transform a brownfield site.

The 12.91-acre site off Leger Way is the former location of Wheatley Hills Middle School, which has been vacant for 22 years after closing in 1997.

Once complete the £34m development, called Furlong Park, will feature two, three, four and five-bedroom homes, all less than two miles from Doncaster town centre.

Of the 143 new homes, 37 have been designated as affordable housing and will be available through social rent and shared ownership tenure.

Development contributions totalling more than £196,000 have been pledged across education, biodiversity offset, a travel plan and open public green space.

Work is set to start in February, with the showhomes expected to open in July. The first homes are due to be ready for occupation by October.

Overall, the development is expected to take three and a half years to complete and will create up to 125 sales and construction jobs for local people.

Avant Homes Yorkshire managing director, Chris Coley, said: “We’re very pleased that planning permission has been granted for Furlong Park, allowing us to bring 143 high-quality homes to Doncaster.

“It’s a hugely exciting development, and we’re proud to be bringing a derelict site back to life after more than two decades through the construction of these homes.

“Doncaster is a thriving town and as we’ve seen with previous developments in the area, there is a real demand for attainable, design-led homes for modern family living.”