Plans have been unveiled for a new town centre redevelopment project in Rotherham.

The 'masterplan', designed by WYG Group and Lambert Smith Hampton, involves delivering a mixed-use scheme featuring a new leisure quarter, new homes and new restaurants.

Highlights include;

• Forge Island developed into a major leisure destination including a new cinema, a quality hotel, food and drink and potentially a new theatre

• The former Guest & Chrimes building turned into a mew leisure destination

• More than 350 high quality riverside homes

• The opening-up of Rotherham outdoor market, with a new stepped entrance and space for a new community advice hub

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• A new higher education development at Doncaster Gate scheduled to open in September 2018

• A refurbished bus interchange and multi-storey car park, funding for which has already been secured

• A series of upgraded streets and spaces including a vibrant green space at Effingham Square and new pedestrianised setting and traffic calmed environment at Grimm & Co

Cllr Denise Lelliott said: "The masterplan contains a series of proposals and plans, which brings to life how the town is moving forwards, utilising its river and canal, its open spaces and its feature buildings. At the heart of the plan is to create a much-improved visitor experience with more to do and to see."

Project Director Andrew Clarke said: "It has been excellent to see the level of interest in a town from the development industry. Investors have been asking about progress throughout the evolution of the masterplan. Our challenge now is to translate that interest into built development on the ground and to do so quickly. Rotherham Town Centre requires transformational change and the masterplan will deliver this through a partnership of the Council and the private sector."

(LM/MH)