Harworth and Bircotes regeneration opportunities

This intervention strategy seeks to identify the opportunities for the Council to guide, or where necessary, intervene on sites and projects within the wider Harworth and Bircotes area.

In certain cases, it may be that the District or Town Council has an active role to play either through commissioning reports and/or as the landowner. Furthermore, the Council can offer guidance and assistance to private landowners and investors. It is the intention that this Strategy helps to identify and prioritise the options available for this area.

Harworth and Bircotes intervention plan March 2017

This intervention strategy seeks to identify the opportunities for the Town and District Council to guide, or where necessary, intervene on sites and projects within Harworth and Bircotes.

In certain areas, it may be that the Town and District Council has an active role to play either through commissioning reports and/or as landowner. Furthermore, the District Council can offer guidance and assistance to private landowners and investors. It is the intention that this strategy helps to identify and prioritise the options available for this area.

This work has been informed by various pieces of work which have been recently completed which identified potential regeneration options for this area. These include:

Neighbourhood plan which identified key projects and objectives for the town
Discussion with key stakeholders, such as the Neighbourhood Plan group, infrastructure providers and landowners

As part of this work, an officer working group has been set up to ensure delivery of the key projects identified and the intervention required. It is expected that this strategy will be updated on a regular basis to reflect the changing ambition of this working group.

Vision and Strategic Objectives

Vision

In 13 years’ time Harworth and Bircotes will be a thriving community, a place where people are proud to live. It will be a safe and happy place, an area that values its people and its environment. It will have a variety of homes, jobs, shops, schools, sustainable transport and recreational facilities; something for everyone. Harworth and Bircotes will be a place people want to move to.

Strategic objectives

These are the overarching objectives for the Intervention Strategy:

To redevelop the old Colliery Site delivering a mixed use development that benefits the local community now and for years to come.
To sustain and regenerate the Town Centre of Harworth and Bircotes, strengthening its role at the heart of the community.
To develop a new footpath and cycle network linking the new and old housing developments to services and facilities in the town.
To encourage restaurants and cafés to locate in the area providing amenities suitable for all the family.
To deliver housing growth that reflects the local community’s needs and allows the town to grow sustainably.
To protect and enhance Harworth and Bircotes environmental assets for current and future generations.
To safeguard existing and provide new community facilities, open spaces and public transport.

Areas of Intervention

There have been distinctive themes identified to steer interventions within Harworth and Bircotes. These are:

Embracing Progress and Opportunity

This theme acknowledges that in addition to the tremendous opportunities that the rapid growth of Harworth and Bircotes brings and the associated challenges that must be addressed. The intervention strategy will acknowledge the sensitivity required as the town undergoes this step change. Priorities will include actions to manage this growth, ensuring the necessary infrastructure (e.g. nurseries, a bus terminus, road network, schools, visitor accommodation etc.) are delivered.

Pride in Place

This theme will focus on the physical improvements to Harworth and Bircotes that will give residents a deserved sense of pride in the town; improvements to green spaces and wildlife sites, recreation facilities, cycle paths, signage, public realm etc. The intention is that these will all contribute to making Harworth and Bircotes a desirable place to live and work and will also help to grow the town’s reputation as a visitor destination in its own right.

The Centre of Town

The overall objective within this theme is to completely transform the existing ‘high street’ footprint along Scrooby Road into a vibrant town centre with facilities and amenities that meet the requirements of the significant increase in population. In place of a single row of limited, independent retailers, this theme’s aspirations are to create a much larger centre that encompasses both sides of Scrooby Road and provides an appealing mix of shops, restaurants and open air spaces. This will create an attractive and safe family environment.

Embracing Progress and Opportunity

This theme acknowledges that in addition to the tremendous opportunities that the rapid growth of Harworth and Bircotes brings and there are associated challenges that must be addressed. The intervention strategy will acknowledge the sensitivity required as the town undergoes this step change. Priorities will include actions to manage this growth, ensuring the necessary infrastructure (e.g. nurseries, a bus terminus, road network, schools, visitor accommodation etc.) are delivered.

Objectives

These are the main objectives for this theme:

To maximise the economic impacts of investment in the town
To secure the necessary investment in infrastructure
To deliver housing that meet the local needs
To enhance the facilities for sustainable transport
To provide a wide range of job opportunities within the town

Priorities for intervention

The priorities for intervention specific to this theme include:

To identify the opportunity to provide services and facilities required for future and current residents
To ensure that there is adequate Infrastructure is in place
To identify and ensure delivery of specialist housing and local needs
Ensure the establishment of a bus terminus/stopping point
To support new businesses, start-ups and enterprise
Review traffic flow in the town and road classifications

Pride in place

Objectives

These are the main objectives for this theme:

To instil a sense of arrival when people enter Harworth and Bircotes
To create attractive gateways into the town for all users (vehicular and non-vehicular)
To improve open spaces and woodlands
To explore new opportunities for visitors to spend time in the town
To create an attractive environment for people to spend time in

Priorities for intervention

The priorities for intervention specific to this theme include:

Improve the road based gateways into the town
Improve the non-vehicular gateways (such as cycle ways and pedestrian routes)
Review the vehicular routes and associated directional signage to key locations
To increase the reasons for people to visit the town during the day and in the evenings
To enhance the town’s parks and woodlands
Identify new sites to increase the amount of floorspace for community and leisure uses
A positive PR and marketing campaign to increase community pride

The Centre of Town

Objectives

These are the main objectives for this theme:

Improve the vehicular and non-vehicular movements along Scrooby Road in the short term
Explore the longer term aspiration for the creation of a pedestrian friendly town centre
To safeguard and increase the quantity and range of services and facilities within the town centre safeguarded
To improve the quality and size of the retail units available within the town centre
To create an attractive town centre environment for people to spend time in
To increase the reasons for people to visit the town during the day and in the evenings
To provide an events area

Priorities for intervention

The priorities for intervention specific to this theme include:

Increase the amount of quality and quantity of retail floorspace
To increase the reasons for people to visit the town centre during the day and in the evenings
Improve the main retail area on Scrooby Road to become more pedestrian friendly
Increasing the footfall in the town centre
Identify the opportunities for an events area
Improve the shop fronts along Scrooby Road

Last Updated on Friday, September 29, 2023