Plans submitted for housing on Foster’s site

The business closed in 2020 – signalling the end of a century-long involvement from the family in business ventures in Thrybergh.

Avant Homes have filed papers which will see the grade II-listed former garden centre turned into seven dwellings. This area was formerly Chestnut Farm, built in 1816 and comprising a cartshed, granary and stable.

Elsewhere on the same site the old petrol station will be demolished to make space for 25 new build properties, nearly half of which will have three bedrooms.

And a key feature of the plans will be the road layout allowing for the future development of more than 40 acres – stretching behind St Gerard’s Primary – into an estate of about 350 properties.

Planning papers submitted by Avant say the smaller site will have “feature buildings” to provide focal points and views.

A heritage report from MAP Archaeological Practice in support of the development notes that the former farm buildings had been converted from their original purpose to become the garden centre in the 20th century.

The paper adds: “The listed building is assessed as being of high sensitivity and importance. The proposed development layout and green space will retain the views and vistas from Doncaster Road to have a slight beneficial

impact on the setting and significance of the building, as the late 20th century garden centre extensions will be demolished.

“There will be a slight negative impact on the listed buildings as the proposed conversion will remove the present internal connections between the farm buildings and will subdivide the west and south ranges.”

The applicants’ transport assessment concludes that the development would result in about 18 two-way trips during each rush hour, which is “unlikely to have a material impact on the surrounding highway network”.

The larger site – not owned by Avant – might well face stronger opposition as there are congestion worries about Doncaster Road. The issue has been acknowledged by South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, which granted £3 million to widen a section near the Mushroom roundabout – only to see this thwarted by an underground gas main.