YES! for £350m 'jewel in the crown'

A TRAIL-blazing £350 million leisure complex hailed as “the jewel in Rotherham’s crown” has been given renewed backing after planners gave it the thumbs-up for the second time.

By Michael Upton

Published 18th May 2010, 12:51 BST

Updated 27th Dec 2016, 07:02 BST

Despite criticism from countryside campaigners and several other objectors, the YES! Project was formally supported by Rotherham Borough Council’s Planning Board yesterday.

Developers Oak Holdings had been forced to return to the board for consent as their initial planning permission for the site nect to Rother Valley Country Park was due to run out later this year but a scaled-down version of the application previously backed by councillors was waved through unanimously.

It will now go to the Government Office for Yorkshire and Humber for consideration, where officials will decide whether it should be “called in” for a public inquiry.

If approved it should finally rubber-stamped by Rotherham councillors later this year.

Full interview with the man behind the YES! scheme--see Friday's Advertiser.

Rotherham Yorkshire