2. Vision and Objectives

The Borough Strategy is the key strategic document for the council and its partners. It sets out the broad approach to maximising the benefit from Doncaster's assets and opportunities, and addressing the challenges, as set out previously in Chapter 1. The Core Strategy develops this to provide the spatial aspects, i.e. how this approach translates into where things should happen. Therefore, the Borough Strategy vision for the borough (as set out below) forms the basis of the Core Strategy.

Vision: 'Doncaster aims to be one of the most successful boroughs in England by being a gateway to opportunity locally, nationally and worldwide. A strong local economy will support progressive, safe and vibrant communities. All residents will feel valued and should be able to achieve their full potential in employment, education, care and life chances. Pride in Doncaster will have increased further.

The Borough Strategy places an emphasis on improving the economy as a means to achieve local aspirations - healthier, stronger, safer communities and improved quality of life. Therefore the Core Strategy places the economy at the centre, and encourages participation in the economy to maximise residents' well-being. The term adopted for this is 'economic engagement' and the principles include increased flexibility, encouraging personal responsibility and self reliance, enabling individual and business progression and achieving positive economic outcomes. This approach is summarised in Figure 1.

The detailed Core Strategy objectives, which focus on sustainability and build on this approach, are set out below (further detail is included in Appendix 1 to show in more detail how the Core Strategy objectives align to the Borough Strategy Themes and challenges).

Objective 1: To use economic engagement to achieve widespread economic, social and environmental regeneration for all sectors of all our communities, and to allow Doncaster's economy to realise its potential.

Objective 2: To be a pro-business borough where we will welcome and support investment which; stimulates employment opportunities; develops a diverse economy including innovative new sectors such as Green Industries and high tech and manufacturing industries; and helps tackle deprivation through job creation and training in all our communities to support a healthy local economy.

Objective 3: To make best use of our excellent road, rail and canal links and future transport developments, our towns, villages and neighbourhoods and international airport to stimulate business growth particularly in the education, digital, communications and logistics sectors.

Objective 4: To increase the provision of housing throughout the borough, particularly in areas with access to existing services, recognising the significant role the delivery of housing has in the sustainable economic well-being of the borough.

Objective 5: To ensure that all our residents, visitors and workers have the very best life opportunities, benefiting from easy access to high quality health, education, employment, shopping, recreation facilities, heritage, culture and tourism.

Objective 6: To locate most new homes, jobs and services in, and where necessary adjacent to, our existing towns to support economic growth and investment, job creation, improvements and facilities.

Objective 7: To ensure that all our towns and villages are safe, clean and are well-connected; to make it possible for everyone to move easily around and across the borough and to and from our neighbouring towns and cities by a range of affordable and accessible transport options.

Objective 8: To ensure that all our towns, villages and countryside are of the highest quality (displaying excellence in architecture) with the built and natural environment conserved and enhanced for the enjoyment of all including identifying the towns and villages where this can best be achieved by restricting growth.

Objective 9: To ensure that new development for homes and jobs minimises the loss of Green Belt, countryside and agricultural land by making the most of existing buildings and land that has been used before and maximising opportunities for regeneration, whilst avoiding areas vulnerable to flooding where possible.

Objective 10: To increase the efficient use of, and safeguarding where appropriate of, natural resources – particularly energy, water, waste and minerals – to address environmental issues, including climate change and create sustainable job opportunities in green industries.

Doncaster contains many different settlements and this section summarises what the borough wide vision means for each area, whilst Chapter 3, the 'Overall Approach' sets out in more detail the policy context for delivering these aspirations. The key diagram (map 2) shows Doncaster's settlement pattern and summarises the broad approach of this Core Strategy.

Doncaster Main Urban Area will be a vibrant place with an excellent choice of local amenities and services. The main urban area (including town centre) will be the main focus for housing provision in the borough. Housing renewal will have revitalised areas of low demand housing and there will be significant amounts of new housing, likely including sustainable urban extensions, built to highest viable environmental standards and with a variety of types and tenures that meet the needs of communities. Enhanced public transport provision will give better connections with the town centre and transport interchange for communities across the Main Urban Area. Improvements to White Rose Way will increase accessibility. Successful business parks will be enhanced and, where appropriate, expanded. Mixed-use developments will contribute to sustainable communities. Potteric Carr and Sandall Beat Wood will continue to be key green spaces contributing to local quality of life. The distinctive historic residential areas such as Town Moor and Thorne Road will be protected and enhanced.

Doncaster Town Centre will be at the heart of the borough's economic growth and experience an expansion of its retail core, and will see the development of offices, leisure, cultural and civic facilities. It will be a retail and leisure destination of regional and wider significance and have a dynamic and vibrant urban centre, with Doncaster Market at its heart. There will be new and enhanced cultural, leisure and shopping facilities, with particular focus on new development in the Waterdale area to improve links between town centre and established communities. There will also be a strong professional services sector, focussed on the substantially redeveloped areas of the Civic and Cultural Quarter and St Sepulchre Gate West. It will be a great place for pedestrians and easily accessible by a variety of transport modes. Doncaster Waterfront, Marshgate, St Sepulchre Gate West, Waterdale and the Civic and Cultural Quarter will have been developed for new housing and mixed-use. The historic core of the town will be protected and enhanced, including the listed buildings and conservation areas and the setting of heritage assets including the Mansion House, St. George's Minster, Christ Church and the Corn Exchange.

Robin Hood Airport will continue to support the economic regeneration of Doncaster and the wider region. The Finningley and Rossington Regeneration Route Scheme (FARRRS) will act as a gateway to the Sheffield City Region. Tied to this, and supported by a robust Airport Surface Access Strategy, the development of the business park adjacent to the airport will accommodate a range of air-related jobs. Initiatives such as close working between the airport and training agencies will continue to develop training and skills, to allow local residents to take advantage of new job opportunities and to link the airport to local business. The growth of the airport (including the business park) and any increase in flight numbers will be managed to address noise, health and pollution issues, including potential impacts on Thorne and Hatfield Moors.

There will be regeneration in Askern through growth and qualitative change. This will include the redevelopment of the former Askern Colliery site and improvement of the area around Askern Lake, a key focus of local aspirations for further regeneration. Housing renewal and associated environmental improvements in Askern will have revitalised areas of poor housing quality.

Armthorpe will have seen growth and qualitative change through the development of sites for housing and employment, environmental improvements and sustainable urban extensions. New housing development will link to its excellent transport access. New developments will embody the best principles of sustainability including high quality design, providing new buildings and spaces that contribute to a sense of place; the preservation and enhancement of the borough's built and natural heritage; the provision of facilities to meet the day to day needs of new and existing residents; and a managed response to climate change.

There will be regeneration in Adwick/Woodlands through growth and qualitative change, including housing renewal and associated environmental improvements. The character and quality of Woodlands Model Village will be sensitively improved for the benefit of local residents. The former Brodsworth Colliery will be redeveloped for housing.

Mexborough will be regenerated with housing renewal revitalising areas of poor quality housing. It will be a thriving town centre for shopping and services in the South West of Doncaster and adjoining parts of the Dearne Valley. The town centre will be extended and enhanced, including new and better retail facilities, new office development, canal-side housing development and better links to Mexborough railway station. Sufficient sustainable housing to meet the town's housing needs will be sited and designed sensitively to take account of the qualities of its topography, landscape and character.

Conisbrough will also be regenerated with housing renewal revitalising areas of poor quality housing. It will be a key centre for services in the South West of Doncaster and adjoining parts of the Dearne Valley. Its centre will be regenerated in a way which is sensitive to and helps sustain its historic character. Development at the former Earth Centre will be sympathetic to its riverside setting and nearby nationally important nature sites, and will provide housing and other appropriate leisure uses. The Don Gorge will have integrated leisure and education use, including the promotion of wildlife and geological conservation.

Thorne will be a distinctive settlement characterised by its town centre and suburbs. It will include a thriving centre, restored to its market town status, and high quality neighbourhoods each with an individual identity. Significant new development focussed on suitable brownfield infill sites and sustainable urban extensions will have delivered housing and employment growth and high quality urban design and planning. A quality open space network will link the urban areas to the attractive countryside, which surrounds the settlement. The historic character of Thorne town centre will have been regenerated and enhanced by high quality infill, and it will have a significantly improved choice of shopping and leisure. Its historic buildings will be retained and sympathetically restored.

Stainforth/Hatfield Area (including Dunscroft/Dunsville) will have qualitative improvements including housing renewal and improved local centres plus the implementation of a new motorway link and significant growth associated with these. New housing will be well designed, develop sustainable transport networks and support the regeneration of existing neighbourhoods. In Stainforth, housing renewal will revitalise areas of low demand housing. The character of the historic core of Hatfield will be retained, restored and enhanced by high quality infill. A comprehensive high quality, mixed-use community will complement and link into existing areas and support the regeneration and transformation of the settlements. New sustainable landscapes will enhance and support the development of a comprehensive open space network. As part of the DN7 initiative (a major mixed regeneration proposal including a new link to the M18) economic regeneration in the Hatfield and Stainforth area will increase the number and diversity of jobs. There will be a particular focus on a sustainable power station and cluster of related high tech energy consuming businesses and small businesses at Hatfield Power Park. Hatfield Colliery forms an important element of the Hatfield Power Park. The Colliery benefits from substantial coal reserves, which have the potential to contribute to energy supply, including clean coal and Carbon Capture Storage technology power generation, across the plan period.

Rossington will be a well-connected sustainable community where older housing areas will see qualitative improvements, including housing renewal. This will be supported by quality new development, including sustainable housing and employment opportunities, the re-use of the former colliery and other older employment areas and includes a Strategic Rail Freight Interchange (Inland Port). Rossington will see an improved local centre, which incorporates the provision of local health services. New employment opportunities will have been located close to the motorway network and accessible to the community with improved links to other employment areas e.g. Lakeside, which capitalise on the borough's excellent motorway and rail links, including to the Humber Ports, East Coast Main Line and Robin Hood Airport.

An improved local centre will be at the heart of a revitalised Edlington. The town will see significant new housing development and environmental improvements, with particular focus on housing market renewal, to help meet local housing need, diversity of housing choice and to set new benchmarks in housing quality. The Thomson Avenue / Dixon Road and the former Yorkshire Main colliery sites will have been key sites for new housing. Local employment sites will be protected and enhanced.

Denaby will also have seen new housing development and environmental improvements, with particular focus on the Housing Market Renewal programme but extensions will be modest. Denaby Industrial Estate will be enhanced in line with the neighbourhood economic plan.

Carcroft/Skellow will have seen significant qualitative improvements but urban extensions will be modest. Economic regeneration in the area has seen an increase in business start-ups by local entrepreneurs. Access to health services will have improved across the area.

In Moorends, regeneration will have involved creating sustainable communities with priority given to housing renewal and associated urban remodelling, redevelopment of cleared sites and an improved district centre. The quality of Moorends' housing, environment and local amenities will have been improved.

Bawtry and Tickhill will see only modest development within existing settlement limits including quality urban infill, environmental improvements and enhanced district centres. An improved rights of way network around Tickhill will help to maintain a high quality of life. The distinctive historic character of both towns, which makes them desirable places to live and work in, will be preserved and enhanced.

The villages will remain the same size with only minor development to meet local affordable housing needs and quality infilling consistent with village character. More and better quality sustainable transport connectivity will be in place connecting communities particularly the more deprived communities and including those in rural areas to Doncaster town centre and other strategic employment locations. The countryside will be more attractive, accessible and vibrant with farm based rural diversification projects. The area's natural and historic landscapes and built environment will be strengthened, conserved and Restored and new high quality landscapes created over time supporting a high quality of life.

Across the borough there will be better sustainable transport connectivity to Doncaster Town Centre and other strategic employment locations for communities, including communities that are more deprived and those in rural areas. New development will have been innovatively designed to integrate into Doncaster's distinctive landscapes. The countryside will be more accessible and vibrant with sensitive enhancement of local and tourist access to Thorne Moors and rural diversification. There will be net enhancements to our green assets, such as wildlife habitats, parks, historic landscapes, river valleys, wetlands and moors. Doncaster will have delivered new development in an innovative, safe and environmentally sensitive way with effective flood risk management and multi-functional green infrastructure providing amenity, habitat, landscape and climatic benefits. Doncaster will make best use of its resources as part of a managed response to climate change, including the development of renewable energy generation, responsible mineral extraction to meet demand that cannot be met with secondary and recycled minerals, and the ongoing development of sustainable waste management. Doncaster's distinctive historic built and landscaped environment will be preserved and enhanced to increase the appeal of the borough as a place people will want to live, work, visit, and invest in.