People say the estate with 4000 homes has struggled and had severe delays
Doreen Gordon enjoys living in the Waverley estate(Image: Andrew Dowdeswell / YorkshireLive)
Residents of a new development in South Yorkshire have said it has failed to live up to the vision sold.
The first residents moved into the Waverley development on the border between Rotherham and Sheffield in 2012. The development is a major estate managed by Harworth Group. It features nearly 4,000 homes, a retail high street called Olive Lane, a school, and 300 acres of lakes and green spaces. It also borders the Advanced Manufacturing Park, which is home to Rolls-Royce, Boeing and the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre and McLaren Automotive.
However, some residents have expressed their concerns about living in Waverley, admitting the continued building work and delays to developments were especially troubling.
One example is Olive Lane, the manufactured high street which now features a Tesco Express, Specsavers, takeaway, curry house and craft beer bar. It only opened in 2025, despite people who moved in 10 years earlier being told there would be local amenities. It was also much smaller than first anticipated. Developers Harworth said it altered original plans due to “struggles” following Brexit and the coronavirus pandemic, which limited investment in retail floor space.
The completion of Olive Lane was extremely delayed(Image: Andrew Dowdeswell / YorkshireLive)
Adam, 42, who lives near Olive Lane and moved to the Waverley estate six years ago, said the delays have been a real issue, although he admitted it has a “nice vibe” now that it has finally been completed. “The Olive Lane development being so delayed has been a real issue,” he told YorkshireLive. “It should have been finished five years ago, and it should have been bigger. But it’s got a nice vibe about it now. Canary and the Indian restaurant are really nice.”
David Cross, director of Sky-House, one of the developers involved with Olive Lane and central Waverley, admitted delivery “has been slower than anyone hoped”. He said Olive Lane was “affected by post-Covid challenges – from inflation and interest rate rises to new building regulations – but it is now nearing completion”. He added: “Importantly, the scale is right: at a time when many high streets are struggling, we are creating a carefully balanced, sustainable centre rather than rows of empty shopfronts.”
Loretta, 65, had concerns regarding parking. YorkshireLive saw plenty of evidence of illegal parking, including cars on the pavements or parked over double yellow lines. She said the Olive Lane development caused a significant uptick in parking issues, with the infrastructure not built to accommodate it.
Mr Cross said Olive Lane was “always intended as a people-focused high street for the community at Waverley, rather than an out-of-town shopping destination dominated by cars”.
Residents also admitted that the vision they were sold is not what has transpired. Adam said he and other younger, city-based people were told Waverley would be similar to Kelham Island, a buzzing inner-centre development in Sheffield packed full of independent bars, cafes and restaurants. However, that has not materialised since he moved there.
“I have a mixed relationship with Waverley, to be honest,” he added. “We expected it to be like Kelham, that was the vision we were sold by Skyhouse. It should have been ideal for younger people who have lived in places like Kelham and are looking to buy houses. The vision they sold us was amazing.”
Mr Cross said: “Our vision, alongside Harworth’s, is to create a safe, walkable and vibrant neighbourhood that residents can enjoy. Harworth delivered a first phase we should be very proud of, with new independent bars, restaurants, and services already open, and more to follow. We are delivering our part later this month.”
Views were not all negative, however. Adam said he likes the “quietness” and that it is a “really safe place to be”. He said the seclusion provided during Covid-19 was extremely welcome, too.
Building work in Waverley has been described as “never-ending”(Image: Andrew Dowdeswell / YorkshireLive)
Dooren Gordon, 74, agreed. “I really enjoy it here,” she said. “It’s quiet and very pleasant. It’s a lovely community and I am happy about the Olive Lane development. I think the developers have done a good job.”
Dooren had just been for a walk around the area, something she does regularly. She said she enjoys walking around the streets and the lake, and praised the community feel of the area. “People are friendly, it feels very safe,” she added.
Peter Massie, national director of residential development at Harworth, said: “At Waverley, we have transformed a complex brownfield site into an established new community. This is a long-term regeneration project delivered with sustained investment from Harworth and its public and private sector partners for over a decade and we are now in the final phases of the development.
“In Olive Lane, we have created a well-designed, vibrant high street which provides a range of amenities within walking distance of the homes. I’m proud that 70 per cent of the businesses based there are local and independent, and we have more units set to open in the coming months.
“As part of our commitment to sustainable travel, we encourage residents to walk or cycle to Olive Lane, but we understand that some people wish to drive, including those visiting Waverley. There is a recently opened car park with more spaces set to be available from November, and we are working to reduce parking on nearby streets.
“As master developer, we work with trusted housebuilders who build the homes. Our aim is to support the delivery of a broad mix of housing which appeals to a range of residents, from large family homes to modern apartments, alongside the community and social infrastructure to support people who live at Waverley.”
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