What will happen to The Avenue?
When the clean up operation is complete, The Avenue team proposes to develop the site with partners Coal Products Limited and Taylor Wimpey who own land next to the site. The plans currently involve the construction of 1,100 new homes, business premises and leisure facilities, including open spaces for the public, sports facilities and ecological habitats. The team hopes to create around 800 permanent new jobs in the community.
The proposals are in the development phase and you can see the outline plans on this site and in the visitor centre. When they are more developed, a consultation process will take place with the local community.
Before the Avenue site can be developed, the team has to establish the area to build on. Several factors affect how the land will be shaped.
The appearance of the new landform has to be considered in the context of the existing countryside and villages. Part of the site is greenbelt so this must be factored into any plans for how the site will look and what it might be used for. The team also wants to acknowledge the site's industrial heritage.
They want to create a sense of space so the site will appeal to the local community and the business community. Some features of the proposed new landform include:
- A Sustainable Drainage System (SUDS) that will collect water on the site in designed pools, with a 'cascade' water feature connecting the outfall of the system to the River Rother
- A fishing pond
- A network of footpaths, cycle ways and multi-user trails
- A variety of environments - woodland, reed beds, wet grassland and dry grassland
- Sports pitches and event area.
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