We’d like to hear your views

This consultation gives local residents, businesses and stakeholders the opportunity to help shape emerging proposals for a new mixed-use neighbourhood at Hurst Lane, ahead of the submission of a planning application.

There is a recognised need for new homes locally, particularly affordable and well‑designed housing that supports existing communities. Our proposals respond to this need while balancing new homes with generous green space, community facilities and new and enhanced pedestrian links to the wider neighbourhood. Our plans would also bring a brownfield site back into full use.

We are keen to hear your views on:

• The scheme design, so it works for both the new residents and the existing community
• The types of homes that are most needed locally, including affordable housing, family homes, homes for first‑time buyers and older people
• The overall scale and layout of the proposed neighbourhood
• The addition of a care home
• The proposed play area
• The proposed place of worship
• How green spaces and walking / cycling routes connect with local amenities and the wider setting
• Any other local considerations

While some details will be decided later, your feedback at this stage will help shape the proposals as they develop. All comments will be carefully considered, and we will share how local views have influenced the plans.

Details

The public consultation on the proposals is now live. This consultation will run until midnight on 9 July 2026.

Please click here to provide your views and feedback.

You can also come and speak to our team at the Darwin suite, Yorkshire Wildlife Park, Hurst Lane, Doncaster, DN9 3QY on 30 June, from 3-7pm.

Background

The Site is located on Hurst Lane in Auckley, to the south-east of Doncaster and adjacent Yorkshire Wildlife Park, and in close proximity to the M18 link road and Doncaster airport / Gateway East regeneration proposals. The location is shown in red on the map below.

Our proposed plans for the site include the following:

• Up to 172 new homes
• A mix of sizes of homes, providing homes for first time buyers, families, older people, and those looking to downsize
• Affordable homes
• Bungalows
• A new care home
• A new play area
• A place of worship
• Improved pedestrian and cycle routes through the green space to connect into the wider setting
• Drainage ponds for collecting groundwater from across the site
• Provision of new, usable green space throughout the development

Place of worship

The place of worship will have associated parking and infrastructure, including its own access point from the highway. Peak vehicle movements associated with the place of worship would be on Wednesday evenings, Saturday mornings and Sundays. There will be around 230 parking spaces associated with the place of worship.

If you have any questions related specifically to these proposals, please email us or provide feedback via our feedback form. We will also have a representative from the place of worship at the consultation event on 30 June, should you require further detail.

About our homes

• The scheme will deliver a wide range of house types to suit a variety of purchasers
• Our homes offer high quality, energy-efficient living spaces with premium finishes and modern features, designed to exceed expectations and reflect your lifestyle.
• We use sustainable and locally sourced materials in construction to minimise environmental impacts. During construction, we will aim to deploy a waste reduction strategy to minimise landfill use. We also aim to employ nearly all our onsite workforce from the wider Doncaster area.
• Homes at Hurst Lane would feature solar panels, electric car charging and air source heat pumps.
• All homes will be constructed to the Albemarle Standard.

About Albemarle Homes

Albemarle Homes is a family run, Doncaster-based housebuilder established to provide the communities of South Yorkshire, North Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire with quality built affordable homes. Nearly all of our office staff and the majority of our on-site contractors are Doncaster residents. The construction costs for the site will be in excess of £50 million, meaning a large proportion of this money will be recycled back into the Doncaster economy. This also means local apprentices and graduates will be supported through the site coming forward.

Albemarle Homes’ philosophy is to ensure only the highest standards will do. From the location of the developments, the design of each and every property, the professional grade techniques and materials used in construction to the personable customer care service, buyers can rest assured that every stage of the process has met strict guidelines and standards, ensuring you receive a high-quality, brand-new home.

Addressing the housing crisis

Doncaster needs to deliver more new homes in the coming years, particularly affordable and well-designed housing that helps people live close to family, jobs and everyday services. The Council has recognised this need as part of planning for the area’s future growth and long‑term prosperity.

Planning positively for new homes now helps ensure development comes forward in the right places, supported by good design, community facilities and green space. It also provides greater certainty for local communities and allows development to be shaped through early engagement and local input.

By bringing forward a well-planned, sustainable site like Hurst Lane, new homes can be delivered alongside public open space and community benefits, helping to meet local housing needs while supporting a balanced and thriving community.

Making use of a brownfield site

This site is brownfield land having previously been used as a cement works. Building here means we regenerate the site and deliver homes in line with national planning policy and the Government’s commitment to use brownfield sites first.

Homes situated in the right location

Hurst Lane is well located, with convenient access to local services, schools and public transport, making it a sustainable and accessible location for new homes. This means planning policy identifies it as a very sustainable location for new housing.

Vehicular access to the site is proposed via Hurst Lane, providing a direct and efficient route onto the strategic road network. From here, there are easy connections to the A638, and the M18 towards Doncaster City Centre and the wider motorway network, supporting convenient journeys for work, education and leisure.

The site is within close walking distance of primary and secondary schools, benefits from nearby bus services, is close to Doncaster airport, and is well connected to employment areas across Gateway East and the wider region. Together, these factors support the creation of a well‑connected, sustainable neighbourhood that integrates effectively with its surroundings.

Community amenities and green spaces

Our proposals include a care home to address the rising demand in the area and to help create a sustainable, mixed-use community.

We are also providing a generous area of public open space and green infrastructure. It is vital to connect the local area and amenities to the site, for example the nearby Yorkshire Wildlife Park. This will help to encourage the use of the nearby community- encouraging social interaction through shared outdoor activities.

Affordable Homes

Our proposals seek to deliver much-needed affordable homes. These will be available via a trusted local social housing provider and will allow residents to live and work in this popular area. The proposed affordable housing on our Auckley site will be built to the same excellent standard as market homes, ensuring that the quality of an Albemarle Home is available to all.

Economic benefits

• Support the employment of 597 people
• Provide jobs for 7 apprentices, graduates or trainees
• Generate £7,740,000 towards affordable housing

• Generate £4.5 million in tax revenue, including £346,150 alone in Council Tax per year

(Source: HBF housing calculator)

Albemarle Homes is committed to protecting and enhancing the environment. A range of technical surveys is currently underway to assess the potential impacts of the development on the environment, highways and the local community. This includes detailed work to understand local ecology and biodiversity as part of the design process.

Below is a summary of the potential impacts of the proposals, along with how these will be addressed through appropriate mitigation measures.

Please note: where impacts and mitigation measures are still being assessed, further information will be made available in due course. In the meantime, please contact us if you would like to be updated as more detail becomes available.

Local Services

The site is located on the edge of Auckley settlement and is well placed to support sustainable travel, with opportunities for short, direct and attractive walking and cycling journeys to a range of day-to-day amenities, including shops, schools and healthcare facilities. There are several bus stops within a short walking distance of the site, with bus services such as the 357, 357a and 399 regularly serving the stops.

As part of the development, Albemarle Homes will look to make Section 106 contributions to City of Doncaster Council to help mitigate the impact on local infrastructure, including primary and secondary education, healthcare and sports provision, where these contributions are required and requested.

Education

The site is within walking distance of both primary and secondary schools in Auckley, including Auckley Primary Academy (primary), Hayfield Lane Primary School (primary) The Hayfield School (secondary) and New College Doncaster (Post 16). Current information indicates that both schools have capacity to accommodate additional pupils at present.

Health

The nearest medical facility, Auckley Surgery, is located approximately 0.8km to the north of the site and is currently accepting new patients. There are also a number of pharmacies in the local area, including Auckley Pharmacy.

The site is well located for access to a wider range of healthcare services in Doncaster, including Doncaster Royal Infirmary. Opportunities to support healthy lifestyles are also available nearby, including local gyms and recreational facilities. In addition, the proposals include provision for a care home, as well as accessible outdoor spaces such as children’s play areas and green space.

Retail

The site benefits from good access to local shopping facilities. Three convenience stores are within 1.1km of the site, providing for day-to-day needs within a short distance of the site. The adjacent Yorkshire Wildlife Park is home to ‘The Yorkshire Hive’, offering a range of shops, boutiques and eating destinations, as well as wider facilities.

Residents will also benefit from access to a wider range of shops and services in nearby centres, including those in Doncaster, supporting both everyday shopping needs and access to a wider range of larger shops.

Highways

Vehicular access to the site is proposed via Hurst Lane, with a separate access to the place of worship located approximately 100 metres south of the main site entrance. The site is well positioned, with easy access to the strategic road network south of the site via the Great Yorkshire Way and A614.

Albemarle Homes is working with specialist transport consultants to ensure the proposals do not detriment drivers accessing the site and travelling across the wider network. Our plans also seek to deliver benefits for pedestrians and cyclists. Early assessments of the likely traffic associated with the development indicate that the majority of vehicle movements will be to and from the south, via the Great Yorkshire Way and A614, providing connections to the wider strategic road network.

We are aware of existing concerns regarding queuing traffic at the junction of the B1396 (Main Street) and Hurst Lane north of this site. To address this, analysis of this junction has been commissioned by us to better understand the causes of these issues and identify potential mitigation measures. Albemarle Homes is willing to look at measures to improve this junction following the outcome of this analysis and once we have a more detailed understanding of the proposed development’s impact on this through our Transport Assessment.

Ecology

Albemarle Homes is incorporating a design that is sensitive to the local wildlife. The current proposals retain approximately 95% of the existing trees and create large areas of usable green space on site. A buffer to the woodland surrounding the site is also proposed and will be maintained during construction and integrated into the final design of the development. Existing ponds on site will be retained and reused for groundwater runoff, which could deliver ecological benefits.

Ecological surveys will be undertaken prior to construction to provide a detailed understanding of local habitats and species. Appropriate mitigation measures and best practices will then be implemented in line with national and local planning guidance.

Biodiversity

Albemarle Homes is committed to delivering the legally required 10% biodiversity net gain, ensuring the natural environment around the site is enhanced for the benefit of the wider community. This may be achieved through a combination of on-site and off-site measures, resulting in a minimum 10% increase in habitat value compared to the existing baseline, should the development proceed.

Drainage and Flood Risk

Albemarle Homes will incorporate sustainable drainage methods to ensure the development does not adversely affect nearby rivers, streams or sewer networks, and to avoid increasing flood risk downstream.

Based on an assessment of ground conditions and site levels, a Sustainable Drainage System (SuDS) is proposed. This will include repurposing existing ponds as attenuation ponds, designed to collect and store rainwater runoff. These features will fill during periods of heavy rainfall and gradually drain during drier conditions, allowing surface water to be managed sustainably rather than discharged directly into the sewer network.

Construction

Albemarle Homes’ approach to construction is guided by a commitment to working closely with the local community and stakeholders to minimise disruption as far as practicable.

While some noise and vibration may be unavoidable during construction, measures are being explored to avoid, reduce or mitigate these impacts. A Construction Management Plan will be prepared and agreed with City of Doncaster Council through the planning process to ensure these effects are appropriately managed.

Timeframes and next steps

We will submit a planning application to the City of Doncaster Council.

Once the planning application is submitted, the City of Doncaster Council will host a statutory consultation, where you will be able to comment further, directly to the council. At this point, we will also share an update with the local community on how feedback has influenced our proposal.

Should planning permission be granted, construction is likely to commence in 2029 or 2030.

This consultation is your opportunity to learn about our proposals for a mixed-use development and community amenities at Hurst Lane, Auckley, ask us questions, and share your feedback before we submit a planning application later this year.

We will consider all feedback received and use it to inform our proposals. We would also like to hear suggestions on how we can best support the local community as part of the project.

We will be holding a public drop-in event at the Darwin suite, Yorkshire Wildlife Park, Hurst Lane, Doncaster, DN9 3QY on 30 June, between 3pm and 7pm. Please come along to find out more about the proposals and to ask the project team any questions.

This consultation will run until midnight on 9 July 2026. You can share your views on the project using one of the following ways:

• Completing and submitting a feedback form online here