Delayed £16m Doncaster infrastructure project hoped to begin by December

The DN7 Unity project - launched in March 2017 - includes a new link-road from junction five of the M18 to Waggons Way in Hatfield along with 3,100 new home creating 7,000 jobs.

Doncaster mayor Ros Jones and cabinet colleagues signed off the ambitious project which will see land neighbouring Stainforth, Hatfield and Dunscroft opened up for development triggering a 'potential inward investment of £800 million'.

Construction was due to start in late 2017 but number of issues and a dispute between developer Waystone and Network Rail had pushed it back to a further date.

Documents show Network Rail and the developer were initially in deadlock over the construction of a new road bridge over the railway.

Another delay was down to the Hatfield Colliery site 'becoming the property of the Crown and being reverted back to the state'.

Reports show this effected the proposals for the Northern Power Grid electricity supply diversion and Waystone's ability to provide colliery waste as fill material.

A 'delay in signing the Highways Contribution Agreement' with Waystone has meant compulsory purchase orders were delayed.

But Doncaster Council bosses have said the issues surrounding the delays have been ironed out and construction is hoped to begin by December 2018.

The total cost of the project is about £15.9 million. Sheffield City Region is contributing nearly £11.2 million with £3.5 million coming from the developer and around £1.3 million from Doncaster Council.

Documents set out by council bosses also includes the decision to extend the contract of the existing assignment manager past February 2019.

In a report seen by councillors, Dave Rosser, assistant director of finance and performance outlined the 'worst case scenario' but said the scheme 'will proceed'.

"The project is subject to a number of major risks that could prevent continuation to construction and/or signing of the funding agreements. These issues have already caused significant delay.

"The risks associated with the main project must be closely managed to avoid this situation, with the work undertaken by the assignment contributing towards managing these risks.

"The service are confident that the majority of risks have been mitigated and that the scheme will proceed."

A Doncaster Council spokesman said site clearance start towards the end of the year with construction following on after that.