Doncaster to get £3m share of £125m 'Derelict Buildings Fund' to help city centre 'adapt and overcome'

A £3million government grant will help Doncaster city centre ‘adapt and overcome’ against the rising challenge of supermarkets and online shopping, Mayor Ros Jones has said.

The City of Doncaster Council is one of 60 local authorities chosen to get a portion of the £125m ‘Derelict Buildings Fund’, as part of the ‘Hope on the High Street’ strategy announced by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government in September.

Mayor Jones said: “This is great news for Doncaster, town and city centre high streets across the country continue to face significant challenges due to the continued rise of supermarkets and online shopping, meaning our town and city centres must adapt and overcome this challenge.”

The new funding can assist local councils in acquiring long-neglected buildings or addressing various barriers to their redevelopment.

Mayor Jones said the £3m grant will help ‘breathe new life into our high streets’.

Local authorities across the UK have been battling with how to help their city or town centres adapt to changing habits, as shoppers move online, or to out-of-town retail parks and shopping centres.

Doncaster Council revealed a new city centre masterplan in September 2026, which set out a vision for the future of the city centre.

The masterplan will see thousands more homes built in the heart of Doncaster, as well as the redevelopment of numerous key areas, including Waterdale and the Waterfront; which is now divided into Waterfront East and Waterfront West.