Questions have emerged over whether plans to bring NHS services to Doncaster city centre will go ahead or not – after reports suggested health trusts would not move into the Waterdale ‘Health on the High Street’ initiative as planned.

The plan is a key part of the City of Doncaster Council’s city centre strategy, which was approved by Mayor Ros Jones and her cabinet in March 2025.

It would see NHS services provided by both Doncaster and Bassettlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (DBTH) and the Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber NHS Trust (RDaSH) from the empty ‘The Village’ unit on Kingsgate.

However, sources tell the Local Democracy Reporting Service the two NHS Trusts expected to take part may not be moving into the unit – throwing the major initiative, and the future redevelopment of Waterdale, into question.

The Village unit on Waterdale where NHS services are planned to move in to. | LDRS

placeholder image — The Village unit on Waterdale where NHS services are planned to move in to. | LDRS

When approached by the LDRS, Doncaster Council stopped short of confirming either way if the initiative would go ahead as planned or not – with Mayor Ros Jones stating contracts are still being finalised.

Mayor Ros Jones said in a statement: “We are working closely on this project with our partners across the NHS and RDaSH.”

In a cabinet meeting on March 19, 2025, it was decided that the council would enter into a sub-lease with DBTH and RDaSH for the Health on the High Street initiative.

Waterdale neighbours Doncaster's Civic Quarter, which has already seen modernisation and improvements. | LDRS

By doing so, the cabinet secured a future option to take ownership of huge parts of Waterdale, which was described as an “underperforming part of the city” in the officer report.

Mayor Jones told the meeting the scheme was “part of wider plans in our city centre strategy to rejuvenate Doncaster city centre”.

An overhead image showing who would own what parts of Waterdale. Areas where the freehold would be transferred to Doncaster Council are in green. | LDRS

Business owners along Kingsgate welcomed the news, hoping it would help drive footfall through Waterdale and provide a boost to the area.

Her statement to the LDRS said: “The Health on the High Street initiative will be a major boost to the city centre and we are continuing to make good progress. I will be taking a report to Cabinet in June to discuss the wider plans to redevelop Waterdale.”

In a joint statement Toby Lewis, chief executive of RDaSH, and Richard Parker OBE, chief executive at DBTH, said in response: “In line with the Government’s ambition to bring care closer to communities, the local NHS remains committed to working with local authority leaders to explore how this project can be completed.”