Doncaster Chamber Launches Ambitious, Business-Led Vision For City In New Manifesto

An ambitious new vision for Doncaster, developed by the local Chamber of Commerce with considerable input from indigenous businesses, has today been published; envisaging a prosperous decade ahead for our city.

As its name suggests, Doncaster ‘35: A Manifesto for a Winning City is a forward-thinking plan that anticipates what the next ten years will have in store for Doncaster, and outlines the practical steps that must be taken to put it on the best possible trajectory.

Grounded in equal parts optimism and pragmatism, the document explores how the Chamber itself — alongside the private sector it represents, colleagues in the local authority & regional government, as well as other assorted partners — can help Doncaster overcome its greatest challenges, while also seizing the opportunities that are within its grasp. The overarching goal behind all of this is to get to the point where we have a flourishing economic environment that serves as a “gold standard for what small, modern cities with an industrial heritage will look like in the year 2035.”

Of course, realising such grand aspirations requires bold ideas and outside-the-box thinking. Which is why the Chamber sought the opinions of local business leaders (from across all different sectors) when putting together this manifesto.

Through a series of in-depth interviews and a roundtable workshop, these subject matter experts discussed a wide range of subjects. Among other things, they gave their views on the: tired state of our city centre; the skills gaps that are currently holding us back; the quality of strategic partnerships across South Yorkshire; the need for more big-ticket investments to really put Doncaster on the map; and persisting issues relating to our transport infrastructure. Not only did the businesses articulate their top concerns during this exhaustive consultation process but, in many cases, they also offered potential solutions to the problems they had identified.

Drawing upon these insights — as well as extensive desk research — Doncaster ’35 considers four major themes (“City Centre”, “Workforce”, “Transport” and “Strategic Institutions & Partnerships”). In each instance, the manifesto breaks down where we are currently, where we would like to be in a decade’s time, and what needs to happen in order for us to get there.

Speaking of which, throughout the document there is a mix of calls to action for public sector partners, as well as commitments from the Chamber and the business community it represents. In terms of the former, there are calls for things like: improvements to the cleanliness and relative safety of our city centre; the development of a “South Yorkshire Airport City” scheme; measures to increase local access to higher education; and extra momentum being put into Team Doncaster.

Meanwhile, the Chamber’s offer includes: ensuring that its members are feeding into the city centre masterplan; working with partners to develop Doncaster as a centre for excellence when it comes to transport; and contributing to the campaign to get a university campus (or equivalent) established somewhere the city. The full list of priorities and commitments can be read by downloading the manifesto here.

Doncaster ’35: A Manifesto for a Winning City was unveiled earlier today at the annual Doncaster, What’s Next? Business Conference. Introducing the document at this official launch, Dan Fell, Chief Exec of Doncaster Chamber, said: “Through characteristic Yorkshire grit and determination, Doncaster — and the key partnerships that make it so strong— has accomplished much over the past twenty years.

“From securing City Status to opening a renowned University Technical College and valiantly pulling together to reboot Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA); we have a lot to be proud of. At the same time as this, we know that we cannot afford to dine out on past glories forever.

“If anything, the assorted hardships of the past couple of years — from the disappointing loss of the former HS2 College to the near miss with our bid to be the home of Great British Railways, and the macroeconomic headwinds that have embattled our urban core — have proven just how important it is that we do not lose momentum. Indeed, those who truly want what’s best for Doncaster know that we must constantly aim higher and always be impatient for progress. That’s where this manifesto comes in.

“Shaped by our member community, and developed in plain sight of our strategic partners, Doncaster ’35 is an ambitious, business-led vision for the future. One in which we candidly address the problems facing our city right now, highlight the exciting opportunities in front of us, call for bold leadership, make some challenging asks, and commit to rolling up our own sleeves to as well.

“The world is changing faster than ever before and yet the current pace of change is the slowest it will ever be. With that said, we want our city to not only keep pace, but to set it. We hope that others share our determination.”

Doncaster ’35: A Manifesto for a Winning City is available to read via the link below. It was first unveiled at the Doncaster, What’s Next? Business Conference, which itself was generously sponsored by TwentyFour IT Services, Fenwood Estates, Connectus, Sheffield Hallam University and Kingswood Allotts.