South Yorkshire Times May 27, 1967
Wath Planning to Transform the Town
The recently published Yorkshire and Humberside Economic Planning Council report little for South Yorkshire, to offset this Wath is proposing to provide its own amenities.
Plans for a new urban road network, traffic free shopping precinct, industrial estate and the County own cultural facilities will be provided, to transform the town more rapidly than at any previous period to its Iong history. Councillors and officials can be rightly proud of the new scheme, drawn up by a national arm of architects and town planners. Principals of the Manchester based firm are Mr. Lewis Womersley who has made a major contribution to the reorganisation of Sheffield, and Mr. Hugh Wilson’ instigator of the Merseyside over-spill area at Skelmersdale.
Wath, however in common with many other similar mining towns In South Yorkshire is concerned with the future of 30 and 40 years hence and it is trying to set a lead for neighbouring local authorities by making industrial estates, and “selling” the area to prospective firms. Wm. Sugden and Sons Ltd. have taken this directive by opening their new £100.000 textile firm in Fenton Road, Wath, last week. It has cost them quite a lot more money by building in Wath, as against the development areas where grants are given as inducements to build.
Heartening
The firms confidence In Wath has heartened the Council, who hope this will be the best of many firms to nettle in Wath. The new extension of the M.1 Motorway is seen as a great benefit to Wath, with easy road access to the South of England and Scotland.
The female employment situation seems to have the prospect of a far happier state if the coal industry should decline and affect the mail employment position.
Wath Engineer and Surveyor, Mr. Eric Haigh. is aware of the Long term policy which will have to be faced. “What is needed is a great diversification of industries in Wath, and above all a more solid industry.”‘ he says.
`What we have to erase is this poor image which South Yorkshire holds in the eyes of the South of England. Executives apparently don’t want to come to South Yorkshire with its reputed grim scenery. and the views are greatly influenced by the wives,” he added. Schemes like this 10 years phased plan to transform Watt into a South Yorkshire Utopia. could be a factor in changing the minds of the executive wives.
Shopping
Shopping facilities, have high priority in the plans. Building of shops and flats on the site of the old Majestic Cinema is to begin shortly, and when the Council Highways depot is demolished later this year, more shops, flats, a Regional branch library and a bakery are to be built.
On the question of the new shopping square, the 45-page book on Wath’s final development proposals, states: “The Increasing demand for new and improved shopping facilities in the town has largely been responsible for bringing about the preparation of the development.