Former colliery site gets £9.6m

The nearby pit head baths could be saved under the scheme.

A former coal mine in South Yorkshire is to be transformed into a public open space thanks to a £9.6m boost from a national regeneration agency.

English Partnerships hopes to breath new life into the 200-acre site at Kiveton near Rotherham.

Work is due to start this month, and is part of a £386.5m national scheme to regenerate coalfield communities.

The transformation will take 15 months and will include nature walks and the planting of around 250,000 trees.

Excellent news

Renaissance South Yorkshire is working with Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council to deliver the project.

"The Kiveton tip has been lying derelict for more than a decade," said Ian Bramley of Renaissance South Yorkshire.

"Today's announcement to take forward a project which will significantly help to enhance the area is excellent news for local people."

Kiveton Park was closed down in 1994 and the site is covered in spoil.

Organisers hope the project will attract more investors to the area.

They are also looking at reusing the pit head baths which was where miners once used to wash.