Yorkshire Wildlife Park to create 300 new jobs with £50m expansion plan

The Yorkshire Wildlife Park has announced plans for a £50m expansion which will create around 300 new jobs.

The park has has secured 150 acres of land adjacent to the site in Branton, near Doncaster, where it will extend its facilities with an aim of becoming one of the leading destinations in the UK.

The expansion will include new ‘world class’ animal reserves, new restaurants, leisure facilities and shops, as well as the addition of a brand new themed hotel with 150 bedroom capacity.

Plans are also in place to create a new access point from Hurst Lane and an enhanced visitor entrance to the park, where investment will be made in traffic management and new car parking facilities.

The park, which is home to over 400 animals from more than 80 species, currently employs 300 people. The workforce is expected to double if the plans are given the go-ahead.

Public consultations regarding the new proposals will be taking place on Friday, June 16th, and Saturday, June 17th.

John Minion, CEO of Yorkshire Wildlife Park, said: “We are very excited about this next stage of our life and believe it will be a game changer for Yorkshire Wildlife Park, Doncaster and the surrounding area.

“We have already contributed approximately £12.2m to the local economy. This is a major investment for us and will double our workforce, creating around 300 new jobs.”

Cheryl Williams, the park’s director, added: “This could also be a game-changing development for Doncaster. Leisure has become a key part of the Doncaster story.

“Our development is located close to Doncaster Sheffield Airport, Doncaster Racecourse and the new proposed PGA Golf course at Rossington.

“This will provide a critical mass of world-class tourist attractions and bring an international audience to Doncaster.”

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