Castlegate: £18m 'may not be enough' for new park on on Sheffield Castle site, council warns

The authority wants to turn the derelict former Castle Market site into open space with planting, footpaths, a square and newly exposed section of the River Sheaf. When it won £18m for the project a year ago it was celebrated as a huge win. Now it is warning it may fall short.

In a statement it said: “At this early stage of design and given current inflation, although the council has estimated ‘high level’ costs of the proposed changes included in the Concept Plan, the Levelling Up Fund may not be able to cover all the costs.”

The revelation comes after alarm at the slow pace of the project. In July, campaigners said the plans were vague, there was no timetable for spending and public consultation had not started. The money must be spent by March 2024 or it goes back to the government. Now, the authority says public consultation is launching on November 7. A planning application is due in early 2023, with construction starting in summer and finishing in spring 2024.

Councillor Mazher Iqbal, co-chair of the transport, regeneration and climate policy committee, said: “Public consultation is crucial to this process, ensuring the project delivered meets the needs and expectations of those who will benefit from it. “We’re passionate about bringing Castlegate back to the thriving hub of activity it used to be, with green spaces and opportunities for all.”

The site is also home to the remains of Sheffield Castle. Carolyn Butterworth from the School of Architecture at the University of Sheffield, said: "Castlegate is a fascinating place. It may appear rundown and neglected, but it is rich in historical and social history and home to a developing culture of independent music, ecology, skateboarding, art, and food.”

She added: "Our students have raised ambitions for the area via their creative participation and design ideas. I'm excited their work has influenced Castlegate's proposed new public space and I encourage everyone to visit the Urban Room to share their ideas for this and for Castlegate more widely."

To comment, visit the stand at the Moor Market from November 8-11, or go to sheffield.gov.uk/castlegate.

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