Castlegate: Sheffield to come face-to-face with 800 years of history in £18m revamp

Few realise it yet, but the city is about to reconnect with its most historic - and storied - area: Castlegate. The castle still looms large in the imagination even if it was demolished 400 years ago, while the site where it stood continued to be hugely important until recently when the demolition of Castle Market finally broke the link with the past.

Now, excitement is building at the potential impact of £18m for new open space and a newly-exposed section of the River Sheaf. For, not only will Castlegate be the place where people come face-to-face with more than eight hundred years of history, it is hoped redevelopment will also trigger the redevelopment of empty plots on Exchange Street and Broad Street West, boost footfall at Victoria Quays and lift the city’s tourism industry - five large hotels are a short walk away.

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.”

Simon Ogden, chair of the Sheaf and Porter Rivers Trust, agrees - and is also keen for the Sheaf to see daylight again, not least to improve biodiversity. He said: “All those things are happening in Castlegate. There’s a spirit of regeneration with independent restaurants, new businesses and the Pollen flower market. I see lots of green shoots and there’s every reason for optimism.

“Grey to Green planting on what was Castlegate has made a big difference. There are a lot more people on bikes and sitting by the river. It’s slow but it is happening. I’ve got great faith that if you start with good quality open space good stuff follows. I can remember when the Peace Gardens were full of drunks.”

But local historian Ron Clayton sounded a note of caution. He said: “There is widespread public concern and frustration with the apparent lack of focus in the initial proposal as regards the known and protected remains of Sheffield Castle, their condition, lack of public access to them and the prospects for further much-needed archaeology on the site.”

Despite a few foundation stones remaining, tours are always sold out - proving the power and importance of history to Sheffield.

The Levelling Up Fund money must be spent by March 2024 or it goes back to the Government.

Coun Mazher Iqbal, co-chair of the transport, regeneration and climate policy committee, said: "We’re passionate about bringing Castlegate back to the thriving hub of activity it used to be, with green spaces and opportunities for all.”

A planning application is due in early 2023, with construction starting in summer and finishing in spring 2024. Sheffield City Council is launching public consutlation on November 7. To comment, visit the stand at the Moor Market from November 8-11, or go to sheffield.gov.uk/castlegate.

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