New Sheffield Ski Village developer 'sticking with' £25million project despite Covid delays
The boss of the firm behind a £25m adventure sports complex in Sheffield said despite delays due to Covid they were ‘sticking with it 100 per cent’.
Alastair Gosling, of Extreme, said they now hoped to open on the former Ski Village site at Parkwood Springs in 2023.
Participation in outdoor activities had soared and the company had ‘the most amazing opportunity as its fingertips’, he added.
A planning application is set to be submitted within the next four months.
The news will come as a relief to extreme sports fans after the original site closed in 2012 and was hit by repeated arson attacks.
Redevelopment has been discussed for years, with Extreme first coming forward in 2017.
Mr Gosling said: “It’s been a struggle with Covid but we are sticking with it 100 per cent. We’re excited about our plans and vision for Sheffield.
“Don’t think of it as a ski slope, it will be an extreme and adventure sports complex. There are not many sites like it anywhere in the world and there’s a lot of positivity from people in Sheffield.”
Activities are set to include ski, snowboard, mountain bike, BMX, rock climbing, zip line, luge, skateboard, e-gaming and two chair lifts. A surf lake is earmarked for phase 2.
It is also set to have live music, bars, work space, shops and lodges.
The firm is working with partners including Sheffield City Council The authority, which owns the land, signed it over to Extreme on a 150-year lease.
The project will be financed by two investment banks, Mr Gosling said.
Meanwhile, Sheffield City Council says it is has not yet received £6m from Sheffield City Region to improve access to the site.
A spokeswoman said: “We are in the detailed design stages and hope to be able to secure the funding in the coming months. The funding will be for the access road, car park and associated infrastructure. We hope that the works will be able to commence this year.”
Sheffield Ski Village was one of the world’s largest dry ski slope centres. Several British Olympic team and World Champions learned to ski or board and honed their skills there.
