Sheffield City Council decided to build a controversial bypass road through the area back in 1963, leading to years of uncertainty for the closely-knit community of terraced homes. Demolition finally started in 1978, despite a hard-fought campaign against it, and hundreds of homes were knocked down. But the bypass was never built.
The local community wanted something positive for the area and the idea of the farm was born. Staff and volunteers now work with young people, adults with learning disabilities and with Sheffield communities to promote regeneration, environmental education, energy efficiency, health and well-being and local history. Here we celebrate that success in pictures.
1. Heeley Hogwash!
There were squeals a-plenty when Gemma Linighan, Deborah Arnott and Jenny Stevenson, three of the cast of Monster Production's show Hogwash, visited the piglets at Heeley City Farm with their puppets Photo: Submitted
2. Growing passion
Patrick Parkinson in the farm's garden centre in September 2006 Photo: Steve Parkin
3. Bespoke fencing
Nick Parsons at the South Yorkshire Energy Centre at Heeley City Farm, looking through a fence made from bicycle wheels Photo: Stuart Hastings
4. Feeding time
Feeding the chickens at Heeley City Farm in 1983, only two years after the farm was started Photo: Sheffield Newspapers