Fargate: £12m revamp '85 per cent complete' but barriers remain for Christmas
Contractors revamping Fargate say it is “85 per cent finished” with clear access to shops for the Christmas shopping season.
Bosses at John Sisk & Son say they have completed a 10ft-wide strip in front of all the shops on the Marks & Spencer side and a narrower, clear walkway on the other side, as far as the Christmas shop.
The street still has several fenced compounds where workers are paving and digging, which will remain over the festive season, according to Lee Long, senior project manager.
He said: “We have had challenges but we are happy in the way it has progressed, particularly at the top end with the events space near the town hall which is hosting Christmas market stalls.”
Digging in front of the Christmas shop, Greggs, Hotel Chocolat and Starbucks and Burger King would be paused until after Christmas, “in agreement with them.”
The company aims to “substantially” complete all work by the end of February, some 21 months after starting in May 2023, Mr Long said.
The “vast majority” of barriers will be gone and most planting is set to be complete, he added. But the timeline could be affected by sub-zero weather, snow or finding buried pipes and cables, he warned.
Some Star readers have questioned whether the company could have worked faster by using more staff.
Sisk currently has a second team building a ‘Dutch’ cyclists’ roundabout and bike lanes at West Bar. The Irish firm has been working on both jobs at the same time after landing a £25m contract from Sheffield City Council in early 2023.
But Mr Long said they couldn’t have gone any faster due to challenges on Fargate, including “keeping it open” - maintaining access to shops for customers and deliveries.
Up to 40 workers are on site currently, set to be the highest number in the project, he added.
“We could have brought in an extra gang for a week, but what then? This is the best balance.”
Robin Metcalf, Sisk regional director, said: “In an ideal world we would have a farmer’s field with no one around for miles.”
The project was originally due to complete in summer 2024, but was pushed back due to challenges including finding a forgotten subway and burying huge containers so unsightly trade waste bins can be removed.
Kelly Sowden, stakeholder and social value manager, said they employed “a lot of people with an ‘S’ postcode and some prison leavers. They had also volunteered at the Cathedral Archer Project for the homeless serving breakfast.