Last chance for Sheffielders to have their say on future of part of popular Graves Park
Public consultation on future of Norton Nurseries ends on Sunday
Users of a popular Sheffield park have been encouraged to have their say on what should happen to an area that is set to be returned to green space.
Two groups have put forward proposals for the old Norton Nurseries in Graves Park and Sheffield City Council want park users to say what they think about them.
The land is currently being used to store council vehicles and waste collected from city parks. The council is releasing part of the area for public use.
The Friends of Graves Park have been campaigning for many years to be allowed to restore the land. That would allow them to expand the Chantreyland wildlife meadow and arboretum that they have created in the park.
Social enterprise Food Works Sheffield, who use some of the old parks department glasshouses to grow produce, have put forward their own bid to create a community food-growing hub.
The consultation also allows for the possibility of combining the two ideas in some way.
Food Works CEO Rene Meijer told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that a collaboration between the two groups would be feasible. His plan does not use the whole area, he said.
As the park is owned by a charitable trust of which the city council is sole trustee, any decision made must be in the best interests of the charity, not the council.
Head of parks and countryside Ruth Bell said: “The trustees will make a decision on what is the best use of the land for the people of Sheffield.
“The consultation out at the moment will help to inform that – we want to hear from people.
“There are two proposals on the table but also there’s an opportunity for people to just say what matters most to them. It can be one of those two proposals or a combination of the two.”
Ms Bell said that the November meeting of the charity trustee committee will hear about the results of the consultation and then make a decision.
At that point the area being released will no longer be part of a council parks department operational base whatever the committee decides about its future, said Ms Bell.
Some equipment has been moved off the site and the space which is not being released has been reconfigured.
“The decision has already been made that it will return to parkland,” she stressed.
“I’m really excited,” said Ms Bell. “What we’re hearing is people wanting to have their say and want to engage with this piece of land and its use in the future. That’s fantastic.”
Chair of the charity trustee committee Councillor Christine Gilligan Kubo said: “The important issue is that that piece of land will be part of the park and it will be open to the public again.
“The idea that people want to have a say and want to be involved and want to have a say in how the park is used – that’s what parks are for.
“It’s a public utility and people should have a say in how it’s used.”
She said that both organisations have made interesting proposals and it is important that whatever the committee decides works for everybody.
Ms Bell added: “There’s a lot of passion of how people use a green space. You’re never going to say no to that.”
The public consultation has been extended until Sunday (September 27). The survey is online at https://haveyoursay.sheffield.gov.uk/norton-nursery-restoration