Autumn Budget 2021: How Castlegate in Sheffield could look as city reacts to £20m 'Levelling Up' funding

Sheffield City Council worked with partners on the bid for the Levelling Up Fund – which was centred on Castlegate, where Castle Market once stood – and cultural and heritage projects around Park Hill and Canada House.

A total of £15m will go towards regenerating Castlegate and transforming the area around the River Sheaf, and the remaining funding will go towards two other projects – Park Hill Art Space and Harmony Works.

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This image showing how the boarded-up Castle Market site – where the remains of Sheffield Castle are visible – was submitted as part of the successful funding bid.

Martin Gorman, chairman of the Friends of Sheffield Castle group, said: “Absolutely delighted to confirm that the city has been successful in its bid to secure £20m of funding for Castlegate through the Government Levelling Up fund.

“£15m of this will go towards further archaeological investigation and interpretation of the historic Castle remains for the public to view, quality open space, de-culverting of the River Sheaf and route-ways through the site. Targeted plots on the outer edges of the site will be made 'developer ready'.

“This is fantastic news and congratulations must go to Nalin Seneviratne and the bid team on putting together a compelling case.

“At last we have the chance to create a unique space and showcase our history whilst revealing our Castle once more!”

Park Hill Art Space will deliver an arts, cultural and heritage destination at the Park Hill estate and it will aim to be one of the largest contemporary art galleries in the North, complemented by creative workspace and learning facilities, within a six-acre sculpture park.

Harmony Works is a partnership between Sheffield Music Academy and Sheffield Music Hub to create a new fit-for-purpose music academy by refurbishing Grade II listed Canada House.

Sheffield Central MP Paul Blomfield said: “I’ve been pleased to work with the city council on this exciting bid which will transform a key gateway to our city. It builds on their great work with the ‘grey to green’ initiative around Castlegate and goes much further.

“I’m pleased that we’ve convinced the Government to give the full £20 million that’s needed to transform the Sheffield Castle site and open up the River Sheaf, creating a great new public space and encourage new investment, as well as the fantastic new facilities in Park Hill Art Space and Harmony Works.

“At a time when the city centre has suffered because of the pandemic and retail changes, this is a great step on the road to recovery.”

He described the rest of the Budget as ‘disappointing’, however, saying the Chancellor had ‘cut tax on champagne rather than cut tax for lower earners’.

Sheffield Heeley MP Louise Haigh was also critical, claiming the Chancellor ‘completely failed’ to show that he and the Government are on the side of working people.

She said: “Workers are facing a cost-of-living crisis, and today’s budget clobbers them with the highest taxes in a generation while banks and corporate giants get a tax cut….

“This budget was a shocking missed opportunity to invest in our communities, and it is workers in Sheffield who will pay the price.”