Plans revealed for footbridge restoration at railway station in Sheffield

In the last month, plans have been lodged with the council’s planning department to restore the footbridge at the Dore and Totley Railway station.

Plans submitted on July 26, propose to build a Network rail footbridge with a cover and a new lift tower and motor room with a brick-clad finish to match the existing station building.

Last week, a referendum took place, and a Dore Neighbourhood Plan was confirmed that included information about the station's future.

In the plan, it says: “Dore and Totley Station should be developed to provide adequate facilities for all users in sympathy with the historic character of the existing station and its natural setting.”

Network Rail has been planning to restore Dore & Totley for many years, with the first approach to Sheffield City Council's Planning Department in 2005.

There were public consultations in 2013 and 2015, and a public inquiry in 2016 resulted in a Transport and Works Act Order being granted in 2018 – it was approved in late 2020.

A bid was submitted to the Department of Transport in March by Sheffield Hallam MP Olivia Blake, Sheffield Heeley MP Louise Haigh and Sheffield Central MP Paul Blomfield, in the hope of securing funding from the Government’s £500 million Restoring Your Railway Fund to restore historic stations at Millhouses, Heeley, and Beauchief, and expand the Dore and Totley station.

It was argued at the time that this restoration would ensure access to more sustainable modes of transport to the people of Sheffield and help rebuild the city’s economy after the Covid-19 pandemic.

Residents and station users now have until August 19 to comment on the design of the new developments at the station.

The application has had one objection with a comment stating that the proposed design is “urban” and “does not go far enough to match the existing buildings”.

The comment said: “The bridge is urban and does not go far enough to match the existing buildings.

"In particular, the towers on the lift shafts should have pitched slate roofs (as exists in some other places) rather than the asymmetric roofs that does not match the existing buildings and increase the height of the towers. The urban asymmetric design of these roof towers is particularly jarring to this SSSI wooded environment.

“As part of the same development scheme, and also a part of the Hope Valley line, at Hathersage, a new footbridge will have decorative metal lattice added to be in keeping with older designs, and yet we have not got that here despite our original bridge having had that and a beautiful lattice bridge, thankfully still in place, just down the line at Totley Brook. Metal lattice needs adding to the bridge be respectful of the history and existing infrastructure in this area.

“The shelter design on the middle platform should be brick-built with proper seating and pitched slate roofs to match existing buildings.

“Any added station lighting should be low height columns (as is the case in most other sensitive locations along this railway line), to be sensitive to the SSSI woodland. The added lighting, seating should be respectful of its Victorian heritage.”