Update on The Steel Man sculpture to be built between Sheffield and Rotherham

While the 32-metre-high sculpture is still nowhere to be seen more than ten years after the initial designs were approved, the team behind the project published a short update recently claiming “a new challenge begins”.

In a post on their website, the team says: “We are delighted to announce the beginning of a new era as we push forward with our plans to bring the Steel Man to life.

“Last year we began working with an international collaboration of design engineers to develop the fabrication design of the Steel Man. We then reached out to Outokumpu, one of our biggest sponsors, to supply all the stainless steel required to build a new 4.5-metre model of the sculpture.

“This is now being built by another of our sponsors, NEC Ltd in Bradwell, Derbyshire. The build will take three-four months and we can’t wait to let you know when it’s ready!”

The Steel Man - which has been described as the region's answer to the Angel of the North in Gateshead - has been in the pipeline since 2012 when artist (and sculptor) Steve Mehdi drew up his design.

The stainless steel sculpture, when finished, will stand on land near the M1 motorway in Kimberworth, Rotherham.

During the delays caused by economic challenges such as “Brexit and Covid 19”, another sculpture, The Heart of Steel (a 2.5m tall, 1.5 tonnes heavy sculpture) became an integral part of the original project.

Since its launch, thousands have donated to the appeal to “honour, celebrate, and remember loved ones, colleagues, and friends”, the project’s website states.

There is a Heart of Steel sculpture at Meadowhall but Rotherham also has a full-sized replica of it at the Minster Gardens in the town centre.