Sheffield Council: "We’re working hard to make sure that Sheffield has a better, brighter future" - Tom Hunt

In his regular column for The Star, leader of Sheffield City Council Tom Hunt shares what he is looking forward to in the New Year and what projects he looks forward to seeing come to fruition.

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas and New Year however you celebrate it.

As we start the year, I want to highlight some of the exciting things that will happen this year. 2024 is going to be a big one for Sheffield. We’re a city on the up and it’s right that we shout about the great things happening here.

There have been lots of changes in the city centre in recent years, and especially in the last few months of 2023. And that is set to continue.

The exciting work at Castlegate will begin early this year, transforming the birthplace of Sheffield into a new riverside park. This will uncover parts of the former Castle and provide a new opportunity to understand more about the city’s history, as well as opening up the River Sheaf. Last year, we opened the fantastic Pound’s Park and I’m looking forward to seeing another new city centre park take shape.

And just up the hill, the work on Fargate will continue. When it is complete, it will totally change the way we use the area – opening up spaces to sit and chat, with new planting, lighting and paving making for a more pleasant place to visit and socialise. It will form the next stage of the spine that runs through our city centre - from the Moor, through the Heart of the City and down Fargate.

With all this change, we’re seeing lots of new interest from people and businesses, including major brands and retailers. Last year we saw several new additions, including Sostrene Grene, and Fjällräven and Yards Store are set to open their doors in early 2024. We’re confident this retail interest will continue this year and beyond, with other high-quality retailers already expressing an interest in coming to Sheffield. 

We are seeing huge interest from investors and developers who want to be part of the exciting changes that are happening. Urban Splash, who have redeveloped Park Hill Flats, will be bringing forward plans to breathe new life back into the former Coles Building in Barker’s Pool.

This year they will be consulting on their plans and we look forward to hearing what the public thinks. And the huge new development at West Bar, which has benefitted from £300m investment, including £150m from Legal and General, will continue to see rapid progress, with the first office and residential blocks completing this year.

Culture is at the heart of our plans. We're moving forward to take important decisions about the future of the Graves Gallery and Central Library building.

Like lots of people, I can’t wait for February when the MOBO Awards will be taking place in Sheffield.

There are a number of exciting satellite events due to be announced very soon so watch this space! We’re also developing a new Culture Strategy which will see us working with city’s cultural sector to make sure we champion and support the hugely talented makers and creators in our city.

We will also be working to expand on our leisure facilities. In line with our new 10-year sport and leisure strategy which was launched in December, we’re developing a new Multi-Activity Hub in Hillsborough.

The hub will provide opportunities for people in the city to get outside, increase physical activity and improve health and wellbeing. As well as this, other additions and changes will be seen across our parks in the city, including new mountain bike trails and access improvement works at Parkwood Springs, a new all wheels park in Oxley Park and the renewal of a basketball court at Ellesmere Park, to name only a few!

Everything that we do is directly linked to our draft Council Plan, which we will agree in full this year. The Council Plan outlines what we stand for and what our priorities are for the next 4 years, aligned with the resources available to deliver.

The Plan outlines a better, bolder vision for our city - creating great neighbourhoods and building the homes we need, stronger economic growth, generating more jobs and improving our buses and trams. It sets out how our work will be shaped by three things: people, planet and prosperity. When we are making decisions, everything we do should involve the people of Sheffield and help them to achieve their potential, help to protect our planet for future generations, and make Sheffield a more prosperous city.

The Council Plan forms our contribution to the Sheffield City Goals, which are also due to be finalised in 2024. The City Goals provides us, as well as other key organisations across the city who have worked together to develop them, a strategic vision for Sheffield and how we will come together to achieve them.

We’re working hard to make sure that Sheffield has a better, brighter future. Our plans are only possible by working in partnership with residents, community groups, businesses and partner organisations - and by listening to you. My priorities as Leader of the Council are shaped by your priorities.

I’m proud of our city and know that you are too. I’d like to hear from you so please get in touch to share your views, and to let me know what you’re excited about for 2024. Drop me an email at [email protected].

Here’s to an exciting 12 months!