Transforming Castlegate

Castlegate is where Sheffield's history begins, with the meeting of the Rivers Sheaf and Don at the ‘Sheaf Field’. Despite serious wartime bomb damage, the area retains significant historic importance, including the city's first bridge crossing at Lady’s Bridge, the first purpose-built Old Town Hall and Courts and the remains of the Norman castle, buried in the foundations of the former Castle Market site.

Whilst the centre of retail and local government has gradually shifted away during the 20th century, Castlegate continues to perform an important, if changing role in the city centre. This includes several large and smaller retailers, a significant number of professional and office employers, the largest concentration of city centre hotels, Snig Hill police station and Magistrates Courts.

Castlegate Levelling Up Fund (LUF) Bid (May 2023 update)

Sheffield City Council was successful in the bid for Government Levelling Up Funding in late 2021. This bid brought together three projects that respond directly to the Levelling Up Fund’s call to ‘prioritise investment that not only brings economic benefits, but also helps bind communities together’. It welcomes visitors, residents and investors into a previously neglected part of Sheffield’s heritage, using public realm interventions to create a new sense of place. Furthermore, it links historic sites with revitalised cultural institutions that will nurture the city’s talent for generations to come.

The three projects included in the Castlegate LUF are:

  • The Castle site (previously the Castle Market area of the city)
  • Park Hill Art Space
  • Harmony Works

The Castle site is the centrepiece, the aim being to re-establish Castlegate as a vital part of the city centre. The site was previously occupied by the indoor Castle Market before it was demolished and has significant archaeological importance, as remains of Sheffield's medieval castle still reside here. The project plans to expose the original castle's gatehouse and protect some of its other remains.

The River Sheaf, large parts of which are currently covered over, will be also exposed or 'de-culverted' for the community to enjoy, and complemented by a new, green public space. This is the culmination of a ‘grey to green’ process that is transforming a derelict space into one of Sheffield’s most exciting neighbourhoods, promoting the economic regeneration of Castlegate quarter.

Consultation on the Castle Site LUF project

To inform the development of the project, a series of consultations have been commissioned by Sheffield City Council starting in November 2021 which culminated in a Public Engagement Programme on the Proposed concept design in November 2022.

    All appendices listed on the summary report are available upon request from lucia.lorente@sheffield.gov.uk.

    Key dates relating to the Castle Site LUF project

    • October 2021: Levelling Up Fund bid approved 
    • November 2021 to November 2022: Public Consultation Programme and Co-Production. Preparation of the planning application submission
    • May 2023: Planning consent obtained for the Castle Site works. Scheme design advances. Procurement process started.
    • September 2023: planned appointment of contractor to deliver the scheme and start on site soon after
    • By Summer 2025: anticipated completion of construction works

    If you wish to view the status of the planning application, you can visit the application portal and enter this reference number:

    • 23/00493/OUT

    Contact City Regeneration

    Floor 4, Howden House
    1 Union Street
    Sheffield
    S1 2SH

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