Rural Communities
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Sheffield is a city with a unique range of landscapes, including some of the most spectacular countryside in England. We are proud of this and we will work hard to support our farming communities, villages and market towns and maintain the heritage of the rural area.
Our Rural Communities Strategy, which we are calling A Fair Deal for Rural Communities, outlines our plans for improving services for people living in our rural areas.
The Strategy
A Fair Deal for Rural Communities reflects the fact that the rural economy and communities are changing, and aims to address the wide range of issues experienced by rural residents, which are often different to those experienced in urban areas.
The area covered by the strategy includes remote settlements such as Bradfield and Dungworth, larger villages including Oughtibridge and Grenoside, and built-up areas separate from the urban centre such as Stocksbridge and Chapeltown.
The strategy is based on consultation with residents completed during 2009, and sets out what we will do over the next three years to help local people and businesses have an equal opportunity to access services and fulfil their potential.
The strategy that we have published is a draft version, as we want to make sure that the strategy fits the needs and aims of our rural communities. You can download the draft strategy at the bottom of the page and have your say on the strategy and action plan.
Action Plan
To accompany the strategy, we have developed an Outline Action Plan, which includes some of these 'Key Actions':
- Support rural businesses to form strong links with the city and help traditional rural industries to diversify
- Promote the rural area as an important part of the city’s tourism offer whilst protecting the unique countryside and green and open spaces
- Improve public transport in remote areas
- Ensure district and local centres in the rural area thrive and meet the needs of local people
- Increase the supply of affordable housing to meet local needs
- Support the positive work done by community groups and through informal volunteering
- Increase use of school buildings as a community resource to provide youth services and as a base for outreach work
To find out how you can have your say on how best to achieve these aims, please view the Consultation pages
Downloads
A Fair Deal for Rural Communities - Sheffield's Rural Communities Strategy (1.72 MB)
Summary of Sheffield's Rural Communities Strategy - A Fair Deal for Rural Communities (435 KB)