Castle Park hailed as 'once in a lifetime' chance to uncover Sheffield’s hidden birthplace

One member of Sheffield City Council’s transport, regeneration and climate policy committee described the Castlegate area project as “a once in a lifetime” opportunity to finally uncover the hidden remains of the castle at a meeting on Wednesday (April 30).

Principal development officer Lucia Lorente-Arnau said that the castle was one of the largest in the north. It was destroyed in the English Civil War following a siege by the Parliament side in 1647.

She said current issues for the area involve the exit of shops, a lot of vacant land and buildings and problems with anti-social behaviour. By contrast in the 19th and 20th centuries it was “the place to be” in the city centre, housing local government and law courts and places to drink and dance, which has left behind beautiful buildings.

Ms Lorente-Arnau said that the budget for the whole Castle Park project stands at £21m. Councillors heard that the extent of archaeological finds made and the decision to uncover the River Sheaf completely for the first time in 100 years mean the project will cost more.

Castle Park will showcase the castle ruins, which have been found to include parts of walls, the gatehouse and the drawbridge structure as well as 17th-century defences. There will be a public events space and adjoining green area on the historic bowling green and one third of the park will be terraced as it goes down towards the Sheaf.

There will be development plots in the surrounding area to bring in business investment.

The committee will be updated on the proposed increase in the budget this summer. The major financing has come from the government Levelling Up Fund and the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority.

Work has already started on the infrastructure of the site, which is difficult and constrained with different land levels, said Ms Lorente-Arnau. The park is now expected to open in the last quarter of 2026.

Ms Lorente-Arnau said that the other major Castlegate projects are making good progress.

Harmony Works, a music education and performance centre being created in the old Canada Works on Commercial Street, is expected to open in the second half of 2027. Work is taking place to raise the last £2m of the cost of around £14m.

S1 Artspace are converting the former Yorkshire Bank chambers on the corner of Commercial Street and Haymarket into an art gallery, artist’s studios, events space and other cultural facilities.

Coun Ruth Merseareau, who represents City Centre ward, said that Harmony Works will add a lot to the city’s cultural life and said that public transport links will make it easy for young people to travel there.

Coun Craig Gamble-Pugh said: “One of my worries way back was that possibly we would hurry and sweep aside this once in a lifetime chance to uncover some of the heritage and history, so I think we ought to be welcoming the fact that we’re doing that at a pace that we can make the most of finding the roots and origins of the city.”

He said that the last time the council created an incredible public space with development sitting around it was the Peace Gardens “and that’s done pretty well for the city”.

Coun head of regeneration Alan Seasman said: “This is just the first phase and there’s more to be done.”