£200,000 has been committed by Sheffield City Council to progress redevelopment plans for the site of the former Ski village at Parkwood Springs.
The funding will be used to carry out site investigation and assessment work and will inform plans for the site’s redevelopment as a major leisure attraction. Work will also begin on clearing some of the old ski village structures, debris and vegetation to make the site safe for future construction work.
An ecological assessment will also be carried out to assess the potential impact of redevelopment on biodiversity and the local environment.
Following the initial £200,000 funding provided, the council will be working with its partners in the region to secure further funding for the redevelopment of the site.
Parkwood’s popularity with walkers and cyclists and potential to play an important part in Sheffield’s reputation as the Outdoor City has long been recognised and the site has received significant interest as an exciting outdoor leisure destination.
Skyline Luge, a New-Zealand based company which specialises in outdoor adventure experiences with sites across the world, has been developing proposals for a family orientated leisure destination on the site. The Council will continue discussions with Skyline to develop the proposals which fit with the city’s aspirations to be an Outdoor City, promoting health and well-being for visitors and local communities.
Councillor Mazher Iqbal, Executive Member for City Futures: Development, Culture and Regeneration at Sheffield City Council, said: “We recognise the vast potential that Parkwood has to offer in Sheffield, both as a major tourist attraction for the region and as a site that will be central to contributing towards improving the health, lifestyle and opportunities for local people.
“We can’t get away from the fact that this is a challenging site with many complex issues, but we’re ready to meet the challenge and work to secure the future of Parkwood for years to come.
“These initial steps are crucial in assessing the work to be done at Parkwood so that we can move forwards and deliver for the people of Sheffield. I’m looking forward to working further with Skyline to explore their exciting proposals over the coming months.”
The report setting out these plans for Parkwood is due to be presented to the Council’s Co-operative Executive on 15th December.
