The first project in the ambitious Stocksbridge Town Deal investment is underway this week – marking the roll out of the major improvements which are planned for the town.
Work has started on the Oxley Park Improvement Project, investing more than £690,000 in the town’s historic park.
The project will deliver improvements including a new landscaped area linking Stocksbridge Community Leisure Centre to the wider park as well as new and upgraded footpaths to create better access.
EV chargers are being installed in the Leisure Centre car park, and plans for a new all wheels park are due to be submitted next month. Subject to planning, construction on the all wheels park will start in the spring ready for a scheduled summer 2024 completion.
The latest milestone in the plans for the town follows last week’s approval of grants totalling £220,000, for Stocksbridge Park Steels Football Club and Stocksbridge Rugby Club to make ground improvements for players and fans.
The Stocksbridge Town Deal is also delivering a major regeneration of the town centre, including a new Library and Community Hub, placemaking improvements and investment in upgraded shop fronts.
Co-Chair of the Stocksbridge Town Deal Board, Miriam Cates MP, said: “The start of work at Oxley Park is a great milestone in our journey. From developing our bid through to receiving the funding approval from the Government earlier this year, which has allowed us to progress with the more detailed design on these first projects.
“It’s fantastic to be breaking ground at Oxley Park and we’re looking forward to announcing the timings for our major town centre investment in the next few weeks.”
Cllr Julie Grocutt, Board Champion for the Oxley Park Improvement Project, said: “Oxley Park is an important part of our town’s history and such a great local amenity – we’re delighted to be able to start on these enhancements and look forward to what they will bring to the park for our community here in Stocksbridge.”
The Town Deal Accelerated Funding Programme delivered an earlier project in the park to create a new play area which opened in August 2021.
This latest phase of investment is part of the £24.1 Town Deal funding, and also includes some local fundraising by the Friends of Oxley Park for the new all wheels park.
Victoria Faulkner, from the Friends of Oxley Park, said: “This Town Deal investment has created a fantastic opportunity for the park to be enhanced and improved. It was gifted to the people of Stocksbridge more than 100 years ago by Thomas Oxley and it’s wonderful that we can continue to invest in that legacy for our local community.”
Photograph shows: L-R Graham Silverwood from the Town Deal Board and Stocksbridge Community Leisure Centre (SCLC) Andy Clarke from SCLC, Cllr Julie Grocutt, project champion from the Town Deal Board, Dennis Pindar from SCLC and Victoria Faulkner from Friends of Oxley Park and David Addenbrooke from Sheffield City Council
To keep up to date with news about the Stocksbridge Town Deal project visit www.welcometostocksbridge.co.uk where you can also sign up for our newsletter.
About Town Deals: The Town Deals programme aims to regenerate towns and deliver long-term economic and productivity growth. This is through investments in urban regeneration, digital and physical connectivity, skills, heritage and enterprise infrastructure. As of July 2021, DLUHC have offered Town Deals to all 101 places that submitted proposals, committing over £2.35bn of investment across c.700 projects nationwide.
Local residents attended a busy four hour consultation session last week focussed on proposals to invest in the area around the Underbank Reservoir in Stocksbridge.
The Stocksbridge Towns Fund Board and Yorkshire Water are working together on the Tracks and Activities Project and wanted to hear residents’ views on a range of proposals aimed at benefitting the local community as well as visitors to the area.
The drop in consultation session was held at Smithy Moor Community Centre on Thursday October 19th with at least 250 people attending throughout the four hour session.
Board members and representatives from Yorkshire Water were on hand to talk through the proposals which include:
Towns Fund Board champion for the project, Cllr Julie Grocutt, said: “We would like to thank everyone who came along to our drop in session about the proposed investment at Underbank Reservoir.
“It was great to see so many people taking the time to come and share their thoughts and ideas about this lovely part of Stocksbridge. We are going through all the feedback we have received now and that will help us to shape the next stage in our proposals for the project.”
The investment is part of the £24.1m Town Deal investment in Stocksbridge which includes a major regeneration of Manchester Road as well as improvements to Oxley Park where work has started this month.
To keep up to date with news about the Stocksbridge Town Deal visit www.welcometostocksbridge.co.uk
Grants totalling £220,000 have been given the go ahead - delivering major improvements at two Stocksbridge sporting clubs through the Town Deal Sports Hub Project.
Stocksbridge Park Steels is to receive a grant of £120,000 and Stocksbridge Rugby Club will receive £100,000, unlocking an investment which will enhance facilities at the two clubs for both players and supporters.
The two grants are part of a package of major improvements to sporting facilities across the town and were approved at Sheffield City Council’s Finance Committee on Monday 16th October.
The investment means Stocksbridge Park Steels can upgrade the club’s Bracken Moor stadium to be much more accessible to prams and to wheelchair users, creating a new area at the ground. The Rugby Club grant will allow a much needed drainage project to go ahead – making the pitch playable throughout the year. Work on both projects is expected to get underway in spring 2024.
The £220,000 investment is part of the £24.1m Town Deal investment in Stocksbridge which includes the regeneration of Manchester Road as well as investment at Oxley Park and at Underbank Reservoir.
Roger Gissing, Vice Chairman of Stocksbridge Park Steels said: “This project opens a lot of avenues for us, a lot of our supporters are elderly and we do struggle with access, we have lots of stairs and steps and this grant is going to enable us to create an area which is on a flat level.“
Stocksbridge Rugby Club President Philip Watts said: “We are delighted to have the confirmation that we can start on this project which is something we have wanted to invest in for some time at the club.
“When the pitch gets waterlogged in the winter months we often have to find other pitches or delay games – so this will make a huge difference to all our teams, from the youngest juniors up to our adult team.”
Towns Fund Board Co-Chair, Miriam Cates MP, said: “We’re delighted that the Stocksbridge Town Deal can award these grants to two great local clubs allowing them to start work on these enhancements and improvements.
“Stocksbridge Rugby Club and Stocksbridge Park Steels are both hugely important to the local community in Stocksbridge and Deepcar and this investment is going to make a real difference to both clubs.”
Photograph shows (l-r) Nigel George and Philip Watts from Stocksbridge Rugby Club, Graham Silverwood and Miriam Cates MP from the Stocksbridge Towns Fund Board and Graham Furness, Roger Gissing and Bill Fieldsend from Stocksbridge Park Steels.
To keep up to date with news about Stocksbridge Towns Fund visit www.welcometostocksbridge.co.uk
Residents will have the chance to have their say at a drop in consultation session, focused on the proposed investment for the area around Underbank Reservoir in Stocksbridge.
The Stocksbridge Towns Fund Board and Yorkshire Water are working in partnership to explore an ambitious package of potential improvements which will benefit the local community and visitors to the area.
Residents can chat to the team and find out more about the plans at the consultation event which takes place on Thursday October 19th at Smithy Moor Community Centre, from 3pm – 7pm.
The session will focus on a range of potential improvements aimed at making the area more accessible for walkers, cyclists and horse riders as well as creating new family friendly trails, additional free visitor parking and bringing more outdoor activities to the area.
The partnership approach to delivering improvements will maximise the impact of the investment through the Town Deal. Board members are looking forward to sharing their plans and ideas at the session.