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.