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Issue 7  •  May 2025

Progress on the Castle Site March to May 2025

Surface water drainage manhole at Castlegate site.

Drainage works are continuing on the site at a good pace. March started with the installation of two surface water drainage manholes and the pipe run connecting them towards Waingate. Additionally, drainage beside the culvert was installed, which will be connected to an attenuation tank at that location.

A third drainage manhole was installed, lower than the one put in during March. This will allow for the surface water to be able to flow downstream into the future swale that will be built.

Surface water drainage manhole installed in April

An attenuation tank was installed between the two surface water drainage manholes, which is designed to manage and control the flow of stormwater.

Attenuation tank being installed between two manhole chambers at Castlegate.

Finally, one of the final elements of the foul drainage on site was completed. The connection of the foul drainage run into the existing Combined Sewage Outlet was completed successfully.

Foul drainage pipe collar being connected to the CSO.

Electrical ducting installation continued on the upper plateau - for streetlighting, feeder pillars that will serve the future event space and various lit handrails.

LV ducting installation near the rear rampart steps under construction at Castlegate.

In late March, work started on the building of the set of rear rampart steps between retaining walls 1 and 5. These will allow step access down to the future rampart vista. They were completed in April. LV ducting was put in first underneath the location of the first step, which will power lighting columns on either side of the steps and handrails going down the steps.

Drone image of the Rampart steps being shuttered.

The building of extensive retaining walls continued. Retaining wall 6 began by the Upper Chamber. The rebar cage structure was built. Then joiners put the shuttering up on top of the existing wall ahead of the concrete pour, which took place at the end of April. LV ducting was also installed around the concrete base structure which will allow for the future handrails connected to this retaining wall to be powered.

Finished retaining Wall 6 at Castlegate

The eagerly awaited renaturalisation work in the Culvert of the river Sheaf began at the start of May. With the water firstly being dammed off to one side of the culvert and water pumped down the river to where works where not taking place yet. This allowed the contractor to install two large flume pipes on one side of the culvert, running down the length of the culvert wall. The same side of the Culvert was also bunded with river material to create a natural dam, ensuring the half of the culvert we will be working in will stay dry.

Work in the culvert showing water being pumped and flumed, with bunded river material

Castle site expected progress in June, July and August

Over the next 3 months, work will focus on the river Sheaf/ culvert, completing retention walls, drainage and electrical ducting.

With the dry channel in the culvert, the contractor will be constructing weir walls across the length of the culvert which form the fish pass design. There will also be a crane on site beside the culvert, which will allow the smartening up of the culvert walls to take place and will allow materials and plant to be lowered into the culvert.

Retaining walls, including retaining wall 5, will be completed. Further ducting work, including lighting ducting, will also be being installed across site.

We are also awaiting the outcome of the first Listed Building Consent from planning, expected in June. It will confirm approval for the main route through the park. Following the decision, the design team and the contractor will prepare a work programme for the construction of the route. SCC team will also prepare the background information for future Listed Building Consent applications linked to the archaeology on the site.

Archaeomagnetic Dating Confirms Castle’s Norman Origin 

Archaeologists work at base of the motte to expose remains of the castle.

The archaeological research of the findings from the Sheffield Castle excavation in 2024 continue to unfold. During the dig, archaeologists from Wessex Archaeology found a small patch of burnt ground. This small area of burning on the motte (an artificial mound forming part of the castle) has had a big impact on dating the origins of Sheffield Castle.   

The patch of burning, left over from a fire during the construction of the motte, has been dated to AD 896– 1173 through archaeomagnetic dating. This dating technique reads shifts in the Earth’s magnetic field, locked into materials when they were last heated, to estimate the age of archaeological features.  

The burning found on the site forms part of the motte. It is the only archaeological evidence that can be securely tied to the construction of the Norman castle, thought to be the origin of Sheffield.

Castlegate park is being redesigned

A report to Sheffield City Council’s Transport, Regeneration & Climate Committee on 30 April described the necessary redesign of the new park being built in Castlegate, due to the wealth of archaeology found on the site.

These are technically complex issues, which will need additional planning permission. This means that project will not be completed until the end of 2026.

The report also provided an update on the Harmony Works and S1 Artspace. You can read the report and related documents on the link below.

(scroll on the link below to item no. 97 for the report, presentation & related documents)

Yorkshire Art Space Testing Ground: Emma Bolland

Emma Bolland painting a circle onto cardboard on the studio floor.

Testing Ground is Yorkshire Artspace’s residency programme at Exchange Place Studios, intended to provide an intensive period of creative experimentation for an artist based in Sheffield.

Their artist-in-residence for April/May 2025 is Emma Bolland, a transdisciplinary artist whose work focuses on the intersections of painting, drawing, and assemblage.

Emma is making work based on their memories of a decommissioned psychiatric hospital in Yorkshire. There is a closing event on Friday 23 May.

Co-Lab 25: ArtWorks

A abstract piece by an artist from Artworks.

Co-Lab is Yorkshire Artspace’s summer project in collaboration with local arts organisations and community groups to.

This year they are working with ArtWorks, a not-for-profit who support adults with learning disabilities to achieve their potential. Together they will have four artists-in-residence who are service users of ArtWorks, and YAS will offer professional development support.

There is a closing event on Fri 27 June.

Quayside Market is back monthly

A panoramic view of Quayside

Mark your calendars! Quayside Market is back, and it’s bigger and better than ever! Get ready for an unforgettable weekend with a spectacular lineup that promises something for everyone.

Indulge in some of the hottest street food vendors from across the UK, explore unique artisan stalls, and support local businesses. Whether you're craving a delicious bite, searching for one-of-a-kind handmade treasures, or simply in the mood for a refreshing craft beer or cocktail, we've got you covered.

As if that wasn’t enough, live music will set the perfect vibe throughout the weekend, creating an electric atmosphere for you and your friends to enjoy.

Don’t miss out on this exciting event – we can’t wait to see you there!

Quayside Market – Where Great Food, Local Finds, and Good Times Come Together!

14 & 15 June

12 & 13 July

9 & 10 August

Follow on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/QuaysideMarket Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/QuaysideSheffield

Pollen is back at Castlegate

Lots of visitors were having a wander through the Pollen Market last year.

Find us at Castlegate at our home on Grey to Green, on the third Sunday of every month: 15^th June, 20^th July and 17^th August.

Come down to experience all of the usual Pollen magic plus lots more, in collaboration with Festival Of The Outdoors.  

Save the date: Castlegate Festival in September

Festivalgoers having fun at Castlegate

Two weekends in September for your diary 13 & 14 and 20 & 21 for the one and only Castlegate Festival, free and bigger and better than ever!

Castlegate’s festival is back by popular demand with a free music festival, a family oriented Pollen and Quayside Markets, free art and film activities, Skateboarding Jam @ Exchange St, Tours of the Castle Site and Heritage Open Day events.

Full programme will be out this summer, which will be sent to all subscribers of the Castlegate newsletter.

Friends of Sheffield Castle event

A group of people at the Friends of Sheffield Castle event.

In March, the Friends of Sheffield Castle hosted a sold out event at the Royal Victoria hotel with 400 people attending. It was a celebration evening of everything ‘Castle’ and three speeches were made covering ‘Past’, ‘Present’ and ‘Future’.

There was a positive energy to the evening and the feedback given shows that this Castlegate project, particularly the heritage is highly supported throughout the city.

The main feedback from those attending has been the confirmation of how important the revealing of the Castle remains are to the new park and the excitement for not only showing these remains but the potential in the future to show more, through further archaeology.

The possibility and potential for a Visitor Centre close to the park was also very much supported and this is something FoSC will be working on with other Stakeholders and Sheffield City Council moving forward.

The Feedback has been shared with the Castlegate Area Board and Sheffield City Council to show that the Castlegate Project is hugely supported and important to the people of Sheffield.

Culture Commons publication

In April, Culture Commons published a paper discussing how culture-led development projects are creating new opportunities for local cultural decision-making in the UK.

The paper examines two case studies: Docking Station in Medway, Kent and Harmony Works in Sheffield. It shows how these projects are important to creative, cultural, and heritage communities.

The paper also looks at how these projects can give local people a stronger voice. It includes several suggestions for future policies that could help these projects succeed.

Upcoming Printmaking Workshops

A person, wearing a red hat and an apron, is sitting and working on a printmaking project with blue ink.

We’ve got a fantastic new series of workshops coming up in late spring and early summer at Carousel Studios. Learn a new skill or reconnect with a creative passion. Book a place for a friend and support each other’s mental wellbeing. A course also makes a wonderful gift. Get into the flow of creating your own artwork, guided by our expert tutors.

S1 Artspace secures further investment and continues on-site progress

S1 Artspace new venue on Haymarket.

Following S1 Artspace’s acquisition of the former Yorkshire Bank (Haymarket) for transformation into a new visual arts venue for Sheffield, urgent works are well underway.

Heritage specialists Pinnacle Conservation began repairs in February, focusing on making the Grade II listed building safe and watertight. Works are on track to complete by late June. S1 Artspace plans to open the building to the public later this summer to share initial designs and gather feedback ahead of submitting a planning application later this year.

The project has recently secured £1 million from SYMCA and a further £10,000 from the Architectural Heritage Fund to support its ongoing development.

Harmony Works at Canada House gathers momentum

Canada House is located on the northern side of Commercial Street in Sheffield city centre.

The Harmony Works project has taken a major step forward, with £4.7 million awarded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and £3.5 million from Arts Council England. With almost full funding secured, building work is set to begin in 2026.

In the meantime, the design team is working closely with project partners and local young people to refine restoration and extension plans. Harmony Works is also collaborating with Sheffield Hallam University on creative projects, look out for displays at Sheffield Transport Interchange soon.

Preparations are underway for this autumn’s Heritage Open Days and Castlegate Festival, and the Harmony Works team is growing. Canada House has welcomed visits from funders and partners including Sheffield Music Hub, Sheffield Music Academy, Concerteenies, Music in the Round, Choir with No Name, Brass Bands England, and Orchestras for All.

Castle site: the vision

The vision for the Sheffield Castle site is for it to become Sheffield’s newest park. It will feature parts of the original castle, a 'Sheaf Field' with views to the opened-up River Sheaf, and a high quality greenspace with an events square, reminiscent of the bowling green that occupied the site in the 1600s.

The first phase of the exciting transformation began in January 2024 and is expected to be completed in 2026.

For site or construction specific information, please contact David Fidler (Senior Project Manager, Keltbray) David.Fidler@keltbray.com

For any other information, please contact Lucia Lorente (Principal Development Officer, Sheffield City Council) Lucia.Lorente@sheffield.gov.uk