Castlegate

In advance of this year’s Castlegate Festival (13th-21st September see Welcome to Sheffield website.) the Council has released the first visualisation of how the daylighted River Sheaf could appear in the new park now under construction at the former Castle Market site.

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The image shows the right bank of the river with much of its concrete wall re-profiled to provide a series of terraces down to almost water level, allowing the public to experience the river at close quarters as well as facilitating regular maintenance and emergency access. Click here for a hourly view of the site from our webcam

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The river channel is also transformed by the removal of the 2 meter high Castle Orchard Weir (actually rebuilt in 1917) to create a series of gently rising pools which will allow fish and wildlife to traverse this reach of the Sheaf to and from the Don, as well as creating opportunities to revegetate the formerly sterile concrete banks and providing habitat for birds, insects, fish and mammals.

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An embankment slide will allow kids to enjoy the new landscape and a new footbridge will allow walking, wheeling and cycling access to the park from Exchange Street.

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There are still a few details to be worked through such as how light is deflected from the adjoining ‘Megatron’ bat habitat, how to soften the remaining concrete walls to encourage vegetation and wildlife nesting, public art and interpretation. However this is now yet another reason to look forward to the opening of the park in late 2026 .

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Cllr Ben Miskell, Chair of Sheffield City Council’s Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee, said: “It’s great to see the next stage of this fantastic project to bring the former Sheffield Castle site alongside the River Sheaf back into daily city centre life...

“Being able to be close to the river once again at the site that was the birthplace of Sheffield will be a real treat for residents, workers and visitors. The designs look great, and I look forward to seeing this project come to life as the regeneration of the wider Castlegate area continues.”

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Sheaf and Porter Trust Chair Simon Ogden comments ‘This is an exciting vision which has emerged from a collaborative process between the Council’s design team and a range of stakeholders including the Environment Agency, the Trust, and other river specialists who have contributed knowledge, expertise and ideas. The Council team should be congratulated for taking on board so many of these suggestions.’

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Don Catchment Rivers Trust says ‘This improvement comes at a time when we are now seeing firm evidence of salmon starting to breed in the Don for the first time in two centuries just upstream of here. It removes the first and perhaps the biggest barrier to fish and wildlife passage into the Sheaf and Porter system.’

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