Proposals for the Burngreave and Fir Vale Masterplan have been unveiled by the Council. Nothing is finalised, but all the options include plans for extensive rebuilding of key local areas.
Combined with the new ring road and New Deal plans for green spaces, Sorby House and the Vestry Hall, the scene is being set for redevelopment throughout our area, and for the long-awaited transformation of Spital Hill.
What’s the Masterplan?
The Masterplan is part of the Government’s housing renewal programme, aimed at regenerating failing housing markets.
Transform South Yorkshire has £70 million to invest in areas of Sheffield, Rotherham, Doncaster and Barnsley over three years. The idea is the ‘masterplan’ will be a framework for spending the housing renewal money and will also encourage and direct other private and public investment.
The Masterplan is being drawn up by consultants LDA Urban Design. They held a series of exhibitions in May and have displayed the proposals at recent community events where they have been provoking lively debate.
LDA will produce a ‘preferred plan’ which we will be able to comment on in September before it goes to the Council for approval. For more information about the Masterplan contact Burngreave Area Action Team on 276 9134.
Catherine Street
Catherine Street has derelict properties and the open space is severely neglected.The Masterplan shows renovation of the Somerset Road basketball court, new terraced housing on Catherine Street and Cranworth Road and the closure of Brotherton Street to cars.There is an option for additional new terraced housing on Somerset Road, Richmond Street and Kilton Hill.
Fir Vale
37% of housing in Fir Vale is unfit or in poor repair and many terraced houses are too small.The Masterplan shows three options; environmental improvements and refurbishment, some demolition with new greens and larger family houses or complete clearance and new, larger terraced houses and greens.
Woodside
Five hectares of land are being cleared on the old Woodside estate, alongside the 5.5 hectares of open space off Pitsmoor Road. All options for this area include improvements to the open space, new workshops along Woodside Lane and the conversion of Pye Bank school to high quality flats with shops and services opposite.The options contain varying mixes of new housing; flats, family housing or a ‘hillside village’.
Spital Hill
All the proposals show the new ring road crossing Spital Hill above the Wicker Arches, with new offices, shops and restaurants built up the left of Spital Hill, the refurbishment of Ellesmere Green and paving of part of Ellesmere Road. Options include more offices, shops and flats up both sides of Spital Hill, a business park next to the ring road, a market on the site of the derelict garage and a foodstore with parking between Spital Hill and Sorby Street.
Owler Lane and Page Hall
These are the main shopping centres in Fir Vale. Parking is a major problem and although it’s a busy area, repairs are needed. Page Hall will have better parking, pedestrian crossings and traffic calming. One option for Owler Lane is to replace the shops and empty pub and garage with new shops and flats with better parking, linked to a new hotel and gym in the Northern General.The other option completely rebuilds both Owler Lane and Skinnerthorpe Road with new housing, a link road and parking behind the shops and a new community focus near Firvale school.
