Exciting plans proposed to develop green space in the heart of Stocksbridge

Stocksbridge residents have the chance to show their support for an exciting new project which will see improvements to a green space in the heart of the town, with a public vote taking place on Wednesday 8 th May.

Town centre based charity, the Steel Valley Project, has unveiled a proposal to install new seating, a natural play area, planting, way-marking and footpath improvements to the existing Edward Street site located near to the Co-op. The proposals include an amphitheatre seating area, giving extensive views across the valley and a relaxing space for people to stop for a break.

A 2018 survey asked Stocksbridge and Deepcar residents about their use of local parks and countryside with the results showing that an overwhelming 86% of people visit them for walking and 59% wanting improved play facilities. Upgraded paths, more seating and enhanced habitats for wildlife also ranked highly.

The plans for Edward Street have incorporated these elements in order to deliver something which residents really want. The work would be undertaken by the charity and their team of local volunteers alongside specialist contractors, enabling the community to be directly involved in the project.

Steel Valley Project approached Enzygo, a multi-disciplinary environmental consultancy located in Stocksbridge, who believe they should positively contribute to the areas where they are based. Enzygo jumped at the opportunity to support the funding application for the Edward Street Greenspace utilising their in-house landscape design team. Graham Bailey, Associate Director Landscape for Enzygo said: “If successful we look forward to developing and delivering our design concept with the local community and SVP.”

The total cost of the project is £27.5k, of which £25k has been applied for through the Community Infrastructure Levy, which helps local authorities deliver facilities and services to support new homes and businesses in the area. The remaining funding would then come from other external funding.

To ensure that the plans can go ahead, members of the public will need to vote for the Steel Valley Project in a public meeting taking place on Wednesday 8 th May 2018, 6.30pm at The Venue on Manchester Road. There are a number of different applicants for the funding, each of whom will give a 5 minute presentation on their project. This will be followed by a period of time for people to browse displays and ask questions, before finally casting their vote.

Tom Newman, Project Manager for the Steel Valley Project, said: “This is an exciting project which will take a currently neglected green space and develop it into something which is tailored to the needs of local residents and located right in the heart of town. We encourage people to come along to the meeting, look at the plans and have a chat with us to find out more. Public support and votes are needed to enable the plans to go ahead and for us to make a real improvement space in the town centre.”

To learn more about the Steel Valley Project & Enzygo, visit www. steelvalleyproject.org & www.enzygo.com