The future community use of eight containers is to be decided at the Strategy and Resources Committee on Monday, November 20th. Proposals from six community groups for the containers, which used to sit at the top of Fargate, are to be considered.
Future of Fargate containers to be decided
The future of the containers on Fargate is to be decided at the Council’s Strategy and Resources Committee next week.
Committee members will meet on Tuesday, January 24th to discuss four options presented to them by Council officers. These options are:
- Store the containers while alternative uses are explored further. Alternative uses could include working with community groups and improving catering and toilet facilities in parks
- Locate the container park on a vacant plot of land on Sheaf Street by Sheffield railway station
- Explore with a third party the potential to locate the container park on a second vacant plot of development land near to Sheffield railway station
- Explore the potential to sell the containers to a third party
Officers are recommending Committee Members pursue option 1 with plans to reuse the containers in communities across the city.
In addition, they recommend the big screen at the complex is retained and reused in the city, with a location to be determined.
The containers will close for trading on January 29th and will be removed from site before the end of February 2023.
Ajman Ali, Executive Director of Operational Services, said:
“Officers have been working hard to draw up options for Committee Members to discuss and decide on next week. Although there have been several disappointing bumps in the road with this project, we are all committed to ensuring the future use of the containers is successful and valuable to the city.”
For info
The Strategy and Resources report is available to view. As well as putting forward options for consideration, it provides an overview of the project so far.
On December 12th 2022, The Strategy and Resources Committee approved:
- To pause further work to complete the first-floor bar, balcony and lift access until an options appraisal can be developed setting out the choices for the future of the container development.
- To fund, from revenue, the operational costs required to continue operating the retail, food, screen and temporary bar on the ground floor until at least 1 January 2023.
- To support the current tenants with advice and guidance to continue trading in January or find alternate retail units in the city centre if desired.
- To bring forward a further paper for decision in January once an options appraisal has been produced with proposals on the use of the containers after removal from Fargate.
- In line with good reflective practice, a review is undertaken on the container project outlining learning for future projects.
