Planning permission submitted for Hillsborough Park Multi-Activity Hub

Hillsborough Park Aerial

Plans have been submitted to build a new Multi-Activity Hub in Sheffield’s Hillsborough Park, which will include all new tennis courts, a multi-use games area, mini golf, a new café and more.

Sheffield City Council say the aim of the new hub is to create a high-quality facility nestled in green space, that will help people to be more physically and socially active in their local area.

They have enlisted the help of partner Courtside CIC – who are dedicated to increasing physical activity through the transformation of local parks – to create the activity hub. They will be bringing additional investment that will allow for the redevelopment of the tennis courts and multi-use games area.

Councillor Richard Williams, Chair of the Communities, Parks and Leisure Committee at Sheffield City Council, said: “We are dedicated to ensuring that everyone in Sheffield has equal opportunities when it comes to health, sport and wellbeing. To do this, we need to make sure that everyone has access to quality facilities and services. 

“The development of this unique new facility will have a real benefit to the local Hillsborough community, and I am delighted we are one step closer to making this happen with the submission of plans.”

The proposal for Hillsborough Park Multi-Activity Hub includes the development of:

• Three full sized, pay and play tennis courts, with high quality, considerate floodlighting.
• One tennis court will also have netball markings.
• A resurfaced and redesigned, free to use, multi-use games area with basketball and football markings as well as floodlighting.
• A nine-hole, pay and play mini golf course.
• An open space for exercise, spectating and socialising.
• Two pay and play covered padel courts.
• A new café with indoor and outdoor seating, and public toilets.

Isobel Wells, Contract Manager at Courtside CIC, said: “It’s a very exciting time for Hillsborough and Sheffield as we submit plans for the development of our multi-activity hub in Hillsborough Park.

“This new facility will serve as a base for connecting the community. We look forward to creating a space that will bring people together and encourage them to be active, as well as protecting Hillsborough Park’s heritage as a place of rest and recreation for future generations.”

Hillsborough Park has been identified as the most suitable location in the city for the new hub, due to its popularity as a destination park and its excellent transport and access links.

In addition, the Council says the park’s existing multi-use games area is in need of investment to ensure it remains fit for park visitors to use.

Sheffield City Council have recently launched their 10-year Sport and Leisure Strategy, which aims to place Sheffield at the forefront of sport, physical activity, leisure, and wellbeing in the UK.

The strategy sets out the Council’s ambition to have facilities, activities and services, which are modern, welcoming, inclusive and meet the needs of everybody in Sheffield – encouraging more people to be more active, more often.

It was developed following a comprehensive consultation last year and will contribute to achieving the shared vision in the city’s Move More Strategy.

The proposals for the new Hillsborough Park Multi-Activity Hub support the new strategy and are part of ongoing plans to improve sport and leisure provision across Sheffield.

More information on the proposals here.