Container Park Sheffield: Council comes back with new plan for controversial attraction

Sheffield’s City Council has announced new plans for the controversial Container Park development.

The authority removed the attraction in March to make way for a revamp of Fargate after six difficult months in the city centre.

The development of shops, eateries and a bar was delayed for months, ran over budget and never fully opened. Originally set to cost £300,000, spending ballooned to £576,000. 

In January, councillors agreed they should go into storage before being used as toilets or for catering in parks. 

Now it has opened up bidding for community uses - but warned there is no funding for transportation or groundworks costs. It did not reveal where the eight metal containers - two 30ft and six 40ft long - are being stored. They come with 'a variety of modifications' including doors, windows and water and power inlets.

Coun Tom Hunt, leader of Sheffield City Council and chair of the strategy and resources committee, said: “We’re committed to ensuring the containers find new homes in communities across Sheffield. If your organisation is interested in using a container then please get in touch. I’m looking forward to hearing about the proposals and to seeing the containers repurposed in new locations across the city”.

Applicants must meet council objectives including ‘fair, inclusive and empowered communities’, ‘tackling inequalities and supporting people through the cost-of-living crisis’ and ‘healthy lives and wellbeing for all’.

Bid must be in by September 10. The strategy and resources committee will make a decision later this year. Winners will then meet council officials to finalise details and sign contracts.

The  ill-fated Container Park project was announced in late 2021 when there were high hopes a busy hub could help boost footfall and revive Fargate’s flagging fortunes. 

It was supposed to open ahead of the Women’s Euros in July last year but the boxes were not lowered into place until August 8 and did not open until late October, before closing at the end of January. An upstairs bar planned for the development never opened.

Its position had to be changed after Yorkshire Water warned it could collapse one of the city’s biggest sewers. And the city council fell out with operator SteelYard Kelham, which eventually walked away.

Apply here: https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/steelcontainers