Sheffield city centre revamp to take three years after costs double to £33m

A revamp of Sheffield city centre is set to run into a third year after costs more than doubled to £33.6m.

Phase 2 of works under the Future High Street Fund project are unlikely to start before 2025, council documents show.

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High Street, Castle Square, Hartshead Square, George Street and Mulberry Street are all in line for an upgrade. The authority says the work is ‘essential’ because it will improve links between Fargate and Castlegate.

It is set to start after a major overhaul of Fargate completes. The target for that project, which started last year, is ‘for the majority of work to complete by the end of 2024’.

A council spokesperson confirmed the overall cost was now £33.6m, up from £15.8m in 2020. It previously said the rise was due to inflation. It aims to make up the difference with £5m from its own coffers and £11.9m from the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority.

A council document states Phase 2 is set to cost £3m and involve widening pavements and ‘greening’ Castle Square, a major tram stop.

It adds: ‘Phase 2 works remain essential given the importance of High Street and Castle Square as a key pedestrian route linking Levelling Up Fund investment at Castlegate with Fargate and Heart of the City’.