FAQs

• Hillsborough Park has good transport and access links and the park services the whole of Sheffield

• The park’s existing MUGA is in need of investment to ensure it remains fit for park visitors to use

• Currently, provision for this type of activity is lacking in the northernmost point of central Sheffield. Not only would this be a unique project for the whole of the City but it would also be addressing a need in this area

• The site is located within an area identified as within the lowest 30% Indices of multiple deprivation (IMD) in the city. With 48% of adults classed as inactive and 1 in 5 children in the Hillsborough Ward classed as obese. The provision of quality sport and recreational facilities will have a real benefit to communities with identified health inequalities  

Courtside CIC (often referred to as Courtside for ease) is a community interest company dedicated to increasing physical activity and promoting community through the transformation of local parks. Courtside currently partner with Sheffield City Council and have operated Parks Tennis across the city since 2017. During this time there has been considerable improvements to the quality of tennis court provision across the city, as well as a significant increase in the numbers of people accessing tennis in the city. 

The Hillsborough hub would employ 10-12 people in catering and community activation; the onsite team would deliver activity elsewhere in Sheffield’s parks tennis sites.

For clarity the organisation are registered as Courtside Hubs CIC on Companies House for ease we refer to them as 'Courtside'.

Courtside

• Winter 2023/24: Planning Application Process

• Spring/Summer 2024: Proposed Construction Works

• Summer/Autumn 2024: Activity Hub Opens

The Council is currently facing unprecedented financial challenges in the aftermath of the pandemic. A significant amount of work is being done to ensure that the Council can continue to deliver the services that the public expect however this is not possible purely through Council funding in lots of areas. 

We must do things differently and work in ways that may feel at odds with the way we have done things in the past. If we fail to draw in investment and generate income, appropriately and sensitively, we will need to cut services and the impacts of that will be seen on our parks and green spaces. Working with partners such as the Lawn Tennis Association, Sport England and Courtside, we are able to pool funding to deliver a high quality sustainable resource which the Council alone, would not be in a position to fund.

As well as the main aim to create a hub which will reduce health inequalities, supporting the health and well-being of key target audiences within Hillsborough and the surrounding area, this project aims to improve facilities, employ people and offer a year round programme of activity. 

Key highlights include;: 

• Free access, connecting well with the existing All Wheels Park

• A local team that looks out for the physical, mental and social well-being of local people

• A staff presence morning to evening to improve perceptions of community safety

• A culture of developing staff, embracing volunteers and working with partners

• A range of informal or structured activity options for all ages, abilities and backgrounds

• A focus on children, older people, women and girls, and those facing disadvantage

• Scope for GP referrals/social prescribing

It is proposed that this potential development would reside on the same footprint as the current tarmacked area that includes the MUGA, tennis courts and table tennis courts. A small area of grass will be used to extend the learn to ride area and widen pathways for full accessibility. Given the conservation area, careful consideration has been given to design and landscaping, with the project delivering a biodiversity net gain.

The following interventions have been proposed which deliver a  Biodiversity Net Gain of 540% whilst also improving the visual amenity of the park. 

• 2 new English Oak Trees (label 1 on the Landscape Sketch in 'Documents')
• A new 'super pollinator' wildflower meadow (label 2 on the Landscape Sketch in 'Documents')
• A new 'woodland fringe' wildflower meadow (label 3 on the Landscape Sketch in 'Documents')

Biodiversity net gain (BNG) is a way to contribute to the recovery of nature while developing land. It is making sure the habitat for wildlife is in a better state than it was before development. 

Understanding biodiversity net gain - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Yes. This development will need to obtain full planning permission.

The link to the planning application is below under 'useful links'. The deadline for comments is Friday 12th January 2024. 

As with the current tennis courts, some facilities would be paid-for use such as the padel and mini golf. Courtside is committed to ensuring that these are affordable and promote inclusivity with related community engagement activity. Facilities such as the MUGA, table tennis and open access areas will be free to use.

The hub would be open in the evenings, providing a presence and activity at times when the park is quieter and when perceptions of safety are lower. Lighting within the hub would turn off no later than 10:00 PM, subject to planning permission.

The car park will continue to be locked overnight.

Yes, one of the specific benefits of the site is its open, flat design; all facilities will be as accessible as possible, and we want the hub to be known as a welcoming place offering variety and value for all ages and abilities.

Courtside will have an onsite presence from morning to evening which we believe will help build relationships and reinforce respect for the park and facilities. CCTV will be installed as part of the development and the hub staff will act as additional ‘eyes and ears’. From research and past developments we know that having an onsite presence and schedule of activity increases interaction and discourages anti-social behaviour.

We are aware that this is a significant change for the park, and we are working with stakeholders to ensure the new facility and layout allows them to continue and enhance their services which has included widening of paths and extension of the learn to ride area, as shown in the layout plan (see Documents)

The path to the west of the tennis courts (nearest the pond) is being widened to 3 metres, currently this is 1.5 metres. This will enable users (both on wheels and on foot) to have more space for passing each other which is especially important for park users utilising the space on adapted cycles.

The hub is not a leisure centre, nor a specialist sports club/facility. In addition to providing a mix of free pay and play activities, the hub will be a source of information (via display materials and staff presence) for activities taking place within the park and beyond. It will complement – rather than compete with – existing provision.

For a long time, Hillsborough Park has needed improved catering and welfare facilities; it is a positive to have interest and funding from able partners to help realise the park’s potential. With the opening of the Depot Bakery in 2022, this is an exciting time for Hillsborough Park, and we know from previous consultation that improvement in access to these type of facilities make such a significant difference to Sheffield’s parks. The coach house and hub cafés are different sites that will cater to different users; both are served by their own busy roads; there is more scope for collaboration to provide services for different people than there is competition to serve them.  

The open, flat, flexible design allows for multiple activities to be offered, as many facilities can be multi-purpose. We are consciously avoiding facilities offered by others locally (e.g., gym, football, bowling). We are adding popular recreational activities to offer more than just ‘traditional sport’ and allow for groups to get together and for individuals to choose between moderate or more vigorous options. A new MUGA will offer additional free activity which is especially important for kids and teens. Padel is growing rapidly and will be popular across different ages.

Padel is a fun ‘bat and ball’ variation of tennis played in a smaller, enclosed court in a social doubles format (4 players). It is one of the fastest growing sports in the world. To find out more please go to:

https://www.lta.org.uk/play/ways-to-play/padel

We want to bring people together and deliver and maintain a mix of amenities for all ages. The new facilities can be ‘flexed’ to accommodate a wide range of activities for young and old, and everyone in between. The hub will promote social inclusion, physical health and mental well-being, by offering a calendar of community-led activities.

The existing facilities at Hillsborough Park are very limited and lack facilities that are welcoming for female users. The hub will help close this gap, by responding to recent research (January 2023) conducted by Make Space For Girls, which outlined the importance of social spaces and toilet facilities within parks. 

More locally, 78% of girls surveyed in Yorkshire said that a lack of toilet and changing facilities was a barrier to them exercising in the park and 67% said that a lack of toilets was a barrier to them using the park altogether [102]. Elsewhere, researchers found that a park was fourteen times more likely to be highly used by teenagers if there were public access toilets, and their provision was directly associated with increased activity levels [103].

102 Yorkshire Sport, 2022. 103 Wards, 2015

If this development does not go ahead, we will need to pursue alternative means of improving the tennis and multi-use games area facilities. Due to the financial constraints that the Council are facing, alternatives to the partnership approach will provide a much less sustainable future for the delivery of quality recreational facilities in this area of the park – and will not provide scope for a site presence with coaching and engagement professionals to support positive use of the space nor welfare or catering facilities.

No, the opposite: the mix of facilities will enable income to be generated which can be reinvested into the facilities for on-going community use

The park will remain open whilst construction takes place. Disruption will be kept to a minimum and we have been liaising with stakeholders (some mentioned in the questions below) to ensure operations can continue during this period with minimal impact. 

We know how important a resource this is for adults, teenagers and children, the ‘All Wheels’ Park will remain open for use whilst construction takes place.

No, during construction the Parkrun route should not be impacted. Courtside and the Council will be working closely with Parkrun to minimise any disruption. Once built the cafe will provide further facilities for Parkrun users to use.

All forms of active travel will be promoted (walk, cycle, scoot, etc) and new bike racks will help facilitate the safe storage of cycles. We are also looking at options to incorporate a buggy park. Hillsborough Park has good tram and bus links as well as ample car parking.

Yes, the proposed designs include a multi-purpose indoor space. This is needed to help people to continue to be active and use the facilities during the winter months. There will be an offer of weekly physical and social activities and available meeting space.

Courtside are exploring sustainable methods of construction and are committed to reducing waste and creating an energy efficient building, for example with solar panels and renewable heating sources.

Courtside and the Council have been working closely with the organisers of Tramlines to ensure that construction of the hub and its future operation do not impact Tramlines as well as making sure disruption and any closure of the hub is kept to a minimum.

We know that some residents have raised concerns about the ‘privatisation’ of our parks. The Council is being clear that we are not selling off park land – our parks and the buildings in them belong to the people of Sheffield. Our plan is to find ways to provide and maintain the best parks and facilities for the long-term.  This includes bringing events into our parks, providing the services that people want to see in their green spaces, and accessing external funding to make park changes or improvements such as this hub.