Decision details

To request approval to accept a grant of £50,000 from the Environment Agency in order to progress survey work and develop the design with a view to the preparation of a planning application for the deculverting of the River Sheaf on the Castle site in Castlegate.

(i) That the Environment Agency Grant offer of £50,000 to Sheffield City Council be accepted; and

(ii) authority be delegated to the Director of Finance and Commercial Services, Director of Legal and Governance and Executive Director to finalise the grant funding agreement in accordance with Council procedures.

Option 3 is the preferred option.  This funding will help progress the early developmental stages of the deculverting project enabling a better understanding of the culvert, the river bank, river bed and the weir.

This will enable the design for the project to be worked up in more detail, with a view to submitting a planning application when funding is secured.

This will help to de-risk the project and enable more accurate drawings and costings to be drawn up.

Option 1-  Do Nothing. The culvert is in a poor state of repair and is already incapable of bearing heavy vehicles.  The culvert will require repair or removal at the Council’s expense in the next three years.  Remedial work carried out in an emergency is costly, would be completely at the Council’s expense as landowner, and will not provide the regeneration benefits that a planned removal of the culvert will. This option is not acceptable.

Option 2 – Refuse the offer of £50k funding and continue to seek funding for the whole deculverting project from elsewhere. The Council does not have funds to complete the deculverting works including the creation of the new open space.  This option is not acceptable for the same reasons as Option 1.

Option 3 – Accept the EA grant (recommended).  Preparatory survey work can be undertaken which will enable costs for the removal of the culvert to be accurately drawn up, which will inform future bids for funding and the wider project, as well as de-risking the project.  The project design will also be worked up, in preparation for submission of a planning application at a future date.  This will reduce the time involved in progressing the full project once funding is secured.