Having operated the tennis courts onsite and across the city for several years, we are seeking to create a multi-activity hub that brings people together and helps them to get active.
Following a procurement exercise, political approval and funding success, the project has now progressed to the planning application stage and the proposals include a brand new, forever free multi-use games area and tennis courts with LED lighting, covered padel courts, mini golf course, community café, public access toilets and indoor activity space – a brew, a loo and lots to do!
Download our designs and FAQs.
April 2024 update
23/03892/FUL – Hillsborough Park community hub planning application: Planning permission granted
We are delighted to announce that planning permission has been unanimously granted for the development of a multi-activity hub and community café in Hillsborough Park.
Plans were submitted to Sheffield City Council in December 2023 and underwent review by the council, local residents and statutory bodies. This followed a public consultation in spring of the previous year which showed that over 80% of respondents were positive about the Hillsborough hub overall and 56% said that the proposals would make them use the park more. We also consulted with park users – including Sheffield Cycling 4 All, parkrun, MUGA users, tennis players and local schools – to ensure the new hub layout allows them to continue and enhance their enjoyment of the park.
The approved plans, which are fully funded by Sheffield City Council, DLUHC, Sport England, the Lawn Tennis Association and Courtside, include: a community café with indoor and outdoor seating, a fully resurfaced MUGA with LED lighting and line markings for 5-aside football and 4 separate games of basketball, new free-to-use toilets and water supply, a flexible communal outdoor space, low-cost activity options such as tennis, padel and mini golf, an indoor activity space, an extended Learn to Ride area accessible by widened pathways, and improved landscaping which is set to achieve a biodiversity net gain of over 500%.
We developed these plans with accessibility in mind. The whole site will be wheelchair friendly open to people with any disability seen or unseen. The path to the west of the tennis courts (nearest the pond) is being widened to 3 metres, from its current 1.5 metres, which will allow users (both on wheels and on foot) to have more space for passing each other, especially important for park users utilising the space on adapted cycles.
By having lower intensity options for exercise such as padel and mini golf, and social activities in the community café, we are ensuring that the Hillsborough hub caters for the older generations that can often be overlooked. Furthermore, by having free-to-use toilets, alongside a variety of new activity options, we hope that girls in Sheffield feel more confident spending time and exercising in Hillsborough Park, as previous Yorkshire Sport research found a lack of toilet facilities to be a barrier to girls exercising and spending time in parks at all.
The income generated from paid-for facilities and activities, and from food and drink, at good value price points to suit the local area, will help to cross subsidise exercise options for those who face economic barriers to participation, including free ‘Holiday and Food’ camps offered to disadvantaged local children. In addition, maintenance fees to look after facilities will be ring-fenced to benefit the Hillsborough Park charity.
Having been granted planning permission, we are aiming to satisfy the relevant planning conditions and confirm the appointment of a local construction company to commence works in May 2024. The onsite team will do their utmost to minimise disruption during construction with the end result being improved facilities that maintain and enhance the heritage of Hillsborough Park for future generations to enjoy.
We are grateful to everyone who has helped to shape these approved plans by completing surveys, attending public consultations and commenting on the planning application. The team is excited about the imminent commencement of renovations and confident that, once all is complete, the Hillsborough hub will be the place to go for a range of social and physical activities with a welcoming community feel. The goal is to create a home from home for local people and a destination day out for others, to achieve even more social impact in Hillsborough and across Sheffield.
Isobel Wells
Contract Manager, Courtside
December 2023 update
Planning application submission: Hillsborough multi-activity hub & community café 13/11/23
Our planning application for the proposed multi-activity hub in Hillsborough Park is now live and under consideration by the Council’s planning department.
The proposals include a brand new, forever free multi-use games area and tennis courts with LED lighting, covered padel courts, mini golf course, community café, public access toilets and indoor activity space – a brew, a loo and lots to do!
Comments can be made at: Sheffield City Council – Tennis Courts at Hillsborough Park 15th September 2023
Sheffield City Council’s Charity Trustee Sub-Committee is an appointed group responsible for decisions relating to public spaces such as Hillsborough Park that have charitable status.
After much discussion with Council staff, local stakeholders and residents, and following
extensive consideration of objections raised, on 15th September 2023 the Sub-Committee voted 4-1 in favour of approving the Council’s recommendation to appoint Courtside Hubs CIC to develop and operate a multi-activity hub in Hillsborough Park; Courtside was the preferred partner as a result of an open tender process conducted in winter 2022.
Work will now get underway on preparing a planning application.
Isobel Wells
Contract Manager, Courtside