Last updated: October 2021
'Grey to Green' is one of the most invested projects in Sheffield, to transform the Riverside Business District. In Phase -1 this project will transform a 1.2 km unused road to attractive new public space, which will include innovative perennial flower meadows, an interlinked sustainable urban drainage system (SUDS), rain gardens, public art and high quality paved footways (ref 2). The whole project and landscape have been designed by the City Council, partnership with the University of Sheffield Landscape School, Amey and Robert Bray Associates. The SUD was designed by leading national experts on landscaping, and it is believed that SUD will help in flood relief in this part of the city by soaking up run off to the river within the ‘flood zone’ (ref 2). In Phase-2, the scheme will link Castlegate to the under-used Victoria Quays area and transform the almost redundant former inner ring road with sustainable drainage, floral meadows, segregated cycle lanes and public art. (ref7)
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Grey infrastructure featuring greens
- Alley or street trees and other street vegetation
- Blue infrastructure
- Riverbank/Lakeside greens
- Parks and urban forests
- Green corridors and green belts
- Rivers/streams/canals/estuaries
- Green areas for water management
- Rain gardens
- Swales and filter strips
- Sustainable urban drainage systems
Key challenges
- Water management (SDG 6)
- Stormwater and rainfall management and storage
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Environmental quality
- Air quality improvement
- Regeneration, land-use and urban development
- Regulation of built environment
- Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Creation of opportunities for recreation
- Economic development and employment (SDG 8)
- Economic development: service sectors
- Employment/job creation
Focus
Creation of new green areas, Maintenance and management of urban nature
Project objectives
1. To improve the quality and appearance of key public spaces in the Riverside Business District as an attractive place for new
investments and employment through the implementation of a corridor of Sustainable Urban Drainage (ref 5).
2. Grey to Green project will transform 1.2 kilometres of redundant roads into attractive new linear public spaces (ref1).
3. Includes perennial flower meadows, an interlinked sustainable urban drainage system (SUDS), rain gardens, public art and high quality paved footways and cycling path and street furniture (ref2).
4. The project will create (ref1): a. an attractive setting for existing and new investment and jobs; b. an improvement in the city’s resilience to climate change; c. an enhanced public realm and connectivity of the area with the rest of the city centre.
5. Phase 2 implemented in an additional area of the inner ring road and follow the same landscaping methods as Phase 1 (ref7).
Implementation activities
Phase 1 of the project has focussed on a 1.2 kilometre stretch of road. (ref 2). Phase 1, now completed, also includes five eye-catching public art 'totems' (ref 1).
Phase 2 scheme represents a long-overdue but very welcome initiative to improve the quality of life for those residents and businesses that are based within the Castlegate area (ref 7).
Main beneficiaries
- Local government/Municipality
- Non-government organisation/Civil Society
- Citizens or community groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Government-led
Type of initiating organisation
- EU body
- Regional government
- Local government/municipality
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Dissemination of information and education
- Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
- Co-management/Joint management
- Citizen oversight (e.g. boards, advisory)
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
The Sheffield City Council plays a lead role in the delivery of the project (ref 1). The Council has worked in partnership with the University of Sheffield Landscape School, Amey and Robert Bray Associates to design the scheme (Ref 2). North Midland Highways and Utilities was the contractor selected to build the scheme (ref 5).
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a national policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a local policy or strategy?
Yes
(The scheme has grown out of proposals in the City Centre Masterplan 2013 (ref 1) The ‘Grey to Green’ scheme has grown out of proposals in the City Centre Masterplan update of 2013 and is a key step towards expanding the boundary of the City Centre back to its historic origins around the River Don and Castlegate (Ref 2).)
Financing
Total cost
More than €4,000,000
Source(s) of funding
- EU funds
- Public regional budget
- Public local authority budget
Type of funding
- Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
- Other
Non-financial contribution
Unknown
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Climate change
- Reduced emissions
- Environmental quality
- Improved air quality
- Water management and blue areas
- Increased protection against flooding
- Improved stormwater management
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
- Increase in protected green space areas
Economic impacts
- Increase of green jobs (e.g. paid employment positions)
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Improved liveability
- Improved access to urban green space
- Increased opportunities for social interaction
- Health and wellbeing
- Improved physical health
- Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
Type of reported impacts
Expected impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Unknown
Presence of indicators used in reporting
No evidence in public records
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
References
1. Source link. 2016. Grey To Green Project, Sheffield. [online] Available at: <Source link [Accessed 7 August 2020].
2. Source link. 2016. Finishing Touches To First Phase Of ‘Grey To Green’ | Sheffield Newsroom | Sheffield City Council. [online] Available at: <Source link [Accessed 7 August 2020].
3. Sheffield newsroom. (2016). Grey to Green scheme is a “blooming” success. Accessed at Source link [Not available]
4. Source link. 2016. Fifth Award For Sheffield's Grey To Green Scheme. [online] Available at: <Source link [Accessed 7 August 2020].
5. Ogden S. (2015). Executive Leader Report. Sheffield City Council.
6. Source link. 2018. [online] Available at: <Source link [Accessed 7 August 2020].
7. Source link. 2019. Work On £5.8M Grey To Green Phase 2 Begins | Sheffield Newsroom | Sheffield City Council. [online] Available at: <Source link [Accessed 7 August 2020].
2. Source link. 2016. Finishing Touches To First Phase Of ‘Grey To Green’ | Sheffield Newsroom | Sheffield City Council. [online] Available at: <Source link [Accessed 7 August 2020].
3. Sheffield newsroom. (2016). Grey to Green scheme is a “blooming” success. Accessed at Source link [Not available]
4. Source link. 2016. Fifth Award For Sheffield's Grey To Green Scheme. [online] Available at: <Source link [Accessed 7 August 2020].
5. Ogden S. (2015). Executive Leader Report. Sheffield City Council.
6. Source link. 2018. [online] Available at: <Source link [Accessed 7 August 2020].
7. Source link. 2019. Work On £5.8M Grey To Green Phase 2 Begins | Sheffield Newsroom | Sheffield City Council. [online] Available at: <Source link [Accessed 7 August 2020].