Friends of Parkwood Springs

21/10/2026

Great to see the Lantern Festival being used as an example in the bid for the City of Culture https://www.thestar.co.uk/news/politics/council/councillor-says-city-of-culture-status-should-be-for-the-whole-city-as-sheffield-awaits-shortlist-decision-9299729 and featuring in the Star https://www.thestar.co.uk/news/19-photos-at-parkwood-springs-lantern-festival-in-sheffield-celebrating-wonder-of-nature-9297577?page=3 .tab=0

People shared in the delight and magic of lanterns as the evening drew in

20/10/2026

Now that we've cleared up after the Lantern Festival it is time to get back to practical conservation activities on Parkwood Springs. Our four weekly Ranger-led Conservation Session will take place this Saturday 24th October. We will be continuing our work maintaining the rare lowland heath by removing birch seedlings. Meet in the Shirecliffe Road car park S5 8XB at 10am and we will finish about 12.30, with a break for refreshments half way through. Tools and gloves provided, just come dressed for the weather.

18/10/2026

Thank you to everyone who came to yesterday's Lantern Festival, it was a great event, and thanks to everybody who made it happen. Particular thanks to local artists Patrick Amber and Jo Veal whose own brilliant lanterns and those they helped people make were so spectacular!

11/10/2026

We've all been working hard refurbishing lanterns, and Patrick Amber and Jo Veal have been helping you mend old ones and make some fabulous new ones - this year's theme is Together for Nature. It's nearly time to show them all off at the Lantern Festival this coming Saturday 17th October. Things will be happening on the heliport field, S5 8XB, from 4.30pm and the Sheffield Samba Band will lead the procession off about 5.45. We will finish with a fire dance display by Mr Fox at about 7pm.

We could still do with help on the day, if you would like to volunteer contact us on [email protected]. We would be grateful for any time you can spare.

25/09/2026

It's our Conservation Session tomorrow, Saturday 26th September. We'll be meeting on the Shirecliffe Road car park S5 8XB at 10am and working on removing small self set birch trees which are trying to turn rare lowland heath habitat into woodland. We'll have a break for refreshments about half way through and tools and gloves will be provided - just come dressed for the weather.

We've been told about some Japanese knotweed treatment which will take place next week - here's what the Council told us:

As part of planned eradication works, operatives will be treating Japanese knotweed on the former ski-village site between 1st-9th October. Please pay heed to any signage and/or instruction from operatives if visiting this part of the site during these times.

NB - this is not part of the Skyline project!

20/09/2026

It's that lantern making time of year again!

The 2026 Parkwood Springs Lantern Festival is on Saturday October 17th and local artists Patrick Amber and Jo Veal will be running their ever popular lantern making workshops starting next Saturday 26th, from 11am to 4pm. Most will be at Abbeyfield House, Burngreave Road, S3 9DL, but on October 10th there will also be one at Shirecliffe Community Centre, Shirecliffe Road, S5 8XL. This year's theme is Together for Nature and we've got financial support from the Sheffield Town Trust.

All materials will be provided and the activities are suitable for all ages - including some sessions where we will be sprucing up our giant lanterns from previous festivals. Come on down and make yourself an animal mask - what are you going to be on the procession - a badger, a squirrel, a fox?

16/09/2026

Some good news, Skyline have just told us that, in response to our requests, as well as extending their consultation until 27th September they have also been able to arrange another consultation drop-in event. With the help of the Council it will take place on Tuesday 22nd September from 10.30am to 1pm at Abbeyfield House, Abbeyfield Road, S4 7AT, which will be helpful for residents of Burngreave and Pitsmoor. It has been timed to help people who weren't able to attend either of the previous drop-ins because of shift work or being away to see the plans in detail and talk directly to those responsible.

The online pre-planning consultation for the Skyline development continues until the 27th. You can access it here: https://skylinesheffieldproject.co.uk/have-your-say/. Please let them know what you think.

The Council's consultation about the new road access from Rutland Road along Oakham Drive linking onto Vale Road also continues online, this time until 20th September. Please let them know your views: https://haveyoursay.sheffield.gov.uk/parkwood-springs-access-road.

You can see the response of the Friends group on our website: https://www.parkwood-springs.org.uk/news.

Discover Skyline's vision for Parkwood Springs, Sheffield: karting, playground, food and drink. Share your feedback today.

13/09/2026

Thank you to everyone who came to the two Skyline drop-in events, you now have until 27th September to let them know your views. Hopefully they will also be able to organise a further session in the Pitsmoor/Burngreave area. It has been a busy week - 18 people came along to our Heritage Open Days history walk on Friday and we enjoyed a Forest Garden work session on Saturday. The change in the weather has helped the garden begin to recover from the hot, dry summer and we enjoyed a gentle drizzle with occasional bursts of warm sunshine.

11/09/2026

Good news, Skyline have responded to our concerns that their consultation period was too short, they have extended it by a week https://skylinesheffieldproject.co.uk/news-updates/public-consultation-period-extended/. We understand they are also considering having a third consultation event, hopefully in the Pitsmoor/Burngreave area.

07/09/2026

The Friends group representative will be taking concerns about the arrangements for the Skyline drop-in sessions and consultation to the Parkwood Area Board tomorrow. We will put our comments on our website after the meeting.

Please go along to the drop-in consultations if you are able to. We will be attending both sessions, we need to have a clearer understanding of exactly how the proposals will affect current site users and the environment. After we have seen more details we will be making comments to Skyline, which we will again publish on our website.

We ask that as many people as possible voice their opinions directly to Skyline either by attending the drop-ins or through https://www.skylinesheffieldproject.co.uk/contact-us/. You can see what we have said about the project already here https://www.parkwood-springs.org.uk/news

Some people are having difficulty reading the Masterplan maps on the Skyline website - they are based on a detailed map of the existing site which is also on the website and may make it easier to understand the proposals. You can find that herehttps://media.skylineluge.com/sheffield/media/uploads/2026/09/03214450/202609-Skyline-Sheffield-Project-Site-Map.pdf