Plans revealed for derelict ski village that spawned Team GB's best snowsport athletes
The first details have been revealed of a ￡22.5 million plan to redevelop Sheffield’s old ski village, destroyed by fire in 2012.
On Wednesday Extreme Destinations, the company chosen to develop the site last December, shared its vision to breathe new life into the area with Sheffield Council members. The presentation included a map and architect impressions, featuring a new ski slope, outlining the first phase of the development.
The new attraction will span 48 acres on the old ski village site and the surrounding Parkwood Springs area which overlooks the city.
Before it was burnt down by an accidental fire in 2012 the old Sheffield Ski Village played an integral part in the history of the British ski industry and produced a number of the UK’s most successful Winter Olympians. Sheffield native James Woods credits the site with launching his snow-sports career.
New plans reveal the multi-million-pound project will integrate a combination of action and adventure sports facilities, including the possibility of an indoor sky diving centre, a ski lodge and redeveloped mountain bike trails.
Keen to make site a year-round destination Extreme also plans to build live music venues, an E-Gaming and virtual-reality hub as well as restaurants, bars, social spaces, retail and accommodation.
Extreme will be responsible for the development, launch and running of the site and it’s thought the project will initially generate around 100 full-time jobs.
“This is a fantastic and unique opportunity to deliver an Extreme Destination right in the heart of Sheffield,” said Alistair Gosling, CEO of Extreme.
“We will be tapping into the world-wide phenomena of creating action and adventure destinations, where all the excitement of sport and leisure facilities come together – sports activities, accommodation, eating, drinking, shopping – in a totally immersive experience,” continued Gosling.
Britain's top indoor slopes
Phase one of the plan includes the resurrection of the old dry ski slope, which, in its heyday, was one of the largest artificial ski resorts in Europe, with four pistes, nursery slopes and a toboggan run.
Extreme hopes to open this phase of the project in 2019, before concentrating on its plans to develop residential and leisure facilities on the site, subject to planning permission.
James Woods began skiing at the dry slope aged 10, joining the Sharks Ski Club, and has gone on to take the freestyle skiing scene by storm, finishing fourth in ski slopestyle at the Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang this February.
Extreme has a strong foundation in the action sports industry, as owner of the Extreme television channel and organiser of a number of international events. Sheffield Council hopes that the global reach of the EXTREME brand, which has over 120 ambassadors such as Team GB Winter Olympians Jamie Nicholls and Rowan Cheshire, will help drive visitors from around the world to the city in south Yorkshire.
“It’s great to see Extreme's plans talking shape after many months of hard work by themselves and the council to get to this point,” said Councillor Mazher Iqbal, cabinet member for business and investment at Sheffield City Council.
“Bringing this area back into use as part of a truly global package of sports facilities, accommodation and other leisure pursuits is a fantastic outcome for the team at Sheffield Council.”
Extreme will reveal further plans for the site later this year.