UK's abandoned ski village set to be transformed as part of a £20million scheme

A long-abandoned ski village in Sheffield is set for a major transformation as part of a £20m regeneration scheme. The former Sheffield Ski Village at Parkwood Springs, once famous for training British freestyle skiers, has stood derelict since a devastating fire in 2012. Now, plans are moving forward to bring the site back into use as an outdoor leisure destination.

Sheffield City Council is progressing with the redevelopment as part of a wider programme aimed at unlocking the 51-acre site. A key element of the project is a new £12m access road linking Oakham Drive and Vale Road, designed to overcome long-standing access problems caused by a low railway bridge. The works also include upgrades to the Rutland Road-Oakham Drive junction to support expected increases in traffic.

The redevelopment is backed by a £19.4m Levelling Up grant, which will fund site clearance, improvements across Parkwood Springs and construction of the new access route.

New Zealand-based Skyline Luge has been brought in to masterplan the redevelopment and has already invested £200,000 to help push the scheme forward. Representatives from the company met with councillors during a recent visit to Sheffield to discuss proposals for what has been described as a major outdoor leisure facility.

Labour councillor Tom Hunt, Leader of Sheffield City Council, said: "Parkwood Springs is an important part of our regeneration work. Our plans to transform the whole area and the old Ski Village site continue to move forward.

"It was great to welcome Skyline back to the city and have positive discussions about their exciting plans for the site. We hope to be able to share more information in the spring."

Skyline Enterprises chief executive Geoff McDonald said: "Skyline sees real potential in the Parkwood Springs opportunity and is keen to progress discussions with Sheffield City Council on how we can deliver this for the Sheffield community."

Back in 2024, after government funding was confirmed, the council outlined its wider vision for Parkwood Springs.

At the time, Labour and Co-operative councillor Ben Miskell, Chair of the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee, said: "Parkwood Springs is an incredibly important site in Sheffield, it had been used for many years by a whole host of people. Since the ski village closed, the area has needed something to breathe new life into it.

"Our plans do exactly that, we want to create a country park in the city, a place for Sheffield residents and visitors to go, relax and enjoy on a daily basis. Confirmation of funding from the new government will help us to transform the area."

He later added: "Sheffield is changing, it's transforming into a fantastic area, full of character and full of place, just like Parkwood Springs. What was once a busy bustling area, will be once again with a new regional leisure destination included that will further enhance the city's reputation as 'The Outdoor City'."

The regeneration is being overseen by an Area Board chaired by Gill Furniss, Labour MP for Brightside and Hillsborough.

She said back in 2024: "Securing government funding enables us to progress with the exciting next stage of redeveloping the Parkwood site. Comparable in size to Hyde Park, this vibrant space is home to a number of community groups and projects, all actively contributing to the Area Board I chair.

"Together, we're working to create something truly exceptional - a giant urban lung for the city, providing people with opportunities to get out and enjoy our beautiful green spaces."

As far as the skiing element is concerned, the latest plans talk about transforming the village as part of a wider outdoor leisure destination, with confirmed plans for a zipline, luge ride, and gondola lift.

While there have been campaigns in the past to revive the ski slopes, it remains to be seen whether they'll still be a part of the regeneration.