1. General information
Location and description of the intervention
City or FUA
Sheffield
Region
Europe
Short description of the intervention
'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)
Address

Sheffield
S3 8GJ
United Kingdom

Location
The NBS is a city-wide initiative, the GIS point marks the centre of the city
Source of NBS area image
Sheffield News Room (2019)
https://sheffieldnewsroom.co.uk/news/grey_to_green_phase_two/
Type of area before implementation of the NBS
Previous derelict area
Website of the intervention
http://www.greytogreen.org.uk/index.html
Timeline of intervention
Start date of the intervention (planning process)
2013
Start date of intervention (implementation process)
2015
End date of the intervention
2020
Present stage of the intervention
Completed
Please specify "other" stage of the intervention
Phase 1 of the scheme started in April 2015 and was completed in spring 2016 . it includes innovative perennial flower meadows, an interlinked sustainable urban drainage system (SUDS), rain gardens, public art and high quality paved footways and street furniture.
Grey to Green’ scheme has grown out of proposals in the City Centre Masterplan 2013
Phase 2 and 3 will take place as and when funding becomes available.
Goals of the intervention
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).
Quantitative targets
1. Transform 1.2 kilometres of redundant roads into attractive new linear public spaces in Phase 1 (ref1).
2. To provide better links in Castlegate and improve bus, pedestrian and cycling access from the northeast to the city centre and also towards Kelham (ref7).
Monitoring indicators defined
km of transformed road from grey to green (ref 1).
km of better connectivity and green accessible space (ref2).
Sustainability challenge(s) addressed
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
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).
Type of NBS project
Creation of new green areas
Maintenance and management of urban nature
NBS domain and interventions
Ecological domain(s) where the NBS intervention(s) is/are implemented
Grey infrastructure featuring greens
Alley or street trees and other street vegetation
Riverbank/Lakeside greens
Parks and urban forests
Green corridors and green belts
Blue infrastructure
Rivers/streams/canals/estuaries
Green areas for water management
Rain gardens
Swales and filter strips
Sustainable urban drainage systems
Please specify "other urban green space connected to grey infrastructure"
Amenities: Public art and high quality paved footways (ref 1). Cycling path (ref 7).
What is the level of innovation / development of the NBS related to water management?
Medium / High: sustainable urban drainage systems which include water storage and diverts water flooding
Vegetation Type
Trees
Please specify how many trees were planted
57 (Phase 2) (ref 7).
Please specify other amenities offered by the NBS
High quality paved footways (ref 1). Cycling path (ref 7).
Amenities offered by the NBS
Benches and drinking water stations
Playgrounds
Educational or biodiversity trails
Other
Services
Expected ecosystem services delivered
Regulating services
Flood regulation
Cultural services
Aesthetic appreciation
Inspiration for culture, art and design
Recreation
Mental and physical health and wellbeing
Physical and experiential interactions with plants and animals
Social and community interactions
Scale
Spatial scale
Micro-scale: District/neighbourhood level
Beneficiaries
Primary Beneficiaries
Local government/Municipality
Non-government organisation/Civil Society
Citizens or community groups
Governance
Governance arrangements
Government-led
Non-government actors
Public sector institution (e.g. school or hospital)
Researchers, university
Please specify the roles of the specific government and non-government actor groups involved in the initiative
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).
Key actors - initiating organization
EU body
Regional government
Local government/municipality
Land owners
Public space owned by the city
Key actors - Other stakeholders involved (besides initiating actors)
EU body
Regional government
Local government/municipality
Researchers/university
Land owners
Public space owned by the city
Participatory methods/forms of community involvement used
Dissemination of information and education
Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
Co-management/Joint management
Citizen oversight (e.g. boards, advisory)
Policy drivers
NBS intervention implemented in response to an Regional Directive/Strategy
Unknown
NBS intervention implemented in response to a national regulations/strategy/plan
Unknown
NBS intervention implemented in response to a local regulation/strategy/plan
Yes
Please specify the "local regulation/strategy/plan"
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).
Mandatory or voluntary intervention
Mandatory (based on policy)
Intervention is mandatory
Spatial planning guidance
Enablers
Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS vision/strategy/plan - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS section/part in a more general plan - mentioned in connection to the project
Yes
Please specify the general plan with GI/NBS section
Sheffield City Council, in partnership with the Environment Agency, has an ambitious flood management programme to 2021 that will make the city more resilient to flood risk. (ref 6)
If there is a relevant strategy or plan, please specify the theme / type of the plan.
City specific green space strategy or plan
Water regulation strategy
Presence of city network or regional partnerships focused on NBS - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
Presence of GI / NBS research project - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
Subsidies/investment for GI / NBS in the city - mentioned in connection to the project
Yes
Please specify
European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Sheffield City Region Investment Fund (SCRIF) (ref 2)
Co-finance for NBS
Yes
Co-financing governance arrangements
Yes
Co-governance arrangement
A fund / grant
Was this co-governance arrangement already in place, or was it set up specifically for this NBS?
Already in place
Financing
Total cost
More than €4,000,000
What is/was the Cost/Budget (EUR) of the NBS or green infrastructure elements?
Unknown
What are the total amount of expected annual maintenance costs?
Unknown
What is the expected annual maintenance costs of the NBS or GI elements?
Unknown
Please specify cost savings
Unknown
Please specify total cost (EUR)
Phase 1 of the scheme cost £3.4 million using funding from the new Sheffield City Region Investment Fund (SCRIF) – the first project to be funded from this pot – and European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). (ref 2)
In Phase 2, £5.8m funding was confirmed from the European Regional Development Fund, £2.8m of which is Sheffield City Region Local Growth Funding, as well as contributions from Sheffield City Council and Canal and Rivers Trust (ref 7)
Source(s) of funding
EU funds
Public regional budget
Public local authority budget
Type of fund(s) used
Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Other
Please specify other type of fund used
Funds provided by the Sheffield City Region Investment Fund (SCRIF) (2)
Non-financial contribution
Unknown
Business models
Risk reduction model
Green densification model
Which of the involved actors was motivated by this model?
Public actor (e.g. municipality)
Type of innovation
Technological
Process innovation
Infrastructural innovation
Please specify technological innovation
The project tries to mimic natural processes by allowing rain run-off to trickle over the edge of the length of the road into a swale, in this case made of special soils and filled with colourful plants. Whilst there will be some water that will soak deeper into the ground, the concrete low walls crossing the swale allow water to be held within each area with below and above ground features that control the flow from the higher to lower areas. In times of extreme rainfall flow potentially will overtop the walls in a cascade. (Ref 1) innovative perennial flower meadows, an interlinked sustainable urban drainage system (SUDS), rain gardens, public art and high quality paved footways (ref 1)
Novelty level of the innovation
The innovation is completely new without connections to previous initiative(s)
Please specify novelty level of the innovation
The SUDS work in Phase 1 is the longest retro-fit urban drainage scheme of its kind in the UK. (ref 2)
Replicability/Transferability
Unknown
Please specify Replicability/Transferability
Unknown
Impacts, benefits
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
Description of environmental benefits
Expected impacts include:
1. Water management: This scheme will be reconnecting the highway surface to its natural catchment, the River Don, by redirecting good quality water to the river whilst removing it from the previous route to the treatment works. (Ref 1)
2 Climate action for adaptation: provide an example of how to improve the resilience of the city. (Ref 1) An increase in tree street cover and shade will also offset the increasing heat island effect of climate change (Ref 2)
3. Green space creation by including perennial flower meadows, an interlinked sustainable urban drainage system (SUDS), rain gardens, (ref 1)
Economic impacts
Increase of green jobs (e.g. paid employment positions)
Description of economic benefits
The Grey to Green Phase 2 scheme represents a very welcome initiative to improve the quality of life for those residents and businesses that are based within the Castlegate area (ref 7).
Social and 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
Description of social and cultural benefits
- Vibrant park and walking trail will increase social cohesion (ref 2 & 7)
- The scheme still allows access traffic, buses and cyclists, and public art, seating areas, trees, shrubs and wild flowers have also been introduced into the street scene (ref 2).
- The Grey to Green Phase 2 scheme represents a long-overdue but very welcome initiative to improve the quality of life for those residents and businesses (ref 7).
Type of reported impacts
Expected impacts
Indicators
Unknown
Environmental, social and economic impacts
Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
Climate change mitigation
Water management (SDG 6)
Flood protection
Stormwater and rainfall management and storage
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
Habitat and biodiversity restoration
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
Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
Inclusive governance
Effective management
Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
Environmental and climate justice
Social interaction
Health and well-being (SDG 3)
Enabling opportunities for physical activity
Improving physical health
Creation of opportunities for recreation
Economic development and employment (SDG 8)
Employment/job creation
Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
Preservation of natural heritage
Analysis of specific impact categories
Job creation: The NBS created ...
Voluntary work opportunities
Negative impacts: Did the project cause any problems or concerns?
No information was found regarding negative impacts of the project
COVID-19 pandemic
Unknown as of July of 2020.
Methods of impact monitoring
Process of recording NBS impacts
No evidence in public records
Methods used to evaluate the impacts of NBS
Unknown
Evidence for use of assessment
Presence of an assessment, evaluation and/or monitoring process
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
Impact assessment mechanism
Name of any specific impact assessment tools
Unknown
Use of GIS in mapping impacts
No evidence in public records
Citizen involvement
Citizens involvement in assessment/evaluation
Unknown
Citizens involvement in the analysis of the assessment/evaluation
Unknown
Follow-up to the evaluation / assessment
Unknown
References
Web links relevant to the intervention
homepage greytogreen
news coverage1
news coverage 2
news coverage 3 -
Documents relevant to the intervention
Attachment Size
Executive leader report (132.4 KB) 132.4 KB
List of references
1. Greytogreen.org.uk. 2016. Grey To Green Project, Sheffield. [online] Available at: <http://www.greytogreen.org.uk/index.html> [Accessed 7 August 2020].
2. Sheffieldnewsroom.co.uk. 2016. Finishing Touches To First Phase Of ‘Grey To Green’ | Sheffield Newsroom | Sheffield City Council. [online] Available at: <https://sheffieldnewsroom.co.uk/news/finishing-touches-to-first-phase-of-grey-to-green/> [Accessed 7 August 2020].
3. Sheffield newsroom. (2016). Grey to Green scheme is a “blooming” success. Accessed at http://www.sheffieldnewsroom.co.uk/grey-to-green-scheme-awards/ [Not available]
4. Thestar.co.uk. 2016. Fifth Award For Sheffield's Grey To Green Scheme. [online] Available at: <http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/fifth-award-for-sheffield-s-grey-to-green-scheme-1-8250327> [Accessed 7 August 2020].
5. Ogden S. (2015). Executive Leader Report. Sheffield City Council.
6. Sheffield.citizenspace.com. 2018. [online] Available at: <https://sheffield.citizenspace.com/place-business-strategy/sheffield-green-commission/supporting_documents/Sheffield%20Green%20Commitment%20Report_FINAL.pdf> [Accessed 7 August 2020].
7. Sheffieldnewsroom.co.uk. 2019. Work On £5.8M Grey To Green Phase 2 Begins | Sheffield Newsroom | Sheffield City Council. [online] Available at: <https://sheffieldnewsroom.co.uk/news/grey_to_green_phase_two/> [Accessed 7 August 2020].
Comments and notes
Additional insights
section 4. / 1- Participatory methods/forms of community involvement used: five themes were chosen for the totem-like 4.2m structures installed in the area: Music Hall , Street Life, Water, Brewing and Industry. They are made by local artists from stone and metal and incorporate stories of the area . (ref 1)
Pictures of the NBS
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