Legal moves aim to ensure no hold-ups for Stocksbridge “crown jewel” 519 library and community hub
The building forms a key part of regeneration plans for the steel town’s high street
Last updated 14th Aug 2025
Legal protections are set to be put in place to enable a project to build a new library and community hub in Stocksbridge town centre to move forward.
The Stocksbridge 519 Library and Community Hub on Manchester Road forms a key part of regeneration plans for the steel town’s high street, made possible by government Towns Deal Funding of £24.1 million.
The scheme is being overseen by the Stocksbridge Town Deal Board, with Sheffield City Council taking a supporting role. A meeting of the council’s finance and performance policy committee on Monday (August 18) will be asked to agree to the council legally holding the land in order to ensure the smooth progress of the project.
A report to the committee recommends that the land should be held for planning purposes by the city council, in order that it can use legal powers to ensure that the project can go ahead, rather than being halted by claims that are being put forward by neighbouring landowners.
These would instead be dealt with by compensation payments.
The committee report says: “The council appointed specialist advisors to investigate the effect that the proposed development will have on neighbouring owners. The advisors have identified a limited number of parties who may have the benefit of rights that may be adversely affected by the new development.
“Further, the council has been approached by other parties who believe that they have a claim. The council is at various stages of negotiation with the parties affected.”
The report adds: “The use of Section 203 powers is seen as a last resort and allows any rights of light over the land to be developed to be overridden, thus preventing the beneficiaries of such rights from obtaining an injunction to prevent the development taking place.”
It argues that the use of these powers is justified in the public interest. This is because the regneration scheme is of “sufficient environmental, social and/or economic benefit to the wider society and local economy, such that an individual’s rights can be justifiably removed to ensure that the project can progress”.
A list of the parties who may have a claim and the levels of estimated compensation payable are being reported to councillors in a closed appendix to the report that is not available to the press or public.
Last month the town deals board announced that R G Carter Construction has been appointed as main contractor for the 519 project and the report says that some construction work is starting off site.
Board co-chair and Sheffield Penistone and Stocksbridge MP Marie Tidball said at the time: “The Stocksbridge 519 Hub is the crown jewel of this project, celebrating our industrial heritage and breathing new life into the heart of Stocksbridge.”
The funding has also been used to pay for a new number 35 daily circular bus service which better links the town with the Fox Valley Shopping Centre. The service, which began last month, is being provided by South Pennine Community Transport.
Other key projects being funded by the town deal include improvements to shopfronts and the shopping area, new facilities at Oxley Park including better footpaths and a skatepark, and ground and pitch upgrades at Stocksbridge Park Steels FC and Stocksbridge Rugby Club.