Mr Andrew Coombe, HM Lord-Lieutenant of South Yorkshire, visited for a VIP tour of Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park to see the significant progress that had been made in the last twelve months.
David Hobson, Project Director for Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park, said: “It’s a great privilege to welcome back the Lord-Lieutenant.
“A lot has happened in the last twelve months and the Park is becoming a shining example of one of the most exciting and ambitious legacy projects to come out of the London 2012 Olympic Games.
“We’re quickly developing our plans to become a cluster of collaborative research centres focused on improving health and wellbeing using sport as a basis, and we’re now set to play a key role in supporting the UK’s life sciences sector – encouraging economic growth and improving health outcomes across the country. It’s been great to update Mr Coombe with these latest developments.”
Since Mr Coombe’s previous visit in 2016, the Park – which is a joint venture between Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield Hallam University and Sheffield City Council – has been opened to the public.
New developments on the site include the city’s second University Technical College (UTC) specialising in health sciences, sport science and computing for up to 600 13 to 19-year-olds, and a community pitch for the Oasis Academy, UTC and local community to use in addition to Sheffield Eagles Rugby League Club and Sheffield United Ladies FC.
Later this year, construction will begin on Sheffield Hallam University’s Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre and later in the year construction will commence on the National Centre for Food Engineering.
In addition, proposals have been announced for two further world-class Research and Innovation Centres in healthcare – Centre for Child Health Technology led by Sheffield Children’s Hospital and Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation Research and Innovation Centre led by Sheffield Teaching Hospitals.
Mr Coombe said: “Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park has come a long way since I was last here, the site is very impressive.
“It’s great to see the progress being made and learn about how this unique project is already having an impact on the education of the local community in Darnall and Attercliffe and the development of new skills for students at the UTC.”
