A report in Sheffield Today says:

Sheffield Ski Village is on the brink of closing because the city council is dragging its feet over an £80 million redevelopment scheme that would have created 600 jobs, claim the Parkwood Springs centre's owners and investors.

But council chiefs say proposals to build houses at Beeley Wood as part of the project are the root of the problem.

Ski Village owners say they have put the slope up for sale for £1 million because of the lack of progress for their plans to create 'Snow Mountain,' Europe's largest innovative indoor snow hall and a mixture of leisure and retail facilities, including a cable car and an hotel, which they estimated would bring a million visitors to the city each year.

"We have not taken the decision lightly," said owner John Fleetham.

"We cannot just keep pouring money into the venue and more importantly cannot continue to invest hundreds of thousands of pounds on exciting and essential re-development plans which now appear to be going nowhere according to the responses we are receiving.

"We have been working on these proposals and seeking planning permission to proceed, for almost five years now without success. During that time our facility has been left behind as real snow slopes start to open up all over the UK.

"We have continued to invest hundreds of thousands of pounds in the business, to keep things going. Our bankers have now seen too many false dawns and witnessed how we have been thwarted by issues which should not get in the way of developing a major tourist destination location for the city. They have lost confidence in Sheffield being able to deliver.

"We have taken the option of seeking a buyer, who may perhaps have an alternative use for the site which would save jobs, otherwise we will have no other option but to go down the route of closure."

But John Mothersole, Sheffield City Council executive director for development, environment and leisure, said the problem centres around plans for housing, submitted by the Ski Village's development partner Menta and linked to their proposals for Snow Mountain.

Mr Mothersole said: "We have been aware of the Ski Village's financial troubles and would be very disappointed to see it close. We are open to further discussions with developer Menta but, as it currently stands, the Beeley Wood site is not suitable for housing.

"If Menta felt that the only strategy to pursue was building houses at Beeley Wood then the council's position is very clear. If Menta wish to work with us on alternative ways of securing the future of the Ski Village, we are and always have been, available to work with them.

"We have built a real respect for Menta's dogged determination to invest in Sheffield. In the case of Beeley Wood what they have asked for is undeliverable."

Menta director Craig Marks said: "We are disappointed it has come to this. We have had terrific reaction to our plans from key people and organisations in the city, including the chamber of commerce and members of the council. But, when it comes to the crunch, we have been frustrated by issues which, if the city is not careful, will lead to a continual downward spiral of neglect and decay in this part of the Upper Don Valley."

Mr Marks also criticised the council's own plans for the Claywheels Lane and Beeley Wood area, dismissing them as "insubstantial and economically unsound," with no indication of how they might be funded.

Upper Don Valley Regeneration Consultation - Menta Development Limited invites you to have your say on the future of the UCAR site & Claywheels Lane

Please complete a questionnaire at www.sheffieldskivillage.co.uk

Have your say and be entered into a free draw to win a Free Guaranteed to Ski or Snowboard Course at the Sheffield Ski Village.
All those that complete a questionnaire in full, will receive by email a voucher for '2 for the price of 1 on Ski or Snowboard lessons at the Sheffield Ski Village'.

Fresh concerns have been raised about Sheffield Council's decision to reject plans for an estate of 550 new homes which would have provided the profits to bankroll a regeneration project to transform the Upper Don Valley.

David Blunkett is disappointed that Sheffield Council can't see an imaginitive way around the current blocking of a housing development that threatens the larger regeneration in the Upper Don Valley.

Here's more on the planning rejection that threatens Snow Mountain in Sheffield.

SSV bosses concede it has been badly hit by competition from Castleford Xscape, but Snow Mountain is now jeopardised by the rejection of a housing scheme intended to bankroll the development.

Sheffield will become home to Europe’s largest innovative indoor snow hall after the £80m alpine-style wonderland was given the thumbs-up by city councillors today (Tuesday 21 February 2006).

Plans for the ‘Snow Mountain’ project have been given the go ahead by councillors on the North and West planning board following recommendation by city planning officers.

Snow Mountain will bring a mixture of leisure and retail facilities, including a cable car system and hotel, to the existing Sheffield Ski Village site at Parkwood Springs.

It is anticipated the scheme will attract more than one million visitors per year and create in excess of 600 jobs.

Tim Richardson, Managing Director of Sheffield Ski Village, said: “This is absolutely fantastic news, it’s just what we’ve been waiting for. It is the all important first important step towards turning this dream into reality, bringing a range of social, environmental and transport benefits to the area and for Sheffield.

“The area has been crying out for regeneration and this decision is a huge boost to the redevelopment of the whole area. It will really put Sheffield on the map and establish the site as a major attraction of national significance.

“This will be Europe’s most innovative indoor facility recreating winter sports for skiers, snowboarders, or those who simply want to have fun in the snow. Winter sports have received a lot of coverage recently and hopefully this facility will act as a perfect springboard to our winter athletes of the future.”

Councillors have granted conditional planning permission for the 30-acre development, which will act as the catalyst to the regeneration of the Upper Don Valley as well as being an iconic landmark for the city of Sheffield.

Snow Mountain is the first step in plans for a proposed £300 million regeneration of the Upper Don Valley, by developer MENTA, which could create up to 2,000 new jobs.

MENTA director Craig Marks said: "This planning permission is brilliant news for Sheffield as Snow Mountain forms an important part of our £300m investment plans for the whole of the Upper Don Valley. It complements our plans for both housing, industry and distinctive communal space at Beeley Wood and business development on our planned nearby business park "Menta envisage Snow Mountain to be a catalyst in the regeneration of the Upper Don Valley that is intended to stretch from Neepsend near the City Centre to the north western outskirts at Middlewood, setting the tone for future investment in the area."

The Snow Mountain development will be a 300-metre long, 70 metre-drop, indoor winter sports area.

The Snow Hall, designed by Killingworth-based architects Faulkner Browns [Ed. the same people as did Xscape Milton Keynes), will be like no other in Europe. It will house colour-coded winding runs of differing gradients.

Access to the slope, which is twice as long as any other artificial UK piste, will be by chairlifts and button bars and visitors will be able to ski on real snow whatever the weather.

A new snow sports village and street scene will offer a resort-type feel with shops, retail and food outlets. A health and fitness centre, with function rooms and sports and conference facilities will sit at the base of the new slope area.

Visitors to the site will be able to stay at a four-star, 100 bed hotel or in one of 18 alpine style chalets. A new ski lodge will house a ski reception, themed restaurants and a bar/café area.

Snow Mountain will also benefit from a state-of-the-art Swiss-designed Gondola Cableway. The unique mile-long alternative transport option will stretch from Langsett Road to Shirecliffe and provide transport for up to 2,500 people per hour.

Work on the multi-million pound development will not start until improvements have been made to the local road network, under conditions set by Sheffield City Council.

Work will be carried out on local highways including Vale Road, Oakham Drive, Parkwood Road and Ash Street to help the area cope with the increase in traffic. A full transport assessment of the area will be conducted and a travel plan will be developed to encourage visitors to leave their cars at home and help reduce local traffic.

MENTA, led by directors Craig Marks and Brian Craig, has submitted plans for two other developments in the area, including a Parkwood Springs Business Park adjacent to Snow Mountain.

Plans have also been drawn up to develop the Claywheels Lane Estate at Hillsborough into a mixed-use area for business and housing. The redeveloped estate would become the Beeley Wood Sustainable Community.

---

Here's some artist's impressions we've published before on SCUK. They still appear to be valid.

Sheffield looks set to become home to Europe’s largest innovative indoor snow hall.

Plans for an £80m alpine-style wonderland have been recommended by the city’s planning officers. The thumbs-up comes days before councillors on the North and West planning board formally consider the scheme.

‘Snow Mountain’ will bring a mixture of leisure and retail facilities, including a cable car system and hotel, to the existing Sheffield Ski Village site at Parkwood Springs.

It is anticipated the scheme will attract more than one million visitors per year and create in excess of 600 jobs.

Officers are recommending conditional planning permission for the 30-acre development, which will act as the catalyst to the regeneration of the Upper Don Valley as well as being an iconic landmark for the city of Sheffield.

Snow Mountain is the first step in plans for a proposed £300 million regeneration of the Upper Don Valley which could create up to 2,000 new jobs.

The Snow Mountain development, spearheaded by Ski Village owner John Fleetham and regeneration company MENTA, will be a 300-metre long, 70 metre-drop, indoor winter sports area.

The Snow Hall, designed by Killingworth-based architects Faulkner Browns, will be like no other in Europe. It will house colour-coded winding runs of differing gradients.

Access to the slope, which is twice as long as any other artificial UK piste, will be by chairlifts and button bars and visitors will be able to ski on real snow whatever the weather.

A new snow sports village and street scene will offer a resort-type feel with shops, retail and food outlets. A health and fitness centre, with function rooms and sports and conference facilities will sit at the base of the new slope area.

Visitors to the site will be able to stay at a four-star, 100 bed hotel or in one of 18 alpine style chalets. A new ski lodge will house a ski reception, themed restaurants and a bar/café area.

Snow Mountain will also benefit from a state-of-the-art Swiss-designed Gondola Cableway. The unique mile-long alternative transport option will stretch from Langsett Road to Shirecliffe and provide transport for up to 2,500 people per hour.

Officers are recommending that work on the multi-million pound development should not start until improvements have been made to the local road network.

Work will be carried out on local highways including Vale Road, Oakham Drive, Parkwood Road and Ash Street to help the area cope with the increase in traffic. A full transport assessment of the area will be conducted and a travel plan will be developed to encourage visitors to leave their cars at home and help reduce local traffic.

MENTA, led by directors Craig Marks and Brian Craig, has submitted plans for two other developments in the area, including a Parkwood Springs Business Park adjacent to Snow Mountain.

Plans have also been drawn up to develop the Claywheels Lane Estate at Hillsbrough into a mixed-use area for business and housing. The redeveloped estate would become the Beeley Wood Sustainable Community.

MENTA director Craig Marks said: "Snow Mountain forms an important part of our £300m investment plans for the whole of the Upper Don Valley. It complements our plans for both housing, industry and distinctive communal space at Beeley Wood and business development on our planned nearby business park.

"Menta envisage Snow Mountain to be a catalyst in the regeneration of the Upper Don Valley that is intended to stretch from Neepsend near the City Centre to the north western outskirts at Middlewood, setting the tone for future investment in the area."

John Fleetham, Ski Village owner, said: “This is great news and is a further step towards turning this dream into reality, bringing a range of social, environmental and transport benefits to the area and for Sheffield.

“This will be Europe’s most innovative indoor facility recreating winter sports for skiers, snowboarders, or those who simply want to have fun in the snow. It will really put Sheffield on the map and establish the site as a major attraction of national significance.”

The planning board meets on Tuesday February 21 to formally decide on the application.

Whilst the final official plans are still being examined, we thought you might be interested in looking at some recent drawings of the proposals for Sheffield Ski Village's indoor snow arena.

£80m alpine-style wonderland backed by business leaders

Plans to further the regeneration process in the Upper Don Valley with an £80m alpine snow village have received the thumbs up from business leaders.

Parkwood Springs Developments submitted a planning application to Sheffield City Council last week for Snow Mountain - an alpine-style wonderland including Europe's largest innovative indoor snow hall and cable car system at Parkwood Springs.

Business leaders say go-ahead for the prestigious multi-million pound scheme could help spark investment, jobs and visitors to an area long overdue for re-development.

Nigel Tomlinson, chief executive of Sheffield Chamber of Commerce, said: "I am fully behind the regeneration of the Upper Don Valley and initiatives like this are long overdue. It has obviously taken a great deal of time to put the plans together but I believe this is another way of helping make this area work.

"It is a fantastic facility but it is only one component of transforming the area. These proposals fit in very nicely into the whole regeneration plan and provide another piece in the jigsaw.

"I am also delighted to see that the development team has been talking to local people about their views and that the response has been very favourable."

"Sheffield is a city of sport and we need to see plans like these for recreation and leisure facilities. It is all about encouraging more people to visit the city and stay for longer."

Phil Roberts, chief executive of Sheffield First for Investment added: "One cannot fail to be impressed by the scale and ambition of the plans for the Ski Village.

"The existing facility is already the biggest artificial ski facility in Europe. When these plans are brought forward, the city would be able to boast the largest real snow dome in the country as part of a major leisure development. Quite an asset for Sheffield!"

Developers hope the scheme will establish the site as a major attraction of national significance and not only put Sheffield on the map but play a major part in contributing to civic plans for the revitalisation of Sheffield's Upper Don Valley area.

The plans, unveiled by Sheffield Ski Village owner John Fleetham and
property developers Craig Marks and Brian Craig acting as Parkwood Springs Developments, include a mix of leisure and retail use to complement the existing ski village plus a new transport system linking the centre to Shirecliffe and the city via cable car.

The Snow Mountain development at the Sheffield Ski Village is a pretty exciting prospect, not just for locals, but for the whole of the UK snowsports community. The press release was on 27th January and we sent "thedude" along for SCUK. You can read his impression here on the forum.

I think the best way to tell you about the new indoor slope plans is simply to post up everything that they've provided us with. So here it all is.

£80m Alpine wonderland project unveiled for Sheffield

Proposals for an £80m alpine-style wonderland in Sheffield - including Europe’s largest innovative indoor snow hall and cable car system - were unveiled today (Thursday, January 27).

Under plans submitted today to Sheffield City Council, Snow Mountain will bring a mix of leisure and retail, hotel and associated uses complementing the existing Sheffield Ski Village site at Parkwood Springs.

It is anticipated that the 30-acre prestigious development unveiled by Parkwood Springs Developments will act as the catalyst to the regeneration of the Upper Don Valley as well as being an iconic landmark for the city of Sheffield.

Funding for the dramatic addition to the Sheffield landscape, which will create hundreds of jobs, will come from a blend of private finance and grants.

The main attraction of the development, spearheaded by Ski Village owner John Fleetham and property developers Craig Marks and Brian Craig, will be a 300 metre long, 70 metre drop, constantly snow-covered indoor winter sports area.

Designed by Killingworth-based architects Faulkner Browns [Ed - the same people who designed Milton Keynes Xscape and presumably Castleford Xscape], the Snow Hall, which will be like no other in Europe, will house colour-coded winding runs of differing gradients made easy to access by chairlifts and button bars. Visitors will be able to ski on real snow whatever the weather.

Setting the scene for the slope, which is twice as long as any other artificial snow UK piste [Ed - MK is around 170m], is a snow sports/alpine village and street scene offering a resort-type feel with a four star hotel, shops and retail outlets.

Snow Mountain will not only benefit from new road links but also a Swiss-designed Gondola Cableway, which would provide the opportunity for a link-up between the Supertram network, the Ski Village and beyond to Shirecliffe.

The unique mile-long alternative transport option would stretch from Langsett Road to Shirecliffe and provide carriage for up to 2,500 people per hour encouraging visitors to leave their cars and help reduce local traffic.

Craig Marks said: “This scheme will establish the site as a major attraction of national significance. It will not only put Sheffield on the map but will play a major part in contributing to civic plans for the revitalisation of Sheffield’s Upper Don Valley area which could bringing thousands of new jobs to the city.

“We have already had discussions with the City Council and Yorkshire Forward – organisations which recognise the potential benefits through regeneration to the Upper Don Valley. We believe the Snow Mountain resort will be a core driver for economic development in the communities,” added Craig.

John Fleetham said: “This is a dream becoming reality. Since opening more than 15 years ago the Sheffield Ski Village has proved to be a first-class leisure facility attracting many visitors to the city. The development is a natural step forward which will bring a range of social, environment and transport benefits to the area in keeping with the overall plans for the Upper Don Valley.

“It will be Europe’s most innovative alpine style indoor facility recreating winter sports and snow play experiences for skiers, snowboarders or those who just want to have fun in the snow.”

Our alpine vision for Sheffield

A passion for skiing and a fleeting glance out the office window has led John Fleetham on a 20-year adventure through the exciting world of sport and development.

The Yorkshireman came to Sheffield in 1982 and a boring moment at work resulted in the birth of a new and exciting leisure facility for the people of Sheffield.

John explained: “I always had a passion for skiing and one day I was looking out of the window at work and an idea came to me. I thought I’d love to ski down that hill. And the idea took hold. It took three or four years to pull together but the Sheffield Ski Village was opened in 1988.”

Since his initial plans for the Ski Village John has always wanted bigger and better.

He said: “We have always tried to be the market leader and used innovative and exciting designs at the facility. But this proposed new development is another stage further.

“This has been a long term idea that started out 20 years ago as a dream. It was always my intention that it would be so much more than just a ski slope. That’s why we chose the name, we wanted to create a village and resort environment to include bars, restaurants, shops, and an alpine village of chalets.

“As the years have gone by various other ideas developed. We looked at making snow, and including other sporting activities such as bunjee jumping and climbing.

After linking up with Craig Marks and Brian Craig two years ago to form Parkwood Springs Developments, John saw the opportunity to achieve his dream.

He added: “Craig and Brian were thinking on exactly the same wave-length and were able to use their expertise in their respective fields to develop and build upon some of these ideas, creating much wider opportunities.

“Two years ago we sat down and came up with a variety of ideas and over the years these have been changed, tweaked and evolved to become Snow Mountain.

“These plans are revolutionary and way beyond my initial expectations. No-one has done this before but I have no doubts whatsoever that our plans are totally viable and will be highly successful.”

The development team has been careful to include public consultation along the way and taken on board any ideas or concerns from local people especially regeneration and environmental issues.

John added: “Public consultation has been top of our agenda as obviously people are concerned about any new development. But we are confident we have got the package right and so far feedback has been very positive.

“Hundreds of thousands of pounds have been invested in making sure we have covered all angles and it has been a long and expensive road getting to this point but we have total conviction in our vision and are committed to making it happen.”

Upper Don Key to Regenration

Snow Mountain is set to be the catalyst for the long-awaited regeneration of the Upper Don Valley.

Studies commissioned by Sheffield City Council, Yorkshire Forward and Renaissance South Yorkshire have flagged up the need to make the most of the derelict land, run-down sites and obsolete buildings which are prevalent in the Upper Don. They are seeking through the use of European and regional funding opportunities to regenerate the entire area over a period of 10-15 years.


Menta, a specialist regeneration company run by Brian Craig and Craig Marks, are behind the proposals of the associated company Parkwood Springs Developments to use the Snow Mountain development as the catalyst to the regeneration of the Upper Don.

To this end, Menta has investigated the potential of the Upper Don for some two years and has recently purchased the redundant 42 acre Union Carbide site at Claywheels Lane to further assist in the authority’s aspirations for regeneration. They are sure to be a key player in the revitalisation of areas such as Parkwood Springs, Neepsend, Owlerton and Wadsley Bridge which straddle the river from the northern outskirts of the city to virtually the city centre.

Sheffield City Council believes that the Upper Don Valley (from Kelham Island to Claywheels Lane) provides a major opportunity for the city to grow and to share the economic benefits of a more prosperous city centre with other parts of Sheffield. It is currently seeking to appoint a lead consultancy practice to develop their plans for the area more fully which may lead to the appointment of a lead developer to work with the authorities in promoting their regeneration of the Upper Don.

The Upper Don Valley is seen as one of the most up-and-coming and sought after areas of the city. It already houses some of Sheffield’s best-known firms and leisure attractions such as Hillsborough Leisure Centre, Sheffield Wednesday FC, Cadbury Bassett, Fletchers, Napoleons Casino and Owlerton Stadium.

However, there are plenty of derelict and vacant buildings in the area, which offer potential for further economic regeneration.

Craig Marks of Menta and Parkwood Springs Developments said: “Snow Mountain and the cable car system is seen as the catalyst investment for the Upper Don. It will change the perception of the area and attract further inward investment to the whole area.”

Brian Craig commented: “The cable car transport system will have the opportunity of transporting 2,500 people in each direction both to the Snow Mountain development but importantly opening up the Shirecliffe residential area to the super tram and transport network.

“Our plans can help lift the whole area in the same way that success was achieved through a series of significant developments in the Lower Don Valley in the 90s and in the heart of the city since the turn of the century.

At a glance guide to Snow Mountain

Unique selling points for the Snow Mountain development include the scale and complexity of the ski environment, the atmosphere and ambiance derived from the accompanying Alpine-style resort, the Gondola Cableway plus the design spec – a ski domain designed by ski enthusiasts for ski enthusiasts.

Snow Hall

• The proposed Snow Hall is 195,000sqft, 300m long, 100m wide and has a vertical “drop” of nearly 70m.
  
• Revolutionary designed slopes recreate a real-snow experience for Europe’s most innovative facility.
  
• Offers skiing and a full range of winter sports to visitors.
  
• Red and green graded runs for beginners and intermediate skiers plus gullies, huge rock outcrops, half pipe and grind-rails for more advanced users.
  
• Dedicated nursery areas for beginners’ sessions.
  
• All year round real snow – fresh powder can be distributed using tracked ‘Snowcat’ Piste machines.
  
• Four high speed button lifts.
  
• Play area for snowball fights, novelty ice-skating rink plus toboganning section.
  
• Children’s play area.
  
• Slope-side café bar area for refreshments plus Eagles Nest themed restaurant with panoramic views of the city.
  
• Architecturally designed to resemble a glacial hillside with a grey-coloured step-designed roof.

[Ed - Malcolm Clulow from Acer Snowmec, who provide the snow for Xscape and the huge Madrid Xanadu, has said that lessons learnt at those sites will enable them to maintain the snowpark features like the half-pipe and kickers.]

Alpine Village

• Alpine themed timber–framed buildings with low level pitched roofs for retail use.
  
• Streets and public space with a ski resort-style theme incorporating views of Sheffield City Centre.
  
• Buildings arranged around outdoor ‘village square’-style pattern.
  
• The resort will allow for 4* hotel which overlooks the ski slope, alpine village and outdoor activities including the proposed Urban Jungle climbing experience project.

Transport Systems

• Swiss engineered Gondola Cableway.
  
• Mile-long cable car system links passengers from the Langsett Road base station in the city centre to the Snow Mountain and on to Shirecliffe.
  
• Intermediate cableway stations incorporate a canopied interchange finishing at Shirecliffe Road terminus.
  
• Cableway connections and access with Supertram, bus network and private car.
  
• Snow Mountain station designed as gateway from urban environment to mountain environment.

We're sure we'll be hearing a lot about this project over the coming months and years, so SCUK will try to keep you up to date with all the news as we always do.

The official press launch of the major £80m sports and retail development at Sheffield Ski Village is this week. The scheme is set to be a catalyst to the rejuvenation of the upper Don Valley creating thousands of jobs.

Snow Mountain will be a mix of leisure, retail and residential developments on the upper Don Valley with the main attraction being a giant snow dome and a cable car taking passengers from the city centre to the Ski Village and beyond to Shirecliffe.

The dome will be like no other in Europe. It will have:

• Chairlifts rather than button bars
  
• Twice as long as Castleford’s Xscape
  
• Winding runs
  
• Different gradients
  
• Colour coded runs
  
• Alpine village
  
• Street scene at the bottom of the slope including real snow

More details of the scheme will soon be available. The development is a major initiative that will bring to life an area of Sheffield, which needs substantial investment.

The Sheffield Ski Village's plans to transform the slope into a real snow slope are moving forwards. They are still working on the indoor snow project, although lost a couple of months due to changing the proposed slope layout and the position on site.

Manager, Tim Richardson said "As you can imagine there is a lot of work in preparing new plans, but I am sure its worth it as we will end up with a unrivalled world class facility."

As soon as they have the final plans, they will let us know.

The Sheffield Star has released details about Sheffield Ski Village's plans for an indoor slopes, so at last we can break our silence!

SHEFFIELD is set to get a 'Disney-style' GBP80 million theme park, regenerating one of the most neglected parts of the city.

Sheffield Ski Village was today putting the final touches to X-Mountain, a leisure complex based on an alpine ski resort.

The complex would create 600 jobs, and ski village bosses say it will be a world first - and have trademarked the idea.

Plans are due to be submitted to Sheffield Council at the end of the month for the 30-acre site at Parkwood Springs.

Attractions would be built in phases, but the whole park could be open in three years.

John Fleetham, chairman of the Ski Village, said: "Disney is a word we have used - we want to create that wow factor and escapism.

"This is certainly a world first. It's groundbreaking stuff and we have had to come up with the ideas.

"We have applied for a trademark to protect the concept. It's the future in leisure and will be copied." The park would be based on an alpine village square with streets leading off it to attractions.

Special features would include Adventure-mountain - an indoor snow dome - state-of-the-art rides, a play park for children and a cable car linking the complex to Infirmary Road and Shirecliffe.

There would be shops, restaurants, bars, a hotel, apartments and possibly an amphitheatre.

Mr Fleetham added: "Hopefully by the end of the month it will be submitted to the council.

"It's all subject to grants - and there are some very expensive elements such as the cable cars - but it is eligible for European assistance as it's a run down area which has had no money invested in it.

"We want to create new jobs and boost the local economy." Yorkshire Forward, the regional development agency, is supportive, and Les Sturch, head of planning at Sheffield Council, said the authority broadly backed the scheme.

"We have had some pre-application discussions with the Ski Village. We need to look at the details, as parts of the site are of ecological interest, but we welcome improvements to leisure."

You can read the article here.

---

The paper also reported:

X-MOUNTAIN is set to be a leading theme park with ground-breaking rides, according to Ski Village chairman John Fleetham.

John has dreamed up all the rides himself.

"Nobody in 16 years has ever managed to match or beat the variety we have here already at the Ski Village because they don't have the confidence or technical ability.

"With X-mountain every single feature of an alpine resort will be here.

"As soon as you enter the site you won't feel as though you are in Sheffield any more, people will think they have flown to a real alpine resort." The features will include: Adventure mountain This new facility, themed on the world's biggest mountain ranges, is due to open in April.

Children aged two to 12 can play in four zones within a two-acre woodland.

Entry will be via two tunnel slides dropping 20 feet into the theme park area.

Here there will be mountains up to 25 feet high, zip wires, tunnels, slides, rope bridges and swings, climbing walls, a mini log cabin village, secret dens, slides and climbing nets.

There will be a beach area covered in real sand and a water play area.

There will also be a canopied auditorium where the children can watch daily shows, magic tricks and story telling.

John said: "The Adventure-mountain experience is unique.

"It will be absolutely awesome for the kids; they will just love it. Children don't get too excited about education or exercise but here they will get both without realising it." Indoor snow dome Visitors will be able to ski inside while snow falls whatever the weather.

John said: "We have been looking at half a dozen different snow making systems because one has a large freezer cabinets while another one fires it from cannons.

"Some domes need temperatures to be minus three and others can be plus 12 so we have to decide.

"It's groundbreaking stuff because nobody has ever done it and we have had to come up with the ideas. We have enhanced existing systems on the market to give us what we want. There will be snow on the ground so you can just pick it up and make snowballs in a hot day in the middle of July." The rides Thrill-seekers who want to try hang gliding without the danger can strap themselves to a glider on a pulley and swoop down across the theme park.

The ride will allow them to swing through the sky as though they are flying. A sledging ride is planned, similar to an icy water rapid rides. Visitors can race each other in sledges or sit on huge tyres and spin down the slope.

Climbing will be a key element - though John cannot decided what kind of wall to have yet.

"We want to incorporate climbing and it's whether to have an ice wall or ravines with white water rapids." An enormous zip wire will allow people to get from the top of the park to the bottom in seconds - they will zoom down over the attractions below.

Entertainment Visitors will be able to relax with a massive entertainment complex of bars, restaurants and shops. Already planned are a hotel, indoor bowling and ice skating.

An Imax cinema is being considered along with an outdoor amphitheatre which could house outdoor performances of everything from concerts to Shakespeare plays in summer.

John said: "We have design ideas but there is so much we want to put into it ideas keep popping in and out.

"We recognised a need - a typical person has not got a huge amount of time and really does struggle to find places to go, especially with children."

Read this article here.

I managed to grab a quick chat with the Managing Director at SSV today in the hope of getting a bit of inside knowledge on what's planned.

Without giving too much away as I'm sworn to secrecy, there will be much to be excited about. Oh yes.

The official press conference will be in a few weeks time. We'll let you know all the details as soon as we have our grubby little mitts on them.

As has been rumoured for a good few months, Sheffield's £40m development plan will include indoor snow. Look North revealed yesterday that they plan to build three 100m slopes which should be complete in 4/5 years time. We should have more on this soon, so we'll keep you informed.