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Sheffield Retail Quarter (ex-"Sevenstone") MEGATHREAD


Should there be an independent review of SCC's performance?  

142 members have voted

  1. 1. Should there be an independent review of SCC's performance?

    • Yes- it would be worth assessing SCC's performance
      108
    • No - not needed / whats the point?
      19
    • Not bothered really
      15


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Didn't someone on this thread say that Hammerson had moved onto other projects and neglected the Sheffield one?

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/constructionandproperty/9420336/Hammerson-plans-new-shopping-centres-after-London-sale.html

 

The company confirmed alongside its first-half results that it has agreed a deal with John Lewis for the department store group to open its first site in Leeds at a proposed development called Eastgate Quarters.

 

Hammerson will also expand its new shopping centre development in Marseille called Les Terrasses du Port with a Printemps department store, a leading retailer in France.

 

In addition, Hammerson has started construction of retail developments at Manor Walks in Cramlington, Queensgate in Peterborough and Monument Mall in Newcastle, as well as planning an extension of Brent Cross in London and battling with Australian rival Westfield to lead a major redevelopment of the Whitgift Centre in Croydon.

 

The cost of the company’s development pipeline is estimated at more than £1.35bn over the next seven years.

 

The funding of the projects will be supported by the £518m raised from the sale of Hammerson’s London offices last month to Canadian company Brookfield.

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  • 2 months later...

September 2012: more than a quarter of shops in Sheffield city centre were standing empty – 26.1 per cent of city shops were then vacant, the sixth worst figure of any city or town in Britain and a three per cent rise on the previous year.

 

Sheffield Council insisted the figure was so high because of shops which are empty and awaiting the Sevenstone development - but 13.8 per cent of stores are still empty even outside the area covered by the scheme between The Moor, Pinstone Street and Barker’s Pool.

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September 2012: more than a quarter of shops in Sheffield city centre were standing empty – 26.1 per cent of city shops were then vacant, the sixth worst figure of any city or town in Britain and a three per cent rise on the previous year.

 

Sheffield Council insisted the figure was so high because of shops which are empty and awaiting the Sevenstone development - but 13.8 per cent of stores are still empty even outside the area covered by the scheme between The Moor, Pinstone Street and Barker’s Pool.

 

The most recent UK average I can find is 11.3% in October '12 - http://www.freshbusinessthinking.com/news.php?NID=16006

 

So obviously Sheffield is still pretty poor compared to average (we all know it's not up to scratch relative to it's similar sized rivals) but 13.8% is much closer than the 26.1%... Though you could argue that all those empty units in the Sevenstone site aren't only because of that I guess! Still, what can you expect at the moment.

 

 

I suppose in many respects the area covered by Sevenstone is pretty dead anyway. I've been here 9 years now and I never recall those streets being anything but back alleys behind John Lewis. So you could argue, if there is a minute chance, just a tiny little slither of a miracle that Sevenstone could happen, then SCC might as well leave it all as it is, if there is no great clamour for that space from anyone else.

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What's even more depressing is that the names of the retailers the development is meant to attract are getting less exciting every time I read about Sevenstone. This might just be my imagination, but 'ooh Boots! ooh Next!' aren't getting me that excited. Those we have, in town, in Meadowhall, even at Heeley retail park, and other locations too I'm sure. And Apple, well, again Meadowhall already has. How about some shops we don't have already, otherwise what's the big attraction? In the mean time, the smaller shops which gave that area a bit of character have all been booted out, and for what?

A few weeks back I found myself at the other end of town for an exhibition and was more than a little impressed by what I found round the area between Hallam Uni campus and the station; proper cafes serving amazing-looking vegetarian and organic food, small workshops, and galleries tucked away in cute buildings around the Site gallery area. Not a Costa Coffee in sight. This area with its quirky little units seems to be getting better and better while Devonshire quarter looks shabbier and shabbier. They just need to keep their heads down so the council doesn't become aware and start tinkering.

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