Castlegate/old Market area redevelopment

[anywebsite]

Should just give it a lick of paint, refurb the gents loos & let stalls back in, maybe the ones that aren't allowed to move into the posh new market for the upper classes on the moor.

Edited July 31, 2014 by anywebsite

[999tigger]

You'd think they'd try and sort out other projects first before committing themselves (and we, the tax payer) to further ones. The Moor looks like Yarmouth on a wet November evening and of course, we are still waiting for a 'major retail development'.

 

The Moor is redevelopment is in the hands of Scottish Widows as they are the landlords and its up to them how they spend their money and not the Council. They are redeceloping two areas at the moment.

 

The lower end of town is the true heart of the city.

No it isnt.

 

I am sure that in any other city or town in this country, it would be renovated and turned into a glorious building, be it a cinema, an arcade, a civic building, a restaurant or hotel.Likewise, and a stone's throw away is the Old Post Office in Fitzalan Square.

 

And yet its always been open to offers for developers to come in and turn it into soemthing and nobody has thought it was a good enough prospect. Listed buildings are expensive to renovate. Its for private developers to thunk it offers a good investment opportunity. The slavation army citadel was in private hands but is now part of whatever they call the new sevenstones.

 

Manpower Services Building which has blighted the city - and in my opinion - caused untold harm to business) before moving onto other projects.

 

There was never any businesses down that end of the Moor. If you are claiming it cuts the Moor off from London Road, that's also incorrect because the thing that makes a barrier at that point is the ring road, which is nothing to do with the MPS building.

[tzijlstra]

You'd think they'd try and sort out other projects first before committing themselves (and we, the tax payer) to further ones. The Moor looks like Yarmouth on a wet November evening and of course, we are still waiting for a 'major retail development'.

 

=========cut for brevity================

 

Like the 'artist's impression', the council's approach looks clueless and the result of amateurs who haven't got a clue.

 

I don't think they should wait on other projects, in fact, I think they should do the polar opposite. It is pretty clear that Sheffield still has some major areas to address. I read the Masterplan Compendium (I believe it was called) and it is actually an excellent document aside from the seemingly necessary bashing of cars getting access to the city. But it is from 2004 and quite a number of the points it addresses haven't got anywhere yet.

 

Vision is not to be apprehensive - if you have a vision, you need to go for it.

 

Have you ever thought that the Council doesnt own all those surrounding buildings. It would be great if they could just knock quite a few of them down, because some of the buildings are in theory just too large. The owners of the buildings might object. The co op is a listed building I believe.

 

Tigger, you are right about the coop building being listed. Even so, it can probably be incorporated in a redevelopment of the area. The council can utilise CPOs (Compulsive Purchase Orders) to buy out other buildings in the area, they can afford this if they have firm investors on board who have committed to taking part.

 

The area is crucial to linking several key-parts of the town, spanning from Kelham Island to the Wharf and already neighbouring redeveloped areas (between the Don and the Derek Dooley way) as well as providing direct access to the city. It could be a marvelous spot in the city to live, easy tram access, and the potential to develop proper access by car by redeveloping the Wicker to be two way again. A grand redevelopment will allow for incorporation of parking etc.

 

The situation reminds me of an old industrial area near the station and city centre of Groningen, the council responded to the bankruptcy of the factory by using a PCO, it now houses 3000 families with no cars in sight as they have all been planned for in the development. It has a nice park/square and a riverside (well, canalside in Groningen) promenade with some great cafes, shops and restaurants that is now popular with the whole city.

 

I genuinely hope they get this right, it will cost money and the reputation of the council as being uncooperative with facilitating large scale development (Ikea, Sevenstones, Next store and so on) whether right or wrong doesn't help, but lets break that image and get this right as the city really needs it.

[999tigger]

Should just give it a lick of paint, refurb the gents loos & let stalls back in, maybe the ones that aren't allowed to move into the posh new market for the upper classes on the moor.

 

They should have sold it to cuttsie so he could have made a market for a thousand years with his magic paint.

[Eater Sundae]

If they are going to go ahead with this then they ought to make sure the old courthouse and all the other buildings are given a good facelift. Although I am assuming the old court is still rundown not been down there for years. It is a disgrace a building like that has been allowed to get in such a state.

 

It's ages since I've been down there, but I agree that incorporating some of the old buildings with character would be desirable.

 

What's the current situation with the old Post Office Building? Anyone know?

 

---------- Post added 31-07-2014 at 14:17 ----------

 

I think the reason half of the buildings are empty/derelict is because they're way beyond economical repair already.

 

What sort of developer is going to spend the millions required to refurbish these places when the end result is a building and area that still looks like ass, and still only attracts drunks and homeless people???

 

The only way to change the area as being a rundown hell-hole is to tear it down and start again.

 

Certainly £5M will not go far.

 

Any area that destroys everything and provides something new then runs the risk that the next new version, somewhere else, will then be better and take all the custom there. However, if they are able to retain some of the past as part of the development (obviously the Castle, but also any older buildings with a history), then there is something else to offer visitors, long term

[geared]

The co op is a listed building I believe.

 

Listed status didn't stop them tearing down the Jessops building not so long ago?

 

---------- Post added 31-07-2014 at 14:38 ----------

 

if they are able to retain some of the past as part of the development (obviously the Castle, but also any older buildings with a history), then there is something else to offer visitors, long term

 

There are some very nice buildings in that part of town, the Yorkshire bank and all those shops along the tramstop area are very nice along with the old town hall.

Edited July 31, 2014 by geared

[Eater Sundae]

I don't think they should wait on other projects, in fact, I think they should do the polar opposite. It is pretty clear that Sheffield still has some major areas to address. I read the Masterplan Compendium (I believe it was called) and it is actually an excellent document aside from the seemingly necessary bashing of cars getting access to the city. But it is from 2004 and quite a number of the points it addresses haven't got anywhere yet.

 

Vision is not to be apprehensive - if you have a vision, you need to go for it.

 

 

 

Tigger, you are right about the coop building being listed. Even so, it can probably be incorporated in a redevelopment of the area. The council can utilise CPOs (Compulsive Purchase Orders) to buy out other buildings in the area, they can afford this if they have firm investors on board who have committed to taking part.

 

The area is crucial to linking several key-parts of the town, spanning from Kelham Island to the Wharf and already neighbouring redeveloped areas (between the Don and the Derek Dooley way) as well as providing direct access to the city. It could be a marvelous spot in the city to live, easy tram access, and the potential to develop proper access by car by redeveloping the Wicker to be two way again. A grand redevelopment will allow for incorporation of parking etc.

 

The situation reminds me of an old industrial area near the station and city centre of Groningen, the council responded to the bankruptcy of the factory by using a PCO, it now houses 3000 families with no cars in sight as they have all been planned for in the development. It has a nice park/square and a riverside (well, canalside in Groningen) promenade with some great cafes, shops and restaurants that is now popular with the whole city.

 

I genuinely hope they get this right, it will cost money and the reputation of the council as being uncooperative with facilitating large scale development (Ikea, Sevenstones, Next store and so on) whether right or wrong doesn't help, but lets break that image and get this right as the city really needs it.

 

I agree 100%.

 

I trust (presume? hope? - pick whichever word fits) that Sheffield Council is already trying to find funding, from Central Government, The National Lottery, the EC, Yorkshire Tourist Board (or whatever it's called) etc etc, on the back of the Heritage value of digging up an old Castle.

[rossyrooney]

I'm sure that I read somewhere that Sheffield University along with a developer? are taking an interest in the area.

How good would it be to raze the old market eyesore to the ground and make it people friendly whilst leading into a more compact and thriving shopping area.

 

The listed buildings could be made into offices and pavement cafes around a smaller version of the peace gardens could lead directly to the canal basin.

[tzijlstra]

I'm sure that I read somewhere that Sheffield University along with a developer? are taking an interest in the area.

How good would it be to raze the old market eyesore to the ground and make it people friendly whilst leading into a more compact and thriving shopping area.

 

The listed buildings could be made into offices and pavement cafes around a smaller version of the peace gardens could lead directly to the canal basin.

 

The press release mentions both Universities as a partner. If it comes to a development partner it makes more sense for it to be Hallam (geographically). Perhaps they could turn the Coop building into a learning resource center (like the Information Commons is for Sheffield) or indeed they could line up some student-housing in the area.

[rossyrooney]

The old Town Hall ( court house ) could be made to look wonderful again if we can find someone to do it up to it's former glory and link it to Bank St. and the back of the Cathedral.

 

Pipe dreams I know, but I can still imagine it.