The Decline Of Sheffield City Centre

[whiteowl]

They are busy quite right - but then the reasons are obvious - take the most cursory look at those beautiful city centres and the reasons are clear.

 

Sheffield City Council have always been ludicrously inept in their planning dept apparently unable to bring themselves to making swathing changes they have historically resorted to piecemeal chops and changes.

 

This along with their ridiculously high business rates brought about the inevitable decline.

 

Avatar, sage comment in the signature, it's almost like watching a re-birth !

 

Oh, the Government sets the business rates by the way

https://www.gov.uk/introduction-to-business-rates/how-your-rates-are-calculated

[AndrewC]

Sheffield City Council have always been ludicrously inept in their planning dept apparently unable to bring themselves to making swathing changes they have historically resorted to piecemeal chops and changes.

 

Planners can only make judgement on the applications made to them. And even then they are often tied by national and local planning guidance set by politicians and the economic/political environment of the time.

 

I suppose we're conveniently covering our eyes every time we go past the swatches of retail and leisure/entertainment space under construction and/or approved for construction along the Moor?

 

More planner-bashing.

[Alcoblog]

Planners can only make judgement on the applications made to them. And even then they are often tied by national and local planning guidance set by politicians and the economic/political environment of the time.

 

I suppose we're conveniently covering our eyes every time we go past the swatches of retail and leisure/entertainment space under construction and/or approved for construction along the Moor?

 

More planner-bashing.

Is it any wonder people bash SCC 'Planners'?

I watched for nearly two years their valiant attempts to design a 97 bus stop on Abbeydale road (them changing the design from time to time, after it caused serious accident). God alone knows how much it cost.

 

When they do actually pass a design for a building/have a half-hearted go themselves, it's invariably a multi-coloured plastic and concrete monstrosity with no aesthetic merit whatsoever.

They're 'third-rate' (I presume you're aware of the original meaning of that phrase?).

Basically, anything to do with roads or buildings, and they're completely flummoxed. The new Moor will look like a dog's dinner if already completed construction is anything to go by. 'Planners' they are not ... by any dictionarial terms anyway.

[The Joker]

I suppose we're conveniently covering our eyes every time we go past the swatches of retail and leisure/entertainment space under construction and/or approved for construction along the Moor?

 

You mean the bomb site ?

 

Sorry, I tend not to stare at it in admiration every time I shuffle back and forth between the Poundlands at either end of town.

[Jonny5]

The Moor has been a mess for what? 4,5 years? If thats good planning I'd hate to see bad planning.

[AndrewC]

The Moor has been a mess for what? 4,5 years? If thats good planning I'd hate to see bad planning.

 

What can planners do if no one wants to invest? Now someone does want to invest and the planners let them. They still get stick.

[Mecky]

Is it any wonder people bash SCC 'Planners'?

I watched for nearly two years their valiant attempts to design a 97 bus stop on Abbeydale road (them changing the design from time to time, after it caused serious accident). God alone knows how much it cost.

 

When they do actually pass a design for a building/have a half-hearted go themselves, it's invariably a multi-coloured plastic and concrete monstrosity with no aesthetic merit whatsoever.

They're 'third-rate' (I presume you're aware of the original meaning of that phrase?).

Basically, anything to do with roads or buildings, and they're completely flummoxed. The new Moor will look like a dog's dinner if already completed construction is anything to go by. 'Planners' they are not ... by any dictionarial terms anyway.

 

So what would you do?

[AndrewC]

You mean the bomb site ?

 

Sorry, I tend not to stare at it in admiration every time I shuffle back and forth between the Poundlands at either end of town.

 

As per my previous post. And when you're trying to build new things, you have to accept that you're going to have a building site.

 

Someone on this forum a few months ago vocalised some genuine anger towards the council because they were demolishing the old shops, despite the fact the new shops and cinema wouldn't be ready until 2016. Some people had to politely point out to them that it's quite tricky building a brand new building whilst the old one is still there.

 

---------- Post added 05-04-2015 at 17:37 ----------

 

Is it any wonder people bash SCC 'Planners'?

I watched for nearly two years their valiant attempts to design a 97 bus stop on Abbeydale road (them changing the design from time to time, after it caused serious accident). God alone knows how much it cost.

 

That sounds bad, but then again, unless you were involved, for all you know there may have been some difficulties. Has the company you work for ever made a dog's dinner of a project for various reasons?

 

When they do actually pass a design for a building/have a half-hearted go themselves, it's invariably a multi-coloured plastic and concrete monstrosity with no aesthetic merit whatsoever.

They're 'third-rate' (I presume you're aware of the original meaning of that phrase?).

Basically, anything to do with roads or buildings, and they're completely flummoxed. The new Moor will look like a dog's dinner if already completed construction is anything to go by. 'Planners' they are not ... by any dictionarial terms anyway.

 

Planners are not architects, or investors. They didn't design the buildings on the moor, and despite what people think, don't have a massive amount of powers to stop bland buildings.

 

No, they're not perfect at all, nor is the system they have to work with. But why day-to-day planners get all the flack, meanwhile politicians at local and national level who are actually creating all the policy and financial environments etc. never get mentioned - is beyond me.

 

But we'll never change each other's minds, so...

 

---------- Post added 05-04-2015 at 17:41 ----------

 

So what would you do?

 

Quite.

 

Turn down buildings because of design or other planning reasons and you get accused of being 'anti-business', or difficult.

 

Approve them to allow in investment and business and you get criticised because they invariably design the building on the cheap because they are business and don't want to spend more money than they have to.

 

 

Thank god planners have the power to bring in investment and force developers to design world-class buildings at the same time. Oh, wait...

[The Joker]

As per my previous post. And when you're trying to build new things, you have to accept that you're going to have a building site.

 

<snip>

 

Thank god planners have the power to bring in investment and force developers to design world-class buildings at the same time. Oh, wait...

 

Point taken.

 

Maybe I'm just annoyed it won't be an IMAX cinema screen. I had high hopes it would be, after I saw how deep the diggers had, er, dug.

 

Then they promptly filled the hole with rubble, so no chance of an IMAX as great as the one in Bradford

[JFKvsNixon]

Point taken.

 

Maybe I'm just annoyed it won't be an IMAX cinema screen. I had high hopes it would be, after I saw how deep the diggers had, er, dug.

 

Then they promptly filled the hole with rubble, so no chance of an IMAX as great as the one in Bradford

 

There's an IMAX screen at the centertainment.