4.5 Heart of the City Quarter
Influences
The Heart of the City has been designated within the UDP for the
following:
- Part of the Central Shopping area and Central Area Zone for
the Retail Core.
- Some of this quarter is located in the City Centre Conservation
Area (refer Conservation-Part 2).
The Masterplan gave the most prominence to the Heart of the City,
promoting major projects which would attract investment in the city
centre and counteract its decline. These key projects are focused
on reinforcing the quarter’s significance as the civic, retail and
cultural heart of Sheffield:
The Heart of the City
First conceived in 1994, the Heart of the City Project has seen
a series of initiatives undertaken, or planned for the future, which
have transformed the city centre:
- Peace Gardens, completed in 1999.
- Town Hall Square, completed in 1999.
- Millennium Galleries, completed 2001.
- Howden House, the new offices for Sheffield City Council, completed
2001.
- Winter Gardens, opened December 2002.
- Hallam Square, completed 2000, as a public space on the link
from the station to the university.
- Demolition of the modern Town Hall annex – formerly known as
the ‘eggbox’ - to create a redevelopment site for a hotel, due
to commence construction in Autumn 2003.
- Office development around the proposed St. Paul’s Square, to
start in Autumn 2003.
- Millennium Place, a new public space between the Winter Gardens
and new commercial offices, to start Autumn, 2003.
- Howard Street pedestrian enhancement to start November, 2003.
- Tudor Square completion, to start early 2004.
The New Retail Quarter
The New Retail Quarter (NRQ) proposal responds to the need identified
in the masterplan for consolidation and improvement of the city
centre’s retail function as an essential part of Sheffield’s economic
regeneration.
This proposal will see the comprehensive redevelopment of the shopping
precinct located between Fargate and The Moor. A wide-ranging proposal
for the area will open up strategic sites for major retail-led,
mixed use development through the realignment of existing streets
and city blocks.
Retail proposals include anchor department stores and a variety
of smaller shops, complemented by cafes, bars and restaurants. Also
proposed are city living apartments, a health and fitness club,
a hotel tower at the top of Charter Row and a bus interchange at
Charter Square.
Significant heritage buildings, such as Leah’s Yard, and important
historic streets will be incorporated as a part of the redevelopment
scheme and rejuvenated.
The streets and spaces of the NRQ will be defined by strong and
cohesive contemporary architectural forms and spaces linked by high
quality public realm design. The new urban form will be cohesive,
legible and permeable and serve to link the surrounding city centre
districts. The focus of the NRQ will be The Square – a vibrant new
public space, surrounded by active street level frontages.
In addition, the City Centre Living Strategy recommends that the
upper floors of many commercial buildings on Fargate, Pinstone Street
and High Street could be utilised for residential accommodation,
now that the demand for secondary office space has declined. A mix
of housing types could attract a wide ranging market from young
professionals to the retired.
Sheffield City Council has developed Planning Guidance for the
New Retail Quarter, outlining the strategy for the area and offering
detailed guidelines for its development.
City Hall and Barkers Pool Precinct
City Hall
The City Hall is a fine civic building in the Heart of the City,
but it is in need of refurbishment. It is proposed that the City
Hall is upgraded to make it a major venue for concerts and events.
Leopold Street
The redevelopment of the historic former Education Department offices
on Leopold Street will see a sensitive conversion of these historic
buildings combined with contemporary additions. Set around landscaped
courtyards, the scheme will create a mixture of uses including housing,
a restaurant, a music venue, a hotel and a gym.
Carver Street/Holly Street
It is proposed that these two sites become a mixed use development,
including offices and flats, with A1 and A3 uses in the ground floor
to address the streets surrounding City Hall.
City Hall Precincts
Complementary to the upgrading of facilities and refurbishment of
City Hall, it is proposed that the surrounding streets be developed
into a high quality pedestrian precinct. Barkers Pool is to be redesigned
as a civic forecourt to the City Hall and a connecting space from
the NRQ to Fargate.
The redevelopment of the City Hall and Barkers Pool precinct will
supplement the emerging cultural district around Tudor Square. The
proximity of these two areas will promote increased pedestrian activity
in the city, particularly during the evening. The new residential
population in the adjacent developments will create a presence in
the city centre and improve the sense of safety and security at
night.
An outline scheme has been prepared by Building Design Partnership
to provide a high quality public realm which ties into Barker’s
Pool and develops an appropriate and attractive setting for the
City Hall.
Tudor Square
Tudor Square is located in the cultural heart of Sheffield with
galleries, theatres, the Central Library and now the Winter Gardens
fronting onto this space. The Masterplan promoted Tudor Square as
a centre for evening activity in Sheffield, with restaurants, bars
and cafes to support the cultural facilities.
Sheffield City Council have seized the opportunity to realise the
potential of this space and have developed three options for its
redesign. These have undergone a community consultation exercise,
from which a preferred option has been developed, namely:
- An adaptable square for hosting a variety of events, including
big events, multiple stages with screens or weekly markets.
- An animated interactive square, which would contain a number
of feature elements including an outdoor gallery or animated
installations with water, sound, light, or 3-dimensional objects.
- Enhancements and upgrading to the existing square.
The space will be designed to flow from the Winter Gardens opposite
and enhance the significant buildings along its perimeter, establishing
this part of the city centre as an important cultural precinct.
The highest quality materials would be used in the redesign of
Tudor Square. This would extend into Norfolk Street which would
be designed as a continuation of Upper Surrey Street in terms of
the palette of materials. Lower Surrey Street would have its vehicular
access downgraded to promote a physical and visual connection with
the Winter Garden. The Square would also be upgraded to promote
access to all and provide a stage for events and activity.
The Ruskin Gallery has now been redeveloped into a quality restaurant
and continental café bar and this will complement and act as a catalyst
for the initiatives in Tudor Square.
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