4.7 The Moor Quarter

Principles

Degree of Intervention
The Moor should follow a programme of - Reinvention and Reconfiguration - to enhance and strengthen its position as the city’s secondary shopping street.

Activity
Diversification of uses should be encouraged in the area to ensure its long-term development, with retail units dominating the ground level to protect the identity of the quarter as an important shopping precinct.

Architectural style and materials
The existing built form along The Moor should be largely retained to celebrate the post-war redevelopment of the city, although modern interpretations will be encourage providing they do not undermine the existing visual cohesion of the street. Within other parts of the quarter, where there is greater opportunity for redevelopment, the use of the characteristic Portland stone and designs in keeping with the post war prescription for the area will be encouraged.

Developments on Eyre Street and Charter Row should exploit their position as key routes into the city centre and be innovative in their design to help promote Sheffield’s image as a modern and competitive city.

Ground floor facades of The Moor must have a high degree of transparency to provide a positive and interactive visual contribution to the street, as this is part of the city’s main retail spine.

Building form and height
Both Charter Row and Eyre Street have been identified as gateway routes into the City. Charter Row may be able to accommodate higher density developments ranging from 7-10 storeys. The Milton House development (9 storeys) provides a reasonable level of enclosure to the street and is recommended that this should form the street average, with some punctuation at key corners.

Eyre Street like Charter Row is wider and may also be able to accommodate taller buildings without becoming too enclosed. Generally a height range of 5 to 8 storeys would be appropriate, providing it can be demonstrated that there will be no detrimental impact on the CIQ core.

There is also the opportunity to increase the density and massing of the relatively low 3 – 4 storey postwar shopping precinct, possibly by upto 2 storeys, although careful analysis will need to be carried out on enclosure and pedestrian comfort.

There is scope to introduce taller buildings at the Charter Square and along Furnival Gate to Furnival Square. There is also the opportunity to terminate the strong axis of the Moor adjacent to the Government Offices and form a tall building zone.

All new developments must undertake an analysis of the potential impacts on the attractive views out to ‘green Sheffield’, which must be retained and enhanced.

Development must not impinge on the axiality or uniformed enclosure of the streets to ensure views to the Town Hall and the Cathedral Church of St. Marie are reinforced.

Public realm improvements and materials
The existing streetscape will be transformed with a staged programme of public realm improvements, reclaiming the spatial qualities of the streets and celebrating the ‘axial way’ linking the Government Offices at Moorfoot to the town hall.

Pedestrian footways on the side streets should be widened and resurfaced to provide an accessible and safe pedestrian environment.

Street clutter should be removed and signage rationalised within The Moor shopping precinct.

A tree lined boulevard should signal the entry to the centre from the west and links to Arundel Gate at Furnival Square should be developed to create an interpretative gateway.

Crossings should be reconfigured at the downgraded Eyre Street and Charter Row to increase permeability, create a more pleasant pedestrian environment and improve connectivity with the CIQ and Devonshire Quarter.

Public realm materials on The Moor should see the Heart of the City palette rolled out to provide continuity and cohesion on the main retail spine of the city centre. Eyre Street and Charter Row should generally adhere to the guidance for secondary streets as they provide key entry routes into the city centre.

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