Hello Everybody,

Cala Homes are developing the area between Moorfoot and the ring road, opposite safeways. The development is called 'Eclipse'. It's going to be a luxury, exclusive residential tower, you know the drill.

Only it's not. I read in Friday's Telegraph that Cala have withdrawn their plans twice, allegedly due to costs. Now they’ve submitted plans for a building that council officers describe as ‘flawed’, ‘bland’ and ‘disappointing’: yet the council feel obliged to push ahead with the development, fearing that if they don't agree, the area will be left unused.

This seems very wrong to me. If the design does not meet the council’s brief for a tall, ‘slender’ gateway tower, than it should not be built. Maybe this unhappy compromise is realism; however, it seems more like bullying.

The council are supposedly aiming for a ‘Distinctive European City’. Distinctive European cities don’t come cheap or rushed. Accepting more adequate, bland buildings won't help sheffield to improve, to regenerate; it's just more of the same. What do you all think?

Originally posted by tom_common
This seems very wrong to me. If the design does not meet the council’s brief for a tall, ‘slender’ gateway tower, than it should not be built. Maybe this unhappy compromise is realism; however, it seems more like bullying.

The council are supposedly aiming for a ‘Distinctive European City’. Distinctive European cities don’t come cheap or rushed. Accepting more adequate, bland buildings won't help sheffield to improve, to regenerate; it's just more of the same. What do you all think?

This is typical of the council - accepting second best. This is why it is supposed to be the City of Sport, yet all the sporting events go to Manchester.

It has an airport whose website says "Please note:There are no scheduled flights operating from this airport."

A road system comparable to the Eastern Bloc.

A world famous furniture shop that's turned away because a well-past it department store doesn't like it.

A redeveloped canal waterfront which provides nothing but nice scenery from the windows of solicitors and other business.

It has an airport whose website says "Please note:There are no scheduled flights operating from this airport."


:D

Shame if this doesn't go ahead as planned. This is the one at St. Mary's Gate you're talking about? Supposed to be 23 stories?

yeah there is the tower at on the site of the old mercedes showroom and this one at St Mary's gate. They have decided to increase the number of flats in the tower by adding an extra floor and building an extra 2 flats per floor. So the height and width will be bigger. There is a news release on the council website with the info. It still seems to stipulate that it must be an attractive building so it might not be as bland and unimaginative as you are saying.

Also i get the impression from reading his/her posts, that alsresearch is a very negative person and whatever happens in this city or whatever the council do will never be good enough.

p.s. sorry for the spelling mistake- its alchresearch not alsresearch

Originally posted by jazz
Also i get the impression from reading his/her posts, that alsresearch is a very negative person and whatever happens in this city or whatever the council do will never be good enough.

Nope, just VERY angry that the place of my birth, a city I was once proud of, is becoming a third rate city, always two steps behind everywhere else.

The council is doing NOTHING to promote Sheffield in any positive way.

and we must have the most poorly stocked and out of date Library in the UK (if not Europe)

I don't know how you can argue that Eclipse isn't a step forward for our city; it will the the tallest residential development in South Yorkshire, and will certainly be an improvement on what's currently a large patch of nettles behind Moorfoot. :rolleyes:

Cala's development has had a good response from investors, and will boost Sheffield's economy by employing local labour in its construction. The building will be taller and larger than originally planned; furthermore, it is certainly good architectural value, given how far Sheffield is behind competing cities in terms of price-per-square-foot in city living developments.

Finally, the scheme already has full and final planning permission, so you've missed the boat slightly if you were hoping to complain about it. :P

Originally posted by Umeeksk
it will the the tallest residential development in South Yorkshire

The building will be taller and larger than originally planned...

Woo and yay - Kelvin flats was tall and large - woo and yay ;)

Originally posted by Xtro
Woo and yay - Kelvin flats was tall and large - woo and yay ;)
Yes, you're right - that's completely the same thing. :P