Sheffield Retail Quarter (ex-"Sevenstone") MEGATHREAD

[terryh 10]

no we dont need new shopping center ,leave the market where it is do something with the old post office

[GodStar 10]

I've suggested it before. We don't need new development; the building for an indoor shopping centre already exists.

 

With additional development, the Old Post Office in Fitzalan Square, lying derelict and unloved would be ideal. It looks the part, is an old, respected building and is in a wonderful location, especially if the Riverside Development and the Castle Regeneration is seriously going to happen.

 

UOTE]

 

Lovely building but a shopping centre it could never be!

[ghost rider 10]

The book is 'The Tomb Of The Unknown Alderman' by John Cornwell, ex South Yorkshire County Council and Sheffield City Council. Best book on Sheffield politics I've read.

Thanks for letting me know,ive just managed to order a copy from amazon.

[RuggerTyke 10]

Greetings from Bradford.

 

I believe we should replicate this as we had genuine history wiped away years ao with the demolition of our Swan Aracade, ugly monstrosities built in its plae and now a large hole of ten years.

 

How do Sheffielders view the 7S development now as it is within completion ?.

[Mr Sheffield 10]

I am very pro development and I do think we need something like Sevenstone to happen. The thing is it's not gonna happen so we need to cut our losses and move on. Hammerson have no intention of doing anything in Sheffield and have been stringing successive councils along for far too long. We need to develop the city centre in small stages like the council are doing on the moor at the moment.

Edited October 18, 2012 by Mr Sheffield

[six45ive 10]

Greetings from Bradford.

 

I believe we should replicate this as we had genuine history wiped away years ao with the demolition of our Swan Aracade, ugly monstrosities built in its plae and now a large hole of ten years.

 

How do Sheffielders view the 7S development now as it is within completion ?.

 

The whole scheme looked a complete nightmare from the very first proposals of which developer's design people liked and should be used. Unbelievably the one that was selected was the ugliest of the lot but was supposedly the winner in the eyes of the public. Most people suspected that this scheme had already been selected prior to public consultation as the cheapest design/option and that the consultation was just a box ticking excercise. This was confirmed when the finalised plans were put on display and person after person who came to give their opinion were enraged at;

1/the poor quality of the scheme, the architecture (or lack thereof), the poor quality of the building materials and the general 'could be anywhere' feel of it and;

2/the loss of a number of beautiful ornate buildings of which Sheffield has already has too few of.

 

I spent hours a day over a number of days at the display site to gauge public opinion and the only people who seemed to be keen on the scheme were the odd business person who came in to 'offer their support'.

[six45ive 10]

Not sure if it's just the computer I'm working on but the link below doesn't work for me. Sevenstone doesn't exist any more?.....hooray!

http://www.sevenstone.co.uk/index.ph...n&s=masterplan

[lazarus 68]

I assume many people know of the latest plans by Sheffield City Council to butcher our city centre and destroy our heritage.

I'm refering to the offensive Sevenstone development - quite simply, the most arrogant, ugly, and unimaginative set of 'plans' I have ever seen in my life.

Already, because of the Sevenstone monster, Sheffield City Council has overseen the demolition of the fire station in Wellington Street, a fine building, not even 25 years old, which will be much missed.

Couldn't they have converted it to a new use? look at the old Kenning's building, now the home of the Showroom Cinema.

There is something uplifting, stylish, exciting, sexy even, to give old buildings new uses in which the public can go in, participate and benefit - in the case of Kenning's, you can see a film or buy a drink at the Showroom bar.

Sheffield City Council never gave the fire station the chance of a new life - a disgrace - it could have made an excellent centre for new business accommodation at low rents, to get ventures launched and established, and be the incubator for new jobs.

It could have helped to stimulate and diversify Sheffield's economy.

But, thanks to our council, we will never know what it could have become.

In a time of world financial uncertainty, why commit to the monstrous Sevenstone scheme, a disaster in the making, which is bound to be half empty and soulless if it is ever built - so PLEASE help me to stop it in its tracks!!

Post on this thread if you are in support and want Sevenstone stopped - Sheffield City Council 'consultation' is a joke, a device to get public answers to support their own plans, so post here and we will provide some real consultation and opinion of our own.

Why oppose Sevenstone?

Sevenstone will lead to the demolition of a large number of fine old buildings (and perfectly re-useable modern ones) in the Cambridge Street and Pinstone Street area, including the lovely old Bethel Sunday School.

Go and see it, the likes of this building will never be built again in Sheffield. It is steeped in history, used by generations of Sheffielders, many of them children of the working class poor.

Why replace a building like this, full of social history and the essential character which makes Sheffield unique, and replace it with another dreary identikit shopping mall, nowhere-ville, selling nothing but imported goods from China, the sort of thing which would look no different to other shopping developments all over the UK and beyond.

Sheffield does not have many historic buildings left, and before the council destroys any more much-loved and meaningful places to us Sheffielders - such as the Sportsman pub in Cambridge Street - please help to stop this Sevenstone scheme.

With the present buildings and street plan, Sheffield City Council could commission a sustainable and popular scheme to give exciting new uses to the buildings already there. Be imaginative, creative, and keep the sense of place.

For example, why demolish the Grosvenor House Hotel, another important building, a landmark, a site which helps define Sheffield?

The hotel has also been an important contributor to the World Snooker Championships at the Crucible over the years given the number of top snooker players that have stayed there.

This building could easily be refurbished inside and out and given a new lease of life. Why demolish it. It is just senseless.

Have a look at the Sevenstone plans, you can easily find them on Google, they really are horrific.

And then look at the Hallamshire Historic Buildings Society website for comment from real Sheffielders about the scheme.

Sheffield City Council has a disgraceful recording of destroying our city's heritage. Look on the excellent Picture Sheffield website and look at beautiful old pictures of the Royal Hospital in West Street, and St Paul's Church in Pinstone Street, two amazing buildings which were lost with the full support of our so-called council.

Don't let the council ruin what is left of our past. Post on this thread, give opinions, there is still time to make a difference!!

Thanks for reading, over to you ...

 

I totally agree with every word, its a travesty that Sheffield has lost some fantastic buildings only to be replaced by mediocre, ugly replacements.

[six45ive 10]

I totally agree with every word, its a travesty that Sheffield has lost some fantastic buildings only to be replaced by mediocre, ugly replacements.

 

Yes, and the frustrating thing is that it happens a bit at a time so it's not really noticeable until you wake up a few years down the line and you suddenly realise what's happened. Where's the city gone and why have we been left with a 'clone town'?

[Dragonfall 10]

I totally agree with every word, its a travesty that Sheffield has lost some fantastic buildings only to be replaced by mediocre, ugly replacements.

 

Do you mean recently, or since the War? There seemed to be a flurry of demolitions in the 60's & 70's, but are there any recent 'fantastic buildings' that have been demolished?

[Vague_Boy 10]

Not sure if it's just the computer I'm working on but the link below doesn't work for me.

 

It's not just you.

 

 

its a travesty that Sheffield has lost some fantastic buildings only to be replaced by mediocre, ugly replacements.

 

Which in themselves are demolished after a few decades. The "egg box" has gone and the old Manpower Services building has been mooted for demolition.

 

 

Do you mean recently, or since the War? There seemed to be a flurry of demolitions in the 60's & 70's, but are there any recent 'fantastic buildings' that have been demolished?

 

Probably not recently, the trend seems to be to at least try and retain the facade of older buildings.

 

Various councils stretching back over 50 years seem to have made a right hash of redeveloping the city.

 

Can't we get the people who run Leeds to run Sheffield as well?

[Dragonfall 10]

Can't we get the people who run Leeds to run Sheffield as well?

 

I doubt even the Leeds' people could make a success of Sheffield now (from a retail point of view) it's slipped that far behind. Successive councils seem to've been keen to discourage businesses & private companies that wanted to invest & develop sites around the town centre, to the point that no-one wants to invest in it (& generally they default to Meadowhall). As is pointed out somewhere else in this thread, it's clear Hammerson's have no interest in Sheffield, & have focused their efforts on Leeds, Liverpool & elsewhere. So some alternative plan needs to be brought together ...