20,000 new homes proposed within strategic vision for city centre
An ambitious new vision has been revealed for Sheffield city centre.
It looks beyond the development work already underway to transform this area, including the £470m Heart of the City scheme, as well as funding secured to revitalise the high street and Castlegate through the Future High Streets Fund and the council’s recent successful bid to the Levelling Up Fund.
The vision outlined by Sheffield City Council explores how city centre spaces can be best used to meet the needs of residents.
It includes plans to create five new distinctive neighbourhoods with high quality housing in Neepsend, Wicker Riverside, Castlegate, the Moor and Furnace Hill.
More than 20,000 new homes would be created, relieving pressure on greenfield sites, and helping to meet housing demands for Sheffield’s growing population.
Councillor Mazher Iqbal, executive member for city futures: development, culture and regeneration, said: “We know how much interest there is in the future of the city centre and that people want a city centre they can feel proud of.
“Sheffield is an incredibly distinctive city, and we want to make sure that we develop a vision for its future that incorporates our unique identity, heritage and culture, whilst making sure it is adaptable and able to face any challenges over the coming years.”
A five-week public consultation has now been launched. People can share their views on the council’s ambitions for the city centre over the next 20 years, focusing on key areas such as housing, regeneration, public transport, and green spaces.
The consultation will also seek opinions on other important areas, including the “spine” of the city centre, which runs from Castlegate to the Moor, plans for key areas such as Fargate and options for the future of the former John Lewis store.
Cllr Iqbal added: “Through this consultation we want to create a plan for repurposing our city centre that will maintain Sheffield’s strong reputation as a place people want to come to live, work, study and succeed.”
The consultation will run until Friday 11 February 2022. People can view the plans and provide comments at www.ourcitycentre-shf.com
