Sheffield seeks public realm, connectivity gains

The city council is looking to link development areas with a series of interventions including the pedestrianisation of parts of Pinstone, Surrey and Charles Streets.

SCC said that with projects including Heart of the City, Castlegate and Fargate continuing to take shape, the Connecting Sheffield: City Centre plan will go hand in hand with those regeneration projects, linking key areas together, creating more space for events and encouraging public transport.

Cllr Ben Miskell, chair of the council’s transport, regeneration and climate policy committee, said: “Sheffield is a city on the up and as part of that we’re transforming the city centre into a space that people can be proud of.

“We’re creating fantastic, vibrant space for outdoor seating for cafes, turning the area into much more of a destination for an evening out with friends. We are also including areas where numerous events can be held throughout the year, attracting more people into the city centre.”

Parts of Pinstone Street, Surrey Street and Charles Street will be fully pedestrianised offering a more comfortable experience for shoppers and visitors, with wider footways giving barsw and restaurants greater ability to introduce outdoor seating.

Segregated cycle routes though the core of the city will link to existing cycle routes and a new bus hub on Rockingham Street will be installed.

Cllr Miskell continued: “Sheffield’s city centre is transforming into an area fit for the future and this project gives us the much-needed infrastructure to match our ambitious plans. Improving the public transport network will form a crucial part of that plan, but enabling people to walk, cycle and wheel around, safely is crucial as well.

“There are still more than 9,000 car parking spaces available in the city centre, but we want to give people more choice about how they travel to and move within a transforming city.

“These are very ambitious plans, and we know they won’t, at first, be popular with everyone, but we know that, together with the rest of the regeneration being put together, Connecting Sheffield: City Centre will play a crucial role in the future of the city and will make Sheffield a much more attractive place for people to live, work and play.”

Connecting Sheffield: City Centre is being delivered by Sheffield City Council and is funded by South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority.

Ed Clancy, South Yorkshire’s active travel commissioner, said: “These plans are to improve the link between Fargate and The Moor making it a nicer space for people to sit outside cafes and restaurants or to get involved in events in the heart of our city.

“It’s an exciting step forward building new, modern places for this and the next generation to enjoy.”

Martin McKervey, chair of Sheffield Property Association, said: “We’ve so much happening in our city at the moment, and I think of Heart of the City, Castlegate, Fargate, West Bar, the list goes on. The Connecting Sheffield: City Centre scheme is really; really important it’s going to be pivotal to creating this new city centre experience that we all want Sheffield to have and that we all want to feel a part of.

“I also think this is very important for our economy, for jobs, for investment and for our businesses. And it’s also important for our visitors and for the people of our city who want to come to our city centre to have a wonderful and unique experience.”