The problem is the area is now so run-down. Plans for the River culvert to be opened up and make a park area opposite, hardly anyone goes down there now! Beautiful building but, once grand, in an important part of town, the demolition of the Corn Exchange to build the concrete Woolworths started the rot.
Change in retailing too as more & more stores either went into administration or just cut number of stores on the High Street as well as customers to market already going to supermarkets instead by the time new market was opened. But there is still hope. th-cam.com/video/jfxSe9ARrMs/w-d-xo.html
I've only just seen your reply 3 years later! The area is now totally dead with the closures of the Co-op Food Hall and now Wilko. The old Town Hall should have been converted straight after it closed as the Crown Court in I995. Left to rot for almost thirty years.
It is coming up on FOTH website and other FOTH social media in a couple of days. Not exactly conclusive. original owners now sold to developer a few weeks ago officially after years of failing to talk to anyone. New owner applied for planning permission. A lot of strings attached but still not as good as could have been and if goes ahead much of the internal character lost. Now Virus hit & likely worldwide recession who knows if owner will carry on or attempt resale.
@@duckweedy Thank you, its a shame. I was a Police Officer, I remember attending there at the Crown court to give evidence, an amazing building. Fingers crossed that something will happen.
There is the dilemna. Putting it to grade 2* which is true for a similar building in Wakefield would mean we could get funding from English Heritage. They will not fund grade 2. There is likewise Heritage Lottery Funding for private owners of significant buildings. The Courtrooms are already protected so any developer has to work within this restriction already. The problem is that if we do go for higher status it is the 1950s extension which could present problems as would be hard to adapt or remove as the whole building would be listed 2*. There is red tape a plenty already so upgrading it won't change that. It is the complexity and cost re this listed Georgian building which has probably resulted in 1 developer drawing up plans and then backing off and the new developer having left it for so many years. There is no easy answer but we are talking to a wide range of experts and hopefully will come up with a workable solution . It will take a lot of money and a lot of years. We are under no illusions. We are also not shutting doors on any solutions. Our main aim is to see the building protected restored and back in use whoever owns it.
Shane O'Connor If it was that simple we wouldn't have an empty heritage buildings. In my experience property development of a building of this size only works with a mixture of funding and partnerships. Leopold Square was one such development. A partnership between developer and Architectural Heritage Fund. The Council did not list Park Hill Flats. That is not how listing works. The reason Sheffield is left with a half re-developed block of flats is that the developer is not able to sell as many revamped flats as they had planned for because of a downturn in the economy. This isn't the council or English Heritage's fault. To knock down the flats and rebuild even if that was possible would cost a lot more than what has been spent so far. If you want to blame anyone blame the lack of investment in Sheffield for its heritage which is considerably lower than other Northern cities which in turn is minuscule compared with what is given to London.
Hope it's restored explored it earlier this year it's a wonderful building and deserves to be mighty once again
good luck !!!!! amazing building hope it shall be saved and refurbished !
The problem is the area is now so run-down. Plans for the River culvert to be opened up and make a park area opposite, hardly anyone goes down there now! Beautiful building but, once grand, in an important part of town, the demolition of the Corn Exchange to build the concrete Woolworths started the rot.
Change in retailing too as more & more stores either went into administration or just cut number of stores on the High Street as well as customers to market already going to supermarkets instead by the time new market was opened. But there is still hope. th-cam.com/video/jfxSe9ARrMs/w-d-xo.html
I've only just seen your reply 3 years later!
The area is now totally dead with the closures of the Co-op Food Hall and now Wilko.
The old Town Hall should have been converted straight after it closed as the Crown Court in I995. Left to rot for almost thirty years.
and yet, three years later...
So. What's happening? 5 years ago, no update?
It is coming up on FOTH website and other FOTH social media in a couple of days. Not exactly conclusive. original owners now sold to developer a few weeks ago officially after years of failing to talk to anyone. New owner applied for planning permission. A lot of strings attached but still not as good as could have been and if goes ahead much of the internal character lost. Now Virus hit & likely worldwide recession who knows if owner will carry on or attempt resale.
@@duckweedy Thank you, its a shame. I was a Police Officer, I remember attending there at the Crown court to give evidence, an amazing building. Fingers crossed that something will happen.
There is the dilemna. Putting it to grade 2* which is true for a similar building in Wakefield would mean we could get funding from English Heritage. They will not fund grade 2. There is likewise Heritage Lottery Funding for private owners of significant buildings. The Courtrooms are already protected so any developer has to work within this restriction already. The problem is that if we do go for higher status it is the 1950s extension which could present problems as would be hard to adapt or remove as the whole building would be listed 2*. There is red tape a plenty already so upgrading it won't change that. It is the complexity and cost re this listed Georgian building which has probably resulted in 1 developer drawing up plans and then backing off and the new developer having left it for so many years. There is no easy answer but we are talking to a wide range of experts and hopefully will come up with a workable solution . It will take a lot of money and a lot of years. We are under no illusions. We are also not shutting doors on any solutions. Our main aim is to see the building protected restored and back in use whoever owns it.
Shane O'Connor If it was that simple we wouldn't have an empty heritage buildings. In my experience property development of a building of this size only works with a mixture of funding and partnerships. Leopold Square was one such development. A partnership between developer and Architectural Heritage Fund. The Council did not list Park Hill Flats. That is not how listing works. The reason Sheffield is left with a half re-developed block of flats is that the developer is not able to sell as many revamped flats as they had planned for because of a downturn in the economy. This isn't the council or English Heritage's fault. To knock down the flats and rebuild even if that was possible would cost a lot more than what has been spent so far. If you want to blame anyone blame the lack of investment in Sheffield for its heritage which is considerably lower than other Northern cities which in turn is minuscule compared with what is given to London.
www.change.org/p/private-owners-of-the-old-town-hall-waingate-sheffield-the-owners-need-to-take-responsibility-of-works-to-be-undertaken-consider-selling-or-work-with-us/u/9893626
Looks exactly the same in 2021. Except those markets have vanished.
There has been some work inside clearing out rubbish and some patching the roof but agreed otherwise doesn't seem to be going forward.
Now January 2024. Not looking good.
Who was the last acting Judge?
Who was the last acting Judge?
facebook.com/OTHSheffield or friendsofothsheffield.wordpress.com/ for more details
www.thestar.co.uk/news/campaigns/campaign-steps-up-to-save-iconic-sheffield-building-1-7220972
Disgusting Sheffield should be ashamed letting such an iconic but rot shame on you
Building rot