They substituted the exterior panels for shoddy-looking ones, which have been accurately described as 'cheap and tatty...caravan panels'. And they didn't tell the council about the switch until they had begun to fasten them to the structure. They lost the gamble!

For there is not a shadow of doubt that councillors were right to reject the new panels and send the developers away to come back with an acceptable proposal. It is equally certain that officers, who recommended that the new materials should be approved, showed themselves to be weak and too eager to please developers rather than protect the interests of the people of Sheffield, who will have to live for generations to come with a tower which will dominate the city's entire skyline.

The developers know the significance of this landmark project, it is an argument they will have used many times when seeking permission to start building something which is destined to have a huge impact on an architecturally sensitive part of the city centre. They will also know the significance of seeking planning permission before they begin a project - and in receiving approval to make any changes along the way.

Everyone knows that the firm has problems, suffering the effects of the credit crunch probably more acutely than any other developer at work in Sheffield city centre at the moment.

But the people of Sheffield should be grateful that playing this particular sympathy card didn't sway councillors.

If the firm has to walk away from the project, it will not be the end of the day for Sheffield: another developer will be found in years to come when economies begin to rally around the world, or the site will be cleared and a fresh start made. Either option is better than having to live with a 32-storey caravan-panelled monstrosity.

Also, this lets developers know that the council, while eager to help them build the new Sheffield, know what it means to stand by an agreement.