What should be built in Sheffield? Residents want projects including airport and public loos

The heart of the city project, well underway in the town centre, may be the most prominent, but there are also plans for schemes such as the Castegate project near the former market. But what do residents want to see built? We went out and asked people on the street – with some surprising results.

Among the projects residents told us they would like to see built was an airport – just weeks after Doncaster Sheffield Airport, in Doncaster, closed. Alison Roy, from Chapeltown said: “I would say an airport, simply because as a city centre, and a city as large of Sheffield, we’re just missing out on everything.”

Mabior Bior, who lives near the city centre, agrees. He said: “I wish for Sheffield to be the next city that is bigger than Manchester, to have an airport here, so that anyone who wants to travel abroad can. They have an airport at Bradford, and Leeds. I would wish the same thing to be in Sheffield.”

Huw Thomas, from Sheffield, said: “I’d bring back the old market. I know it’s controversial and the Moor Market’s doing well. The Moor Market is lovely but I really miss the Castle Market. What I think I miss most is the way it was such a den of little corners. I’d like to see something like that again. They could build something like that at the Coles site up the road.”

Daniel Ashmore, of Ecclesall, said he would like to see more youth and community centres. He said: “Over the past 10 years Sheffield has been crying out for individuals to have fun around Sheffield city centre.” He said he would also like to see plans which had been put forward to create a football pitch on the top of John Lewis.

Sue Briggs, from Penistone, wanted to see someone building public toilets. She said: “I think we need some more decent public toilets as we have to rely on cafes and things at the moment. And we like Atkinsons, but we are missing Debenhams a lot, so a department store. There’s a lack of women’s clothing. We’re all having to shop online at the moment, which is not good.”