Cole Brothers: Sheffield MP hits out at pressure to block revamp of former John Lewis store
A Sheffield MP has urged the city council not to cave in to pressure to block plans for the former Cole Brothers building.
Clive Betts said the proposals put forward by developers were a “huge improvement” on the current situation, which sees a prime location building stood empty.
And he criticised Historic England and the Twentieth Century Society for objecting “with no plans of their own.”
The John Lewis department store on Barker’s Pool closed with the loss of 299 jobs in 2021.
It was Grade II listed by Historic England in 2022.
In September, Urban Splash submitted a planning application to change it into offices ‘underpinned by active ground floor and cultural uses’, claiming it could support up to 1,000 jobs.
Historic England and the Twentieth Century Society objected on the grounds it would ‘fundamentally alter the character’ and remove ‘key architectural elements’ of the Modernist ‘crown jewel’.
But Mr Betts said it must not remain derelict.
He added: “Once John Lewis vacated the building it first and foremost should have been demolished in favour of a new development. I do accept now though that as a listed building that is not possible, but redevelopment of the existing building should be the priority.
“So much hard work has gone into redeveloping Sheffield city centre we cannot let this site undermine those efforts by remaining derelict.
“Historic England claim ‘Sheffield deserves better’ without putting forward their own viable vision to do so. We cannot let these quangos interfere with important development and regeneration.
“Sheffield needs to be forward facing and ambitious if it is to compete with other cities for footfall and investment.
“Historic England and Twentieth Century Society seem happier to let the building remain derelict and an eye-sore than actually put it back into use and benefit the people of Sheffield.
“This Luddite thinking will get us nowhere and the council should not cave in to that pressure.”