No talk of heritage by property association

I don’t know how to take Martin McKervey, of Sheffield Property Assocation, and his letter about investment and Sheffield being on the up.

I haven’t the foggiest what the Academy of Urbanism is. Is it inspected by Ofsted ?

Yes the cranes are noticeable on the Sheffield skyline and yes any Sheffielder, even those with heritage concerns must agree with how the Moor has progressed and the increase in footfall.

Yet I fear how those pristine buildings are going to endure when they are subject to the attentions of morons equipped with spray paint and our feral pigeons.

Isn’t it going to be a ghost town after hours? But what really worries me is the total lack of mention of heritage in the writer’s comments, no mention of concerns about Heart of the City, no mention of the inertia at cabinet level over the Old Town Hall; the future of the Castle site; the lack of progress on the Castlegate Conservation Area.

I can’t see Castle House being transformed just yet but there is scaffolding on the outside of the Cannon while everyone is waiting for Chris French to open Two Rivers.

Fitzalan Square looks like a bomb has hit it with the removal of the 1909 balustrade, necessary no doubt to avoid the sometimes perceived ant-social element but the GPO restoration is surely deserving of a Civic Award if Grey to Green is anything to go by.

As for the Christmas Market in Fargate, well it’s par for the course without a bigger background of historic buildings as its setting.

Sadly, Kelham Christmas Market slipped this year but that’s the important point Martin, Kelham succeeds because of the heritage and the pubs, no need for bowling alleys, gyms or food halls here, just some character.

As for 30 or 40 years, well time to demolish. Sheffield’s good at that.

With the impending loss of council staff with an inclination to conservation, I see no reason why that’s going to alter.