Change of plan for Sheffield city centre tower block following pandemic

Developers want to amend their plans for a 25-storey tower at the gateway of the Moor because of the impact of the pandemic.
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The £78.6m scheme is planned for the site of Midcity House, at the junction of Furnival Gate, Pinstone Street and Union Street.

Midcity Tower was originally due to be a mix of retail units and up to 271 apartments with a residents’ gym but developers now want to make a number of alterations.

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They want to combine two retail units into one, reconfigure a third unit and reduce a fourth unit.

Developers want to amend their plans for Midcity Tower at Furnival Gate (image - Hadfield Cawkwell Davidson).Developers want to amend their plans for Midcity Tower at Furnival Gate (image - Hadfield Cawkwell Davidson).
Developers want to amend their plans for Midcity Tower at Furnival Gate (image - Hadfield Cawkwell Davidson).

The residents' gym space would be reduced and there are plans for an extra 15 apartments on the first floor and 12 more on the second floor.

In the amended planning application, architects Hadfield Cawkwell Davidson say: "The aims are to target a reduction of retail area to reduce client exposure to changing market conditions relating to the Covid pandemic and to reflect emerging tenant demand.

"And to increase residential provision through the introduction of new apartments at the first and second floors in the spaces previously occupied by retail and a residents’ gym."

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Planning consultants Quod say in a letter: "Responding to market demand is of paramount importance given the challenging economic circumstances which currently prevail, both in terms of wider decline in the retail market alongside the impacts of the Covid pandemic.

"Town and city centres are facing increasing pressures and it is important the development can respond in a flexible way.

"The changes would deliver an additional 27 residential units - seven studios, 19 one-bed and one two-bed, through a reduction in retail space, a modest reduction in the residential amenity space and a rationalisation of the residents' gym - a smaller gym potentially to be integrated into the wider amenity space.

"Significant amenity space would remain and a new mezzanine area would be created. There are no changes proposed above the second floor."

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Developers say the scheme will regenerate an important gateway city centre site with its main entrance from Pinstone Street.

Planning officers are considering the amended scheme, which can be viewed at: https://planningapps.sheffield.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=QTPAMPNYHZ000

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