Cole Brothers: Update on plans for old John Lewis building in Sheffield city centre and when work will start
The long-awaited regeneration of the old Cole Brothers and John Lewis store in Sheffield city centre is moving closer, as talks continue.
Now a development chief has issued an update on what the future holds for the old department store at Barker’s Pool, which shut in 2021, with the loss of 299 jobs.
Urban Splash, the firm behind the regeneration of Sheffield’s iconic Park Hill flats, earlier this year signed a 250-year lease on the empty building, which it plans to turn into an entertainment, leisure and retail venue called Cole Store.
Urban Splash has told how the ground floor will be the first part of the building to reopen, with food and drink outlets planned there, but that it plans to consult the public.
Andrew Davison, Heart of the City project director for Queensberry, the council’s development partner on the £470 million city centre regeneration scheme, which is nearing completion, gave The Star an update this week on the plans for John Lewis.
When will work begin on old John Lewis building?
“We would like to see works commence on that next year,” he said.
“The development agreement on that is progressing. It’s in its design and masterplanning stage, looking at what can it be, what should we do.
“There needs to be a mixture of uses to complement what Heart of the City has done. There will be residential and there will be various uses like leisure, retail, food and beverage.
“It’s about getting that balance right, considering that Heart of the City has delivered schemes already and those spaces are starting to get filled.”
Mr Davison was speaking at the opening of the new Radisson Blu hotel on Pinstone Street in Sheffield city centre.
Urban Splash has previously said that if everything goes to plan work would start on the lower floors of the Cole Brothers building towards the end of 2025 and last until the end of 2027.
Speaking after the agreement was announced, Sheffield City Council leader Tom Hunt said: “Urban Splash have got some really exciting plans for this building, and it’s going to sit alongside other exciting projects in the city centre - the Heart of the City scheme, Castlegate, West Bar and Fargate.”
He added: “We’re creating a city centre that will be a great place for people to come, live, work, enjoy and have a fantastic time here in the heart of our city.”