Area Action Plan: Neepsend, Kelham Island, Sheffield

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1: Sheffield District Map

Figure 2: UK Planning System Structure

Figure 3: Permeability Map

Figure 4: Porosity Map

Figure 5: Public Transport Map

Figure 6: Landuse Map

Figure 7: Density Map

Figures 8-13: Road Enclosure

Figure 14: Grain Map

Figure 15: Legiblity Map

Figures 16-18: Nodes A,B,C

Figures 19-20: Paths 1,2

Figures 21-22: Edges 1,2

Figures 23-24: Tree Line and River Don

Figure 25: Public and Green Space Location Map

Figure 26: Public Voids

Figure 27: Parking Area Location Map

Figure 28: Parking Area

Figures 29-32: Public Art

Figures 33-36: Graffiti

Figure 37: The Gardeners Rest on Neepsend Lane

Figure 38: The Yellow Arch Studios on Burton Road

Figure 39: Nature Along River Don

Figure 40: Built Form Analysis Map

Figure 41: Grid Form Map

Figure 42: Flood Risks Map

Figure 43: Sheffield Population Distribution 2021

Figure 44: Sheffield Population Change 2011-2021

Figure 45: Sheffield Age Distribution 2021

Figure 46: Sheffield Ethnic Composition 2021

Figure 47: Types of Crimes Committed in the Site (Street Check, 2022)

Figure 48: Sheffield Crime Rate Distribution 2019

Figure 49: Neepsend Crime Rate Distribution

Figure 50: Community Facilities Location Map

Figure 51: Netherthorpe Primary School (Robinson, 2012)

Figure 52: Primary Schools and Pharmacies Location Map

Figure 53: Existing Housing in Neepsend (Google Maps, 2023a)

Figure 54: Housing Analysis Area and Site Boundary (Google Maps, 2023b)

Figure 55: Household Size in Neepsend (NOMIS, 2021a)

Figure 56: Household Tenure in Neepsend (NOMIS, 2021b)

Figure 57: Commuting Distance in Neepsend (NOMIS 2021c)

Figure 58: Map of Properties for Sale within 1/4 mile of Neepsend (Rightmove, 2023)

Figure 59: Sheffield Housing Market Table

Figure 60: Proposed City Centre Land Uses (Sheffield City Council, 2022b)

Figure 61: Current State of Sheffield’s Economy

Figure 62: Component of Sheffield’s Prosperity Gap Chart

Figure 63: Number of Business Startups in UK Table

Figure 64: Sheffield’s Working Population Distribution (SCRC, 2019)

Figure 65: Sheffield’s Employment Distribution (SCRC, 2019)

Figure 66: Sheffield’s Deprivation Index Distribution (SCRC, 2019)

Figure 67: Sheffield’s Employment Distribution (SCRC, 2019)

Figure 68: Neepsend SWOT Map

Figure 69: Neepsend Masterplan Figure 70: Example vision of a vibrant and diverse streetscape (CNU Journal, 2020)

Figures 71-74: Studios & Workshops (Photography, Art/Design, Music, Image)

Figure 75: Example of Advanced Factories

Figure 76: Enhancing the Skateboard Park

Figures 77-78: Existing heritage buildings and structures in Neepsend

Figures 79-80: Artwork and Graffiti in Neepsend

Figures 81-82: The Yellow Arch Studios in Neepsend

Figures 83-84: River Don Bridge and Weir

Figure 85: 15-Minute Neighbourhood (Ottawa Public Health, 2021)

Figure 86: Suggested Locations for Public Facilities (Map)

Figure 87-88: Active Frontage Examples (Oberklaid, 2016; Ruis, 2014)

Figure 89: Suggested Locations for Housing Developments (Map)

Figures 90-92: Example Housing Developments (Architectural Digest, 2016; Savills, 2020; Stonebridge, n.d.)

Figure 93: Development Opportunity Sites (Map)

Figure 94: Mixed-Use Development Locations and Transport Routes (Map)

Figure 95: Changes in quality of accessiblity in Neepsend (Map)

Figures 96-97: Example repurposed commercial/industrial courtyards (Loris, 2020; McClurg, 2019)

Figure 98: Cycling Lanes added to Main Roads in Neepsend (Map)

Figure 99: Example of Public Parking (DwTransportWriting, 2016)

Figure 100: Example of cycling lanes integrated within the wider transit network on a main street (Bicycle Network, 2023)

Figure 101: Adding Public Spaces and Connecting Them with Transit Network (Map)

Figures 102-107: Examples of Public Spaces and Street Furniture (IOTA, n.d.; Foursquare City Guide, 2017; Stouhl, 2019; Jibber-jabberuk, 2015; Mooool, n.d; Gordon, 2022)

Figure 108: Site C SWOT map.

Figure 109: Isometric view of the proposed design

Figure 110: Land use map by blocks

Figure 111: Spitalfields Market, London (Source: TripSavvy, 2019)

Figure 112: Integrating residential units with active frontages (On Architecture, 2023)

Figure 113: Semi active frontage e.g. glass gym (Source: Shutterstock, 2023)

Figure 114: Bar chart showing distribution of different uses

Figure 115: Integrating office and retail land uses (McCormick, 2020)

Figure 116: Pie chart showing portions of different uses

Figure 117: Pie-Chart of types of housing units on the site.

Figure 118: Portion of lettable spaces compared to owned space.

Figure 119-121: Cross section images of the site.

Figure 122: Public space masterplan.

Figure 123-126: Public Space Furniture

Figure 127: Public Space Masterplan

Figure 128, 129: Public space activities.

Figure 130-136: Green Public spaces.

Figure 137: Movement and Accessibility Masterplan

Figure 138: Overlay sketch of pedestrian street (Tun, 2023)

Figure 139: Mark x Protected Junction indicated (Glasgow City Council, 2021)

Figure 140 & 141: Smart cycle parking public furniture (ArchiExpo, n.d.), (Transport for london, 2020)

Figure 142: Material palette for Brewery Garden

1.1 Background Information

Neepsend is an area on the periphery of the city centre of Sheffield. Sheffield’s urban form is characterised by the city’s ring road, within which the City Centre is concentrated. Neepsend, and Kelham Island more broadly, is outside the ring road. Therefore, the area is considered to be disconnected from the city centre. The Sheffield City Council has therefore been consulted to integrate the area into the city centre.

The site is also characterised by a strong industrial character. Starting from the 12th century, settlements started to develop in the area. Later during the industrial revolution, Neepsend became integral to the city’s industrial and manufacturing capacities. Today, the area is home to several heritage sites given the industrial history of the site. This necessitated action plans that aimed to preserve local character. The council’s plans also considered repurposing some of the areas to commercial uses in order to integrate the area into the city centre. The plan also emphasised residential uses as part of the mixed use approach towards the land use strategy.

The previous area action plan was proposed in 2008. Since then, several changes have happened on the site. Firstly, more commercial and entertainment venues were established on the site. However, the commercial land uses are concentrated in one segment of Neepsend. Secondly, one segment of the site has residential uses. However, housing is mostly private and the area has the potential to have more housing provisions that could contribute towards addressing the city’s need for affordable housing.

1.2 Purpose and Objectives of the Plan

The purpose of the Neepsend Area Action Plan (NAAP) is to set out how the best of the Neepsend area, including its existing industrial businesses and arts and culture communities, can be regenerated into a distinctive neighbourhood, providing a unique role in the Sheffield city centre experience.

The lack of conformity with Sheffield City Council’s current planning policies, and a lag in development momentum compared with the wider City Centre and the adjacent area, Kelham Island, has largely justified the need for an updated Area Action Plan for Neepsend. The Sheffield City Centre Strategic Vision’s spatial vision and objectives incorporate a long-term vision and strategic ambitions for the neighbourhood (Sheffield City Council, 2022a).

Integral to transforming the public realm and economy of Neepsend, is the desire for Neepsend to develop a mixed community that offers commercial opportunities and residential areas, supported by blue and green infrastructures, and pedestrian-friendly transport management (or road design). Central to creating jobs and new homes, the NAAP emphasises regenerating the existing major industrial community. The vision is to create an outdoor neighbourhood destination for existing makers and creative jobs, to retain its unique industrial heritage character and better connect Neepsend with Sheffield City Centre.

The NAAP analyses Neepsend’s current situation to provide a spatial planning framework, site-wide development strategies and a detailed design proposed for a specific allocated site. The focus is to deliver an integrated approach to regenerate Neepsend sustainably, re-evaluate the area’s potential and its links to Sheffield City Centre and neighbouring communities.

FIGURE 1: Sheffield District Map

2.1 National policy

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) is the overarching guide to planning across the UK. This AAP must not only meet the future development and planning needs of the city of Sheffield and the neighbourhood of Neepsend, it also needs to respond to UK-wide development trends. The NPPF directs that a sustainable development strategy should be followed, based on which a sound plan for the future development of Neepsend can be made.

National Planning Policy Framework (2021)

In accordance with the NPPF, the requirements that this AAP should meet are:

• Planning policies and decisions should help to create the conditions for businesses to invest, expand and adapt for local business needs and for wider development opportunities.

• Develop a clear economic vision and strategy to encourage sustainable economic growth; address potential barriers to investment and increase planning flexibility to meet needs beyond the planning period.

• Planning policies and decisions should address the specific location requirements of clusters or networks of knowledge and data driven, creative or high technology industries.

• Focuse on sustainable development, which on the face of it should be a collective endeavour.

• Emphasises the role of cultural facilities in promoting community sustainability and health.

• Plans should incorporate a strategy to conserve the historic environment and provide opportunities for people to appreciate it.

2.2 Regional policies

Regional policy is more specific than national policy. It provides clearer guidance on the current and future development of Sheffield and the future development of the Neepsend area. This AAP therefore provides a more rational view of the future development of Neepsend within the framework of national policy and in line with regional policy.

The Draft Sheffield Plan (2022)

• Continue to prioritise the development of brownfield sites in urban areas; build more family-style homes in existing built-up areas. It is important to ensure that housing meets the needs of different groups of people, including older people, people with disabilities and those who have difficulty accessing the housing market.

• In the Central Sub Area, Neepsend's land includes major employment areas and flexible use sites, which include some housing and employment land.

• Supporting the growth of high productivity industries, developing skills and creating jobs, such as advanced manufacturing, digital industries and financial services.

• Investment in services in the existing built-up area and environmental improvements to attract more people. Adequate provision of sports, leisure, recreation, community and cultural facilities to meet the forecast demand for planned housing and economic growth.

The Draft Sheffield Plan (2022) (cont.)

• Attractive communities will be designed to provide the facilities needed to support new residents. People should be able to walk, cycle or use public transport to access shops and facilities to meet their daily needs.

• Landscaping and the public realm are important.

• Retain and enhance key heritage buildings (Cannon Brewery building, Cornish Works and Globe Works).

• Public art plays a key role in the quality of the built and green environment, the celebration of cultural and local identity and the engagement of the local community.

Sheffield City Centre Strategic Vision (2022)

This document envisages the city centre as a cultural centre. The City Council should devote more resources to creating landmark buildings and organising cultural events. These strategies are likely to enhance the attractiveness of the city centre to people from other places and are a key driver for the revival of the public realm. It should be a safe place to live, with walking and cycling becoming the preferred mode of travel. Air quality and road safety should be improved, bus operating conditions should be improved, and facilities and improvements should be provided for goods transport.

At the same time, the document suggests that Neepsend could host a range of outdoor activities to consolidate the city's role as an outdoor city. Improvements to the public realm in order to create an 'Outdoor Neighbourhood' are outlined, including: new greenspace, improving access to the river, planting, facilitating outdoor activities, bike and pedestrian prioritisation and improving links to nearby outdoor living assets.

This document highlights the importance of heritage conservation in fostering the unique identity of the city centre. In addition to this, in Neepsend heritage conservation targets its industrial buildings. One of the strategies is to ensure that the height of new buildings corresponds to the height of the heritage assets. This prevents changes to the industrial character of the area.

Our Strategic Economic Plan (2021-2041)

Significantly increase the number and choice of town centre housing, including developments in Kelham Neepsend (potentially funded through the Housing Infrastructure Fund) and Devonshire Quarter.

Upper Don Valley Physical Regeneration Strategy (2006)

A new 'land use framework' is proposed for the Upper Don Valley. A change of land use is needed to reshape parts of the valley that have experienced a long period of decline and lack of investment. It is clear that new uses may need to be introduced in order to diversify and enhance the Upper Don Valley and maintain its economic success. Suggestions include improving the quality of use in certain locations and targeting areas where a change of land use could bring regeneration benefits. Other strategies include: promoting the attraction of public and private investment to address underutilised and vacant land and buildings; encouraging employment opportunities; supporting clusters of technology manufacturing businesses; improving the quality and identity of the area; increasing the economic value of the riverside sites; maximising the community's contribution to and interest in regeneration; improving links between communities and destinations across the Upper Don Valley; linking people to job opportunities by improving the quality of public transport and providing new and improved walking and cycling routes; putting the needs of pedestrians and cyclists first; enhancing the street environment in the Neepsend Lane/Douglas Road area to create a more vibrant and successful mixed employment area where people feel safer and more comfortable.

Improvements to the public realm should focus on street design in the broadest sense, including improvements to infrastructure, such as resurfacing of poor quality roads, and improvements to pavements, lighting, signage and resurfacing of carriageways.

Kelham Neepsend Action Plan (2008-2018)

The plan clarifies that developers should identify viable ways to maintain and utilise the existing buildings that define the character of the area. The primary use of the area will continue to be commercial, providing high quality business premises, but a transfer from large metalworking businesses to light industrial, service, studio and small mixed office/work areas is expected. In addition, residential units are proposed on the upper floors of commercial premises or to the rear of mixed use developments. This could help develop the local employment base. The provision of more larger units would make it a more established community where more and more families could live. The site should also introduce more greenery and public space to balance the industrial history of the area with its growing residential character. Improvements to the quality and connectivity of the public realm to accommodate sporting and special events are needed, as well as increasing the amount of green space to meet the needs of residents and to improve their living environment. The plan argues that people can turn the listed bridge into a local landmark. Beyond this, a vibrant public art vision, combined with the historic and contemporary uses of the area, could have a positive impact on the economic development and reproduction of the area.

Connecting Sheffield: Neepsend - Kelham - City Centre (2021)

West Bar and Shalesmoor are seeing new residential development on the inner ring road, linking Kelham and Neepsend to the city centre. Improvements to these areas and linking them through new, high quality cycling and walking infrastructure and improved bus service routes." Active Neighbourhoods", lower traffic volumes making cycling and walking easier and transforming streets into safer and more pleasant spaces, enabling uses such as cafes and events on the pavement.

There are two B roads connecting Neepsend with the main road, Penistone Road (A61), a direct route in and out of Sheffield. Rutland Road (B6070) connects to the north and south of Neepsend. Burton Road (B6040) is a one way system running east-west across Neepsend, where the opposite traffic is diverted into Neepsend Lane.

There is only one access point at the eastern edge of the neighbourhood, where the one way traffic management will potentially cause an increase in traffic volume. Woodside Lane, an access point at north of the site, is a one way road which may cause traffic and inconvenience to medium to large vehicles. There is only one dead end road at the southern edge of Neepsend, underpinning permeability for motorised vehicles. Hence, there is a potential in reducing the number of streets that are accessible to vehicles.

• Moderate physical permeability - well-connected to main roads

- one way system reduces permeability within Neepsend

- small to medium block size allows ease of vehicle access

- accessibility enabled by the multiple access points

• Weak visual permeability - clear delineation between residential, industrial, offices and streets

The pedestrian access point at south of Neepsend is the only pedestrian-only road in the area. The pedestrian roads overlap with the vehicular routes within Neepsend where there are numerous intersection points. However, none of the points have clear pedestrian crossings, thus threatening the safety of pedestrians and reduceing pedestrians’ ease of movement.

Based upon the Sheffield Cycle Map 2017 (Sheffield City Council, 2017), there is only one short cycle lane at the edge of the site and one suggested cycle route running north-south through Neepsend. Although there is a cycling shop in Neepsend, Neepsend lacks official cycle routes connecting the site to the surrounding cycling network, which is comparatively more comprehensive.

• Poor pedestrian ease of movement - lack of crossing infrastructure

- lack of pedestrian-only roads

• Low cyclability - fragmented cycle lanes disconnecting Neepsend with the surrounding cycling network

Given Neepsend’s location at the edge of Sheffield City Centre, the site is crucial in connecting the city centre with wider Sheffield. The site is well-connected with different modes of transport with two tram stations located within a 10-minute walk and four bus routes connecting Neepsend towards the city centre and beyond.

Running east-west across Neepsend, bus route 7 and 8/8A connects Neepsend to east Sheffield towards City Road via Penistone Road. Within 10-minutes walk from Neepsend, bus route 83/83A and 95/95A connects Neepsend between west Sheffield (Endcliffe and Rivelin Valley) and northeast (Eccesfield and Longley).

The only bus route that runs through north and south Neepsend, no.784, operates only during school hours, reducing the northsouth connectivity.

Route 7 and 8/8A Ecclesfield - Crystal Peaks

Monday-Friday: every 25 - 35 mins.

Saturdays: every 30 mins.

Sundays and evenings: every 60 mins.

Route 83/ 83A

EcclesfieldFulwood

Route 95/95A

Walkley - Meadowhall

Monday-Friday: every 30 - 35 mins.

Saturdays: every 40 - 60 mins.

Sundays: every 60 mins.

Monday-Friday: every 30 mins

Saturdays: every 30 mins.

Sundays: every 30 mins.

Evenings: every 60mins.

FIGURE 3: Permeability Map

FIGURE 4: Porousity Map

DENSITY

Land in Neepsend is dominated by commercial and industrial use, stemming from the area’s historical involvement in Sheffield’s steel industry. The steel industry still remains in Neepsend in a few places, albeit at a smaller and more specialised scale than it was previously. Commercial sites now form the main part of Neepsend’s business environment, and the areas directly to the North and West of the site serve as extensions of this agglomeration of commercial spaces. Within the commercial areas of Neepsend, there is a significant variety in the types of businesses that are present, with a large number of vehicle repair businesses located in the blocks near to the railway line, as well as several builders’ yards and building material supply businesses. But there are also several office-based businesses within the site, with some old steel works, such as Albyn Works on Burton Road, having been converted into business centres.

There are also a significant number of vacant and derelict sites and buildings within Neepsend and the blocks adjacent to the site, perhaps reflecting the area’s historically industrial character and the subsequent effects of industrial decline. These vacant and derelict sites mean that Neepsend has a large area of developable land available for the future, with the potential for these sites to be converted and repurposed for new or different means than what they were previously used for.

The small pocket of residential land alongside the river Don offers an example of the potential for changing the land use typology of Neepsend. These residential blocks form an extension of the residential development located to the south of the site in Kelham, and provide an example of how the pattern of land use within Neepsend may be changed in the future.

The density of buildings within Neepsend ranges from 1 to 7 stories. Due to industrial and commercial land uses dominating the area, the majority of buildings within the neighbourhood are 1-2 stories tall, comprised of warehouses and small manufacturing sites. As such, Neepsend can be described overall as a low-density neighbourhood.

Within this however, there are pockets of higher density. Several of the older Victorian buildings in the neighbourhood are 3 stories in height, and previously formed part of the area’s numerous steel works, although they now stand isolated from similar buildings, surrounded by lower industrial and commercial units.

The block with the highest density in Neepsend maintains a height of 4-5 stories, and is made of the residential apartment buildings alongside the River Don. These buildings are only exceeded in height by part of the derelict Cannon Brewery, which reaches 7 stories, standing out from the buildings surrounding it. The rest of the block that makes up the old brewery has no continuous roofline, as it is made of up buildings of a range of heights. As such, it is clear that there is potential for new developments in Neepsend to reach 3-5 stories in height, leading to a densification of the built form of the neighbourhood.

FIGURE 6: Landuse Map

FIGURE 7: Housing Density Map

GRAIN MAP AND VISUAL CONTINUITY

A 1:1.35

The area is adjacent to the commercial centre in Neepsend. The street is heavily enclosed, which limits the visibility to the surrounding area. This takes away from the user experience since it makes the surrounding sites not very visible.

C 1:1.1

This street connects the residential parts of the site to the more industrial and commercial sites. it’s enclosure is relatively adequate for users, as some parts of the area are visible.

E 1:1.1

The street grants access to many commercial frontages. Visual permeability to the surroundings is key for users to navigate the site. The enclosure ratio is adequate in this case.

Continuity is the ability to navigate through a street unobstructed by the built environment or by the street network. The map shows the grain of the Neepsend area. Note that the architectural layout of the site indicates that most of the buildings on site have an industrial style which is linked to the area’s industrial past. Industrial urban layouts are characteriszed by having a courtyard in the center in order for vehicles to park or unload shipments into the warehouses. This layout obstructs paths; since the courtyards are for private uses, the public cannot continue to use the road by walking through the courtyards.

Enclosure relates to continuity. A street’s enclosure determines whether or not the surrounding area can be seen from the streets. Visual continuity is therefore key in helping users navigate the area. In some areas of the site, the built environment obstructs the visual continuity of the street network. The images show enclosure in several vital streets on the site.

Enclosure also relates to the quality of street design; it has been reported that an adequate enclosure ratio that makes users feel comfortable in the streets is 1:1. If the building height is disproportionate to the width of the street, then users will feel that the streets are not well accessed by sunlight, and that the streets feel less human-scale.

B 1:1.1

This area is also adjecent to the commercial centre of Neepsend. This street is less enclosed; some parts of the area are visible from this street.

D 1: 1.6

This street connects Kelham Island and the city centre to Neepsend. Visibility from this street is essential for pedestrians to find their way around. Due to enclosure, the visual permeability to the site is obstructed.

F 1:0.6

This streets grants access for users to the more industrial segements of Neepsend. In terms of enclosure, the ratio of enclosure is adequate for users.

FIGURE 8: Road Enclosure

FIGURE 9: Road Enclosure

FIGURE 10: Road Enclosure

FIGURE 11: Road Enclosure

FIGURE 12: Road Enclosure

FIGURE 13: Road Enclosure

FIGURE 14: Grain Map

Legibility is a fundamental concept in urban design that refers to the ease with which people can navigate and understand a city's spatial layout. It is the degree to which a city’s physical environment can be easily understood, and it has a significant impact on how people interact with and experience a city. In this sense, legibility is closely linked to the functional and visual clarity of a city.

In Neepsend, nodes are regularly located where the vehicular routes intersect. However, they could not ease road uers’ wayfinding since the nodes are similar with little significant features differentiating them. While the average distance between nodes is 80 metres, each node connects to around 4 paths. The amount of nodes in Neepsend hence might not be able to effecitvely convey information to users about where they are.

River Don as a soft barrier helps defines the edge of the site while not reducing the legibility. However, edge along the northeast of Neepsen is obvious with the rail track underpinning a hard barrier, hence reduces legibility (Lynch, 2018).

Paths

Nodes

Edges

FIGURE 16 Node A

FIGURE 17: Node B

FIGURE 18: Node C

FIGURE 19: Path 1

FIGURE 20: Path 2

FIGURE 21: Edge i

FIGURE 22: Edge ii

FIGURE 15: Legibility Map

TYPOLOGY

Public green spaces

Due to the historic and recent use of the site as an intensive industrial location, there is a limited supply of open or green space within the site. There is a small island in the river where the vegetation, although lush, appears overgrown and does not attract people to stay long enough to enjoy it. Secondly, there are some trees along the railway line, but they are mainly used as protection from noise and do not serve as a landscape amenity for people's daily activities.

As can be seen from the analysis diagram, there is a lack of parks or squares for people to sit and relax in the site.

There is a large park, Stanley Fields, on the north side of the site, which provides sufficient space for people to relax, play and exercise.

Parking Areas

Multiple parking spaces are available in the site. Many businesses have set aside parking spaces within their own grounds. Even so, the streets are almost full of cars on both sides during the working day. This is due to the fact that there are many businesses and factories on the site, which is an area for people to work.

As figure 27 shows , there are a total of 18 parking lots in the grounds, of which 6 are public; 12 are for restricted use and are generally attached to business sites and are only for internal staff and temporary office workers.

Semi-public open spaces

Many businesses or factories have internal grounds, most of which are used for parking and deny access to people outside the business, and some are used for storing belongings of the business.

PUBLIC ART

Public voids

There are several public open spaces within the grounds. They are currently in a state of disuse, lacking maintenance and presenting a decaying appearance.

The two open spaces located at the northern junction of Rutland Road, the main road within the site, are large and have the potential to be developed as public green space to serve the area.

The rest of the several open spaces are more evenly spread across the site. There is potential for them to be developed as small community squares in the future, providing places for people to stay for everyday life and leisure.

Some of the electrical boxes within the site are decorated with interesting graffiti, which can be seen as soon as one enters Neepsend from Ball Street Bridge. Artistic paintings have also been installed in place of some of the blocked off window locations. These are mainly located in a few art studios on the east side of Ball Street. They make the street more interesting and shape the unique character of the site.

There are also two large areas of wall graffiti within the site. At the intersection, it is easily seen and appreciated. The paintings are highly recognisable and are a unique feature of the Neepsend area. Especially at the multiple intersections, it helps people to identify the road.

There is also a lot of graffiti on the facades of some of the derelict buildings on the site. The patterns are fragmentary and individually incomplete, more like temporary drawings. The building facades are used as practice canvases and are filled with this graffiti. The messy graffiti combined with the derelict buildings creates an image of decay.

FIGURE 25: Public and Green Space Location Map

FIGURE 27: Parking Area Location Map

FIGURE 23: Tree Line

FIGURE 24: River Don

FIGURE 28: Parking Area

FIGURE 29: Public Arts

FIGURE 30: Public Arts FIGURE 31: Public Arts

FIGURE 32: Public Arts

FIGURE 33: Graffiti

FIGURE 26: Public Voids

Key Characteristics

The Neepsend study area mainly covers part of the flood plain of the River Don, which was one of the most important early industrial areas of Sheffield. The area saw its first industrial development in the 18th century and gradually expanded, with the landmark brewery built on Rutland Road in 1853, for example. As Sheffield's population increased, Neepsend underwent fundamental changes in the second half of the 19th century. Most of the buildings and bridges were also constructed during this period. After the Second World War, Neepsend was designated as an industrial area by Sheffield City Council and its permanent population was significantly reduced.

Neepsend used to have several public houses, but today Gardeners Rest and Forest are the only remaining public houses in the main part of Neepsend. Rising rents are making it more difficult for businesses and families to remain in the area. The study area is the same community system as Kelham Island across the river, but retains a more commercial and industrial feel in comparison and is more visible in travel. Neepsend includes a number of cultural venues that have helped to kick-start the regeneration of the area, such as Yellow Arch Studio. In addition, the graffiti on the street walls also highlights the character of the area.

Key Characteristics

There are a number of challenges within the study area:

• the trend for developers to prioritise smaller flats, preventing families from moving to and staying in the area.

• Traffic congestion and high levels of on-street parking.

• Increasing rents and land values, which make it harder for small businesses to get off the ground and for existing artists and artisans to stay (Mistra Urban Future, 2019).

• The desire of residents to enhance local services such as access to health care, retail and open space, which are essential to creating a viable, sustainable and diverse community.

Core Buildings

• Rutland Road bridge & Ball Street bridge

The bridges were built in the 19th century and are part of the region's historic architectural heritage. The Ball Street Bridge was previously used by vehicles and pedestrians, but in recent years it has been transformed into a public area where people can stay and enjoy themselves.

• The Gardeners Rest

The area has a strong history of beer. One of them, the Gardeners Rest, is Sheffield CAMRA's Pub of the Year. As a community pub, as well as local residents relaxing here, there are many non-profit organisations and charities hungry to meet here regularly.

• Yellow Arch Studio

This is the musical heritage of the area, rediscovered at the end of the twentieth century amidst the chaos and ruins. Yellow Arch Studios includes recording studios, a courtyard and a bar, the building is a venue for 200 people.

Natural Features

The vegetation cover in the study area is low, with only parts along the riverside covered with greenery and little greenery present along the sides of the street due to the initial planning. In addition, the Don River is an important environment for the conservation of biodiversity in the area.

FIGURE 34: Anti-social Graffiti FIGURE 35: Aesthtic Graffiti FIGURE 36: Graffiti

FIGURE 37: The Gardeners Rest at Neepsend Lane

FIGURE 38: The Yellow Arch Studios at Burton Road

Adaptability can be perceived as the capacity for the current urban layout to adapt to future needs and demands. In the context of Neepsend, the site can be adapted to change the nature of land uses; many areas that were once industrial sites have been repurposed to accommodate for residential and commercial uses. The capacity to repurpose land uses adds to the adaptability of the site. Another aspect of adaptability is the grid structure; the urban layout permits the grid to be changed to broaden the grid network.

BUILT FORM

GRID FORM

Neepsend currently has a strong sense of adaptability in its built form. There are several buildings and blocks that have been adapted from their original uses, as shown in Figure 40. A number of old steel works buildings have been repurposed into new uses such as office buildings which host numerous businesses and into food and drinks venues such as Cutlery Works and The Depot Bakery. Other repurposed uses include Yellow Arch Studios, an events venue and recording studio, and the Kelham Flea Market shop, both of which occupy parts of old steel works.

The examples of Neepsend’s adaptability also extend across a range of scales. A number of blocks within the site have been adapted to new uses, including the Neepsend Triangle business centre, and, most notably, the singular block of housing within the neighbourhood, located alongside the River Don.

It is also clear that Neepsend has the potential to continue its adaptation, due to the number of derelict buildings and vacant plots of land that exist within the neighbourhood. The existing range of repurposed buildings and blocks provides a reference point which aids the understanding of how this Area Action Plan may seek to adapt the land available within the neighbourhood.

Adaptability can also be understood in terms of the grid network of an area, and its potential to be altered to widen the capacity of the grid to grant access for users. In Figure 41 above, the existing grid network is shaded in blue. From the previous analysis in Section 3.3, it has been noted that the industrial layout of the site involves multiple courtyards that were once used by industries.

The layout of the site is adaptable. Since those industries are no longer functioning, many of those courtyards are either unused or utilized as parking spaces. However, those courtyards can enhance the porosity of the site if they were to be converted to pedestrian walkways. Figure 41 shows potential walkways that could be added to the grid, if those courtyards were transformed.

Opportunities due to changing the grid:

• Grants pedestrians wider access to the site.

• Creates the potential to open more public spaces.

Potential drawbacks from changing the grid:

• Creating tight alleyways could potentially make the site feel less safe, especially if pedestrian infrastructure is not provided.

• Tranforming parking spaces into walkable routes can lead to conflict between pedestrians and vehicles.

FLOOD RISKS

The river Don has flooded into its surroundings on several occasions due to seasonal shifts. As shown in the map, the site is within reach of the river, therefore a significant part of the site is within the flood risk zone.

In response to that, the buildings and infrastructure have adapted to this environmental risk. The buildings overlooking the river are adequately elevated to the water level so that in the case of a flood, the buildings remain safe.

A green area could be potentially added to the site so that the vegetation will adsorb the flood water. This is a notable strategy often incorporated within the vision of a sponge city that has been applied to Sheffield in response to threats of flooding.

Considering all the points made above, flooding can lead to the following opportunity:

• Greening of public spaces and streets would have to become a necessity in order for Neepsend to be incorporated within the city’s strategy to develop a spong city.

Floooding can also lead to the following constriants:

• Furture developments would have to respond to the risk of flooding in order for them to be deemed safe.

POPULATION SIZE

Population Change in Sheffield and Neepsend from 2011 to 2021

AGE STRUCTURE

Age Distribution in Sheffield and Neepsend in 2021

14 or below

15-24

25-34

35-44

45-54

55-64

65-74

75 or above

When compared with Sheffield, Neepsend has a relatively young population. In 2021, citizens aged 34 or below accounted for around 71% of the area’s population. This was much higher than that of the city’s population (i.e. around 47%). A larger proportion of young citizens means that the area needs to provide a range of childcare, educational, and recreational facilities. Doing so can not only support children’s development but also enable young adults to pursue a more balanced lifestyle.

ETHNICITY

Ethnic Composition in Sheffield and Neepsend in 2021

The above map illustrates that Neepsend had a slightly lower number of usual residents (i.e. 1633 in 2021) than most of its neighbouring areas, whose numbers of usual residents were at least 1641. This may suggest that the area has sufficient capacity to accommodate more residents in the future.

Between 2011 and 2021, Neepsend witnessed more rapid population growth when compared with the rest of Sheffield. While the city’s population had only increased by 0.69%, the rate of population growth in the area was 10.04%. This implies that there is a rising demand for housing and amenities in the area. New development schemes should propose strategies to cope with the demand of both existing and new residents for these amenities.

Neepsend is one of the more ethnically diverse areas in Sheffield, whose population was predominantly White (i.e. 79.1%) in 2021. Around 38% of the area’s population came from either Black, Asian, or Arab ethnic backgrounds. This was greater than that of the city’s population (i.e. around 16%). New development schemes should respect and enhance the area’s cultural diversity, being attentive to the needs of various ethnic groups. At the same time, these schemes should facilitate the integration of minority groups by providing spaces for interactions across ethnic divides.

Sheffield Neepsend

FIGURE 43: Sheffield’s Population Distribution 2021

FIGURE 44: Sheffield’s Population Change 2011-2021 Table

FIGURE 45: Sheffield’s Age Distribution 2021 Table

FIGURE 46: Sheffield’s Ethnic Composition 2021 Table

CRIME SAFETY

Neepsend is an area of Sheffield that is characterized by its history in relation to the industrial boom in Sheffield. The area therefore is typically classified as an industrial site. More recently there are commercial activities from diverse sectors are being developed. However, the site is associated with a stigma for being unsafe. Nowadays, in terms of crime and safety, Neepsend is safer than other parts of the city center but it is less safe than other suburbs in the city, particularly areas of higher income west of Sheffield. This reflects a socioeconomic divide in terms of crime; areas associated with industries and deprivation reflect higher rates of crime.

Note that figure 48 illustrates that relative to other area of the city, the area has lower rates of criminal activities; areas such as West Street have 196 crimes recorded, whereas throughout the same timeframe, the site has recorded 117 crimes(StreetCheck, 2023). However, there is still crimes that are committed in the site. Figure 49 shows the areas where crimes are most committed on the site. Note that there is a correlation between the nature of land uses and criminal activity; more commercially active areas tend to correlate with crimes such as shoplifting or robbery. Based on Police data, the area to the north of the site, where the motor shops are, crimes are less frequent but are more associated with vehicle robbery.

The nature of the crimes varies, but they are predominantly related to shoplifting, burglary and violence and abuse. Figure 47 shows the nature of criminal activities in Neepsend. The nature of crimes that are happening, relate to the uses that are on the site as mentioned above.

Despite recording low rates of crime, the site is still associated with a stigma of being dangerous. The urban features of the site remain to reinforce this stigma; the poor infrastructure provisions as well as frequent urban voids makes the area feel unsafe for users. Some areas within the site are not well-lit, therefore the site can feel unsafe during night visits. Moreover, many areas within the site are abandoned industrial sites, which also makes the area feel unsafe. Pavements and pedestrian walkways are not user friendly; there are several damaged walkways which risks injuring users especially given that some of those areas lack proper lighting.

This is due to lack of investment in infrastructure provisions which hinders development on the site. This under-development leaves the area lacking in many street furnitures that are essential to making an area feel safe.

HOW TO IMPROVE?

Infrastructure provisions need to be improved; more lighting should be added in the area and walkways should be repaired. This will make the area more appealing and feel safer. It will also reduce chances of injuries occurring when users access the site. Security measures around commercial sites such as CCTV cameras or hired security staff could further reduce occurrences of crimes and anti-social behavior. More diverse commercial uses in the industrial area can add more activity to the area reducing urban voids and making the area feel safer.

FIGURE 48: Sheffield’s Crime Rate Distribution 2019

FIGURE 49: Neepsend’s Crime Rate Distribution

GENERAL NEEDS

There is a significant demand for public green space and community facilities. While around 84% and 59% of consultees called for the provision of additional green vegetation and public space respectively, around 50% of them mentioned that a large variety of amenities should be available in the future (KINNF, 2020). GP surgeries (i.e. around 69%) and post offices (i.e. around 61%) are the most common types of amenities that consultees frequently mentioned during the process of consultation (KINNF, 2020). The introduction of these amenities plays a crucial role in strengthening community ties.

Community members recognise the importance of preserving and enhancing the industrial character of Neepsend. Around 77% of consultees considered this as a major focus of neighbourhood regeneration (KINNF, 2020). However, they were anxious about the potential adverse impact of new housing projects on the historic environment. Around 67% of them agreed that these projects should not pose threats to the area’s identity as an industrial zone (KINNF, 2020). Many of them considered the restrictions on building height (i.e. around 67%) and the prioritisation of existing building materials (i.e. around 42%) as effective strategies to maintain the area’s landscape integrity and distinctive identity (KINNF, 2020).

Community members place particular emphasis on transforming Neepsend into a creative community. They stress the role of young entrepreneurs and independent business in driving this process forward. To attract them to become part of this community and offer more job opportunities to local citizens, around 69% and 59% of consultees asserted that new development schemes should incorporate retail and office spaces into their design respectively (KINNF, 2020). At the same time, many of them were highly aware of the linkages between regeneration and gentrification. Around 50% of consultees stated that local planning authorities should ascertain that new housing projects do not result in the displacement of independent business such as small retail stores (KINNF, 2020).

Community members express support for the ideas of mixed land use and liveable streets. While slightly more than 50% of consultees disagreed with the segregation of residential and commercial uses, around 48% of them articulated the importance of having streets which offer active frontages (KINNF, 2020). Many of them expected local planning authorities to pedestrianise these streets, provide more street furniture, and improve the quality of lighting. Doing so enhances the walkability of these streets. It is worth noting that walkable streets form a crucial component of the area’s cycle and pedestrian networks. Around 82% of consultees agreed that new development schemes should facilitate the expansion of these networks, which serves as a key step towards a greener future (KINNF, 2020).

Community members have a clear sense of what kinds of environmental policy issues local planning authorities should pay more attention to. One of these policy issues is nature conservation. Around 97% of consultees stated that the River Don should be a major focus of nature conservation. Other focuses include wildlife animals (i.e. around 91%) and trees (i.e. around 88%) (KINNF, 2020). Apart from nature conservation, another important policy issue is the use of renewable energy sources. Around 81% of consultees agreed that new development schemes should make good use of these sources to generate electricity (KINNF, 2020). This serves as an effective means to reduce the carbon footprint of Neepsend.

EDUCATION

There was once a primary school within Neepsend. There has been no primary school in the area since its closure in 1975.

Among the five primary schools illustrated in the above map, Netherthorpe Primary School is the nearest primary school. It is 15 minutes’ walk away from Neepsend. In addition, reaching the primary school requires one to cross two busy transport corridors (i.e. Penistone Road and Infirmary Road). Infirmary Road has tram tracks which may pose a serious traffic hazard to school children.

Therefore, if Neepsend is to be developed as a liveable community in the future, a primary school needs to be built within or near the area. Alternatively, roads could be improved to make the nearby primary school more accessible to its residents.

Netherthorpe Primary School

HEALTH

There are no pharmacies available within Neepsend. It takes 13 minutes to walk from Neepsend to the nearest Tesco instore pharmacy in Upperthorpe. It is also necessary to cross busy transport corridors (i.e. Penistone Road and Infirmary Road). Infirmary Road has a tram track which makes it very difficult for residents (especially the elderly) to purchase medicine.

The nearest Boots is 16 minutes’ walk away from Neepsend. The provision of convenient and safe access to medicine therefore remains an urgent issue for the area.

In the future, Neepsend is planned to be a great place to live and work. Both a pharmacy and a clinic should be introduced for the convenience of its residents.

FIGURE 52: Primary Schools and Pharmacies Location Map

FIGURE 51: Netherthorpe Primary School (Source: Robinson, 2012)

MIX/ MAKE-UP

Although housing only occupies a small area within Neepsend (figures 53 & 54) there are clear patterns in the make-up of housing in the neighbourhood. The analysis here uses data from the 2021 Census, obtained through NOMIS. The smallest census data areas (output areas) that cover Neepsend have been used to avoid the analysis being skewed by adding data relating to other adjacent neighbourhoods, as census output areas do not map onto local authority boundaries nor do they map onto the site boundary of this AAP.

Housing in Neepsend is predominantly made up of apartment buildings, housing 1 to 2 people. These household sizes account for over 95% of the households in the neighbourhood, which implies that the area is mainly home to individuals and couples, likely young professionals that work in the city centre due to the proximity of the Neepsend to the centre of Sheffield. The small number of 3 and 5 person households present in the area suggests a small number of families live in the area. It is clear that housing in Neepsend currently caters to a particular demographic, which provides evidence that the housing mix needs diversification in order to create a more mixed community in Neepsend.

The majority of residents in Neepsend rent privately, with a small number of households in social housing, renting from the local authority. Approximately 30% of households own or share ownership of their dwelling. The data here provides further evidence of the need to diversify the housing mix within Neepsend. It is clear that future housing provision in the area should focus on providing affordable homes. This could be achieved through supporting first time buyers and by providing more homes available at social rent prices, owned by Sheffield City Council.

The number of census respondents in Neepsend that indicated that they work mainly from home fits with the majority of households in the neighbourhood being comprised of 1-2 people. The significant number of residents that travel up to 5 kilometres to work suggests that many people who choose to live in Neepsend work in the city centre, with the whole of the area identified by Sheffield City Council as part of the city centre being between 2 and 3 kilometres from Neespend. This justifies the provision of more housing in Neepsend to enable future residents of the neighbourhood to live close to where they work, which is likely to promote the use of public transport and/or active travel modes for commuting, such as walking and cycling.

Figure 53: Existing Housing in Neepsend (Google Maps, 2023a)

Figure 54: Housing Analysis Area and Site Boundary (Google Maps, 2023b)

Figure 55: Household Size in Neepsend (NOMIS, 2021a)

Figure 56: Household Tenure in Neepsend (NOMIS, 2021b)

Figure 57: Commuting Distance in Neepsend (NOMIS, 2021c)

The housing search website Rightmove has been used to analyse the current situation of the housing market in Neepsend and its immediate surroundings. The map above (figure 58) shows the properties currently listed as for sale on Rightmove, within a 1/4 mile radius of the centre of Neepsend. This search revealed 15 properties currently for sale. A further search revealed 26 properties currently available for rent in the same search radius.

The prices of properties currently for sale ranges from £45,000 to £285,000, with an average price of £148,000. 13 of the 15 properties currently for sale are apartments, all of which have 1 or 2 bedrooms. In terms of renting, the current rentals in the search area range from £575 to £3000 pcm, averaging £975 pcm. Of the 26 properties available to rent, 23 are apartments, again ranging from 1 to 2 bedrooms.

It is obvious that the current situation of the housing market in Neepsend and its surrouding areas is over-saturated by the provision of 1-2 bedroom apartments, and that future housing provision should focus on providing properties with a higher number of bedrooms (3-4) to increase the mix of housing available in the neighbourhood.

Comparing the average price of properties currently for sale in Neepsend to the rest of the City Centre and wider Sheffield, it is apparent that housing in Neepsend is currently signficantly cheaper on average than much of Sheffield. However, when compared to analytical areas within which Neepsend is located (Sheffield Council’s ‘City’ Ward & the Sheffield ‘City Centre’ HMA), the average current sale price in Neepsend is inline with the current trends of these areas.

The affordability ratio of these areas, expressed as years of earnings to buy a house, is also significantly lower than the ratio for the whole of Sheffield.

HOUSING NEEDS & DEMANDS

Sheffield City Council’s assessment of the ‘City Centre’ HMA (Sheffield City Council, March 2021) indicates that there is a high demand for the following types of properties in the area, and recommends that new developments focus on the provision of these types of properties:

• 2 and 3 bed houses for sale

• 2 and 3 bed flats for sale

• 1, 2 and 3 bed flats for social/affordable rent

The assessment also states that the current housing mix in the City Centre does not satisfy the range of properties needed to meet the housing demand in the area, highlighting that neighbourhoods on the outskirts of the City Centre, such as Kelham Island, are most suitable for providing the housing need to diversify the City Centre’s housing mix. It is further highlighted that there is a shortfall of affordable housing in the City Centre, and that new provision of affordable homes should be achieved primarily through the development of one bed rental properties.

Subsequently, the council has identified Neepsend as a key housing site in the draft of it’s new local plan for the city (Sheffield City Council, December 2022) due to its capacity for “volume development”, enabled by the numerous vacant sites within the area, as well as the ‘distinctive’ character of the neighbourhood, which it sees as suitable for a mix of demographics. In total, it is calculated that Neepsend has the capacity to deliver 400 new homes to the city’s housing stock.

Figure 58: Map of Properties for Sale within 1/4 mile of Neespend (Rightmove, 2023)

Figure 60: Proposed City Centre Land Uses (Sheffield City Council, 2022b)

FIGURE 59: Sheffield’s Housing Market Table

Current State of Sheffield Economy

• The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Sheffield was worth an estimated £15 billion in 2020, according to figures published by the ONS. Sheffield's GDP growth between 2019 and 2020 was -0.4% per year (Varbes, 2022).

• The GDP value of Sheffield represents 0.8% of the English economy. Sheffield is the 5th metropolitan district in England (of 36 total) when ordered by GDP, and the 15th metropolitan district in England (of 36 total) when ordered by GDP per capita (Varbes, 2022).

• T here is a £1.1 billion gap between Sheffield's production capacity and its actual production (Middleton, 2008).

• Sheffield has a low employment rate compared to other UK cities. and there is a limited effective high level of effective workforce.

• Sheffield has a low level of productivity compared to other UK cities. Failure to achieve satisfactory levels of productivity in almost all sectors when compared to national productivity levels. (Regional economic losses exceed £360 million per year) (Middleton, 2008).

• Sheffield is one of the top ten cities in UK with a high GVA (i.e. £18 billion) (centre for cities, 2003).

Sheffield's Employment Characteristics and Curent Status

Sheffield has a low employment rate and a limited effective high level workforce compared to other cities in the UK.

By 2022, Sheffield will have an employment rate of 75%, ranking it 30th out of 63 major cities in the U.K. Sheffield still needs to strengthen in this area (centre for cities, 2023).

In addition to this, employment patterns in Sheffield are volatile, with lower numbers (69%) in full-time employment than nationally, which has led to greater population mobility in the area (ONS, 2021).

The unemployment rate for 16-24 year olds in Sheffield is 17%, significantly higher than the 12.7% in Yorkshire and the Humber and the 13.3% in the UK. Increasing the employment rate for young people is therefore an issue that Sheffield urgently needs to address (ONS, 2021).

Current Status of Businesses in Sheffield

Around 98% of businesses in Sheffield are micro or small. The growth rate of 8.07% for Sheffield companies is relatively slow compared to the overall growth rate of 8.89% for UK companies (centre for cities, 2023).

Sheffield's industr y mix has diversified over recent years, but manufacturing remains at a fairly high level (centre for cities, 2023).

The private sector is dominated by retail and distribution, so there is still potential for further growth in the evening/ leisure economy.

Sheffi eld is ranked 31st out of 63 large cities in the UK for the number of start-ups per 10,000 epople at 46.7. This is low compared to neighbouring large cities (e.g. Manchester at 64.6, Birmingham at 57.8, Liverpool at 51.5 and Leeds at 50.7). There is still a need to strengthen Sheffield's economy (cenre for cities, 2023).

Sheffield's Economic Policies

The State of Manchester Businesses

The State of Birmingham Businesses

The State of Liverpool Businesses

The State of Leeds Businesses

To build productive and competitive businesses. Increasing enterprise, innovation, employment and productivity to return Sheffield to high levels of productivity and income.

Under Sheffield's Economic Masterplan, the city is to add a further 30,000 jobs, which will include: 16,000 existing residents; 10,000 new residents; and 4,000 commuters.

S heffield's Economic Masterplan proposes to increase the average wage of the workforce, reduce unemployment and provide a wide range of employment opportunities for residents, including higher paid, higher skilled jobs. The main measure is to allocate employment to more productive sectors. The projected 34% increase in medium-productivity jobs and 32% increase in high-productivity jobs will require significant intervention to transform the economy.

M aintaining sustainable development and ensuring that economic growth is environmentally sustainable by improving the quality of transport and the ability of communities to grow.

Sheffield's potential growth

Sheffield retains a large manufacturing base and has the highest proportion of employment of any manufacturing industry in the UK. And Sheffield continues to play a leading role in advanced manufacturing, including aerospace, automotive and medical equipment.

The growing financial and business services economy has greater potential for growth. There is also potential for growth in the higher education, public services and health employment sectors, while the leisure economy, mainly retail, has great strengths. Future business development will therefore focus on these areas.

FIGURE 61: Current State of Heffield’s Economy FIGURE 62: Componenet of Sheffield’s Prosperity Gap Chart

FIGURE 63: Number of Business Start-ups in UK Table

WORK POPULATION EMPLOYMENT

The high number of people working in the Neepsend area is an opportunity for the region to transform its economy and bring more workers into the region.is Improve the economy of the region.

The employment rate in Neepsend is only 11.3%, well below the average for Sheffield. Bringing in factories, businesses etc. with potential for growth in the area and increasing employment is key to Neepsend's growth.

INDEX OF MULTIPLE DEPRIVATION INCOME

As can be seen through the Index of Multiple Deprivation, Neepsend reaches 35.1%. This is on the high side of the Sheffield region as a whole. Therefore, raising the income level of the region's residents and lifting them out of poverty is an important objective for the development of the region.

The low income level of residents in Neepsend (18.6%) is well below the Sheffield average, so raising the wages of residents in the area is an inward direction of development.

Neepsend's Development Advantages and Prospects

The above analysis shows that Neepsend has a strong potential for development. Neepsend and the Upper Don Valley are identified as traditionally key areas for employment in accordance with the Sheffield Development Framework Core Strategy. It is also estimated from the Sheffield Employment Land Assessment that Sheffield will require an additional 230 hectares of employment land by 2039. And an additional 25% of office and 75% of industrial land will be required (Sheffield City Council, 2009). This is a great opportunity for development in Neepsend, which was previously dominated by industry, but has seen a significant increase in the number of vacant industrial sites over the decades due to the economic downturn, so the site has excellent prospects for redevelopment. The introduction of new factories and studios on the site provides housing and employment opportunities for the site.

Existing small businesses will continue to play an important economic role for the city, with the following sectors providing opportunities for possible future regeneration in Neepsend:

• Advanced manufacturing, advanced technology, research and innovation

• Creative and digital industries

• Medical technology and services

• Education, learning and knowledge

• Outdoor leisure and sports science

For the re tail sector, according to research, Sheffield City Centre, the main shopping location, has lost its status as a shopping centre to Meadowhall due to the higher prices of goods and the lack of usefulness of the goods. People prefer to shop in Meadowhall rather than in the city centre business district. This offers the potential for Neepsend to become a new shopping centre. Because Meadowhall is further away from the city centre, Neepsend is located close to the city centre. If planned wisely, Neepsend has the potential to become a shopping centre around Sheffield city centre.

FIGURE 64: Sheffield’s Work Population Distribution (SCRC, 2019)

FIGURE 65: Sheffield’s Income Distribution (SCRC, 2019) FIGURE 66: Sheffield’s Deprivation Index Distribution (SCRC, 2019)

FIGURE 67: Sheffield’s Employment Distribution (SCRC, 2019) 22

OPPORTUNITIES

There is a stretch of commercial activities around the centre of the site. The area therefore has the potential to be a strong commercial hub in the city. Commercial activity could be further enhanced with infrastructure provisions.

Moreover, the neighbourhood has several hertitage sites that add to the character of the area. This could incentivise investors to develop the area. It could also encourage users to visit the site, which would further enrich the urban life in the area.

The derelict sites in the area have the potential to be further developed as commercial, residential and leisure properties. This could add more footfall to the site.

The nodes in the area can be instrumentalized to add more legibility to the site; nodes are fundamental to wayfinding and navigation, and if the nodes on the site are enhanced with pedestrian infrastructure, users will find it easier to navigate the site. Moreover, several properties have the potential to be landmarks, which makes navigation and wayfinding easier. More landmarks would also enhance the character of the site. The site is also defined by two physical edges: the train line and the river. Clear edges makes wayfinding and legibility easier, which in turn could potentially improve the user experience.

There are some streets and industrial courtyards that can be potentially pedestrianized. Pedestrianized streets add to the user experience and encourage commerical activity and urban life in the site.

CONSTRAINTS

Many areas on the site are already in use by several industries. This restricts redeveloping the site. Other areas are occupied by residents and redeveloping this area is therefore challenging as redeveloping those areas could potentially risk displacing residents.

Moreover, many of the nodes in the area are used by automobiles that use the mechanic shops. Altering them will restrict access to mechanic stores. The derelict sites are used for criminal activities which reinforces stigma about the neighbourhood. This may disincentivise investors from developing the area.

The site is within the flood risk zone. In response to that, developers would need to implement flood safety strategies for the developments to be deemed safe.

CONSTRAINTS

Commercial properties

Hertiage sites

Potential commercial sites

Vital nodes

Potential landmarks

Defined edges

Potentially active street.

Green areas adjacent to the river.

Potentially pedestrianized road network

Vital connection to the city center

Existing industries

Existing residents

Nodes essential for automobiles

Abandoned areas

Flood Risk

FIGURE

Demography

STRENGTHS WEAKNESS OPPORTUNITIES THREATS

• The area has witnessed rapid population growth.

• The area has a relatively young population.

• There are insufficient amenities to fulfil the needs of residents, especially young citizens.

• The area has sufficient capacity to accommodate more residents.

• Cultural diversity serves as a valuable asset for neighbourhood regeneration.

• Conflicts may occur if local planning authorities fail to promote cross-cultural understanding.

Crime and Safety

• Some parts of the area are commercially active, which makes these parts of the site feel safe.

• The area has a relatively high crime rate.

• Adding more active frontages in addition to improving infrastructure provisions could potentially make the area feel safer.

• Leaving some sites derelict and abandoned can potentially increase crime rates and discourage people from visiting the area or choosing to reside in it.

Community Needs

• The area is situated next to the River Don, giving citizens access to natural features.

• There is a shortage of public green space and community facilities within the area.

• New development schemes can emphasise their linkages with the area’s identity as an industrial zone.

• New housing projects may displace local business and result in the loss of the area’s industrial character.

• It can be dangerous for school children and senior citizens to reach the nearest primary school or pharmacy.

Housing

• Housing is relatively affordable compared to average price for the whole of Sheffield.

• Proximity to the city centre has attracted people to live close to where they work.

• Current housing provision is almost exclusively 1 and 2 bedroom apartments, resulting in the market being oversaturated by these property types.

• Development of new property types (2-3 bedroom houses and apartments) can contribute to diversifying the housing mix and attracting new residents to the neighbourhood, fostering community development.

• Continued development of small apartments for sale and private rent is likely to reduce affordability and promote the development of a homogenous community.

Economic Development

• There are a large number of abandoned factories in the site, and it is close to the city centre with convenient transportation.

• Neepsend’s single economic model needs to incorporate a more diverse range of businesses, both industrial and commercial.

• The area is relatively close to the city centre and could become a future retail hub in Sheffield.

• Reasonable planning is required to divide future stores into categories to improve people’s shopping experience.

5 Vision for Neepsend

Overarching Vision

Drawing from the analysis above, Neepsend is an inactive site resembling Sheffield’s industrial past. Following de-industrialization, the site has become saturated with derelict and inactive areas that have the potential to be repurposed to add activity to the area. Furthermore, the site grid layout is car-oriented with little consideration given to pedestrians or cyclists. The current grid layout is not appealing for users and therefore discourages users from visiting the site. Due to the inactivity of the site, along with the obstructive grid and grain structures, it has been found that the area is also difficult to navigate.

In response to these findings, this AAP aims to introduce sustainable and community-oriented strategies that would help redevelop the site into a vibrant neighborhood. The strategies will also introduce pedestrian friendly infrastructure along with cycling infrastructure to encourage a sustainable transport culture. Adding public spaces along with mixed use development will encourage the establishment of a long-lasting community in Neepsend. This will also be a response to a city-wide need for housing and vital public spaces.

5.1 OBJECTIVES

1. Conservation - To retain, re-use, and restore buildings and townscape of architectural importance;

2. Mixed-use development - To encourage sustainable and fully inclusive development that is sympathetic to its surroundings and that delivers high quality commercial accommodation to support business development in the area;

3. Housing - To provide guidance on the volume, mix, style and location of future residential development;

4. To address the increasing need for local shopping, health and community facilities, to improve access to open space and to address anti-social behavior, crime and transportation issues and to increase the opportunity for recycling of waste;

5. To heighten awareness of the River Don, its three listed bridges and listed weir and to explore the potential for new river crossings, to improve flood protection and access to the river and to roll out an environmental management scheme;

6. To improve the quality and connectivity of the public realm to accommodate movement and special events.

5.2 STRATEGIES

The following section will outline the strategies that aim to achieve the vision outlined above. Note that the strategies are composed of long term and short term strategies. Short term strategies will be achieved within five years, and long term strategies will take longer than five years to be achieved.

5.2.1 Short term strategies

a. Enhancing public transport links

This strategy will add bus routes into the site to connect the site to the city. This will Connect the city to the site will incorporate the site with the commercial center of the city. Connecting the site to the city will help make the site more commercially active by incentivizing business owners to start their business in Neepsend. It will also encourage users to visit the site.

b. Adding pedestrian and safety infrastructure

Road network with adequate street furniture including Street lights, sitting spaces, paved footpaths, signages, pedestrian crossings, plantation, designated parking spaces and CCTVs which will be managed by City Centre Management. Adding pedestrian infrastructure and safety prerequisites will attract more visitors to the site and encourage potential residents to move into the site.

c. Preserving biodiversity on the site

Manage the biodiversity around the river Don and in public spaces will make the site more sustainable. Preserving the flora and fauna is also part of preserving the local character.

d. Adding more public spaces to area to encourage a sense of community

Incorporating more green public open spaces for various leisure purposes which can transform existing urban voids into social gathering spaces in the area.

5.2.2 Long term strategies

a. Add appealing architectural features to the area

Emphasizing local character through architecture in future development would attract users to the site. This strategy will ensure the preservation of local character through the built environment in the long term.

b. Ensure mixed-use developments in the area

A thriving and accessible business location north of the river along with housing, small manufacturing and service industries, craft and artist workshops, studios, small professional offices, cafes and a mix of refurbished and new premises.

c. Provide affordable spaces for small local businesses to be established

While providing spaces for commercial uses, it is fundamental to make those spaces accessible for small local businesses. This is instrumental in fostering a strong sense of community, since locals will have the space to access economic opportunities in the area.

d. Repurposing and refurbishing historical buildings

Demolishing historical industrial buildings should be the last resort in redeveloping the area. Instead, this plan emphasizes refurbishing existing structures and repurposing them to different commercial, residential or leisure purposes. This captures the local character and preserves the heritage of the site.

Based on the future plans for the city of Sheffield, it is clear that it is not appropriate to continue to plan Neepsend as an industrial area. So Neepsend needs to complete its transformation from an industrial area to an economic area in line with future development. The future Neepsend will become a multifunctional area.

The analysis of Neepsend shows that the proximity of the site to the city centre and the large number of factories and buildings remaining on the site are conducive to the introduction of more office space, shopping facilities and individual studios. This would not only boost economic activity in the surrounding area, relieve the pressure on employment in Sheffield and create more jobs for young people, but more than that it would relieve pressure on Sheffield City Centre and provide a closer and more convenient place for people to shop in the city centre.

The policies proposed in this chapter provide a new positioning for Neepsend, with a focus on bringing in retail, activating the regional economy and driving development around the area. It also offers more possibilities for the future development of this site, so that Neepsend can meet the needs of sustainable development.

E1 Transform Neepsend into a Hybrid Business Centre

E1a: Create Opportunities for multi-purpose developments to enhance day-night activity.

Public-private partnerships are encouraged to provide incentives to boost the diversity of businesses in Neepsend, creating a multi-purpose neighbourhood for entertainment, leisure, fitness, office, shopping and dining activities, etc. By achieving this, a wide range of activities will be offered to visitors of Neepsend during both daytime and nighttime.

Multi-purpose developments could include:

• Dining: restaurants, cafes, bars

• Shopping: a range of different shop types such as: supermarkets, clothing shops, home furnishings

• Entertainment: gym, cinema, sports facilities, entertainment facilities for children

• Office: individual studios, creative workshops, technical workshops

The abov e commercial activities and the various types of shops should be clustered together in a logical manner. Allowing for commercial spaces to extend outdoors such as cafe and restaurant terraces will foster the development of a local identity for Neepsend and attract more people to work, shop and play in the neighbourhood.

E2 Introduction of the Creative Industry into Neepsend

E2a: Repurpose and retrofit buildings in Neepsend into offices and studios.

Transforming the existing vacant buildings and under-utilised sites to support the establishment of creative industries in Neepsend. Retrofitting the internal structure and layout of the buildings' floorspace to create space for offices and studios , including, but not limited to:

• Design studios

• Music production studios

• Handicraft workshops

• Photography studios

E2b: Introduce incentives to facilitate industrial transformation. Incentives to facilitate young professionals and inspire young people to set up their own small businesses, studios and workshops in Neepsend. For instance, by offering financial subsidies such as loans, start-up funds, and reduced rent for premises. Neepsend's industrial local character could potentially act as an inspiration for this young community, hence enhancing the area's vibrancy.

This would not onl y enrich the economic uses of Neepsend, adding to the industrial mix of the area, opening up possibilities for Neepsend, but it is also in line with the concept of sustainable development. It will also contribute to the economic development of Sheffield and provide more employment opportunities for the city's young people, thereby reducing poverty and crime, in line with Sheffield's future development plans and objectives.

FIGURE 71: Image of photography studios

FIGURE 72: Image of design/ art studios

FIGURE 73: Image of music studios

FIGURE 74: Image workshops

E3 Technological upgrade for local industries

There are a number of empty and vacant factories in Neepsend which could be reasonably renovated. Smaller factories could be brought back into use. This will preserve the original character of Neepsend and stimulate the local economy, thus contributing to the future development of Neepsend. With th e development of time and technology, the future of Neepsend will require innovative technology to transform existing industries and increase productivity. New technologies will bring more dynamism to the area, making Neepsend an innovative industrial zone for the city of Sheffield and promoting the development of the city.

The criteria that new industries should meet are:

• The buildings must use sustainable energy sources instead of fossil fuels;

• There must not be significant noise pollution affecting other activities in the area;

• It must not cause significant air, water or environmental pollution;

• It must not be hazardous (e.g. flammable and explosive, release of toxic substances, etc.).

E4 Enhance cultural activities in Neepsend

Cultural events are encouraged in Neepsend. Cultural venues could also be used for competitions such as skateboarding competitions, parkour competitions or some other similar events. This would provide a site for cultural and entertainment events in Sheffield. It would also provide a venue for the local cultural and entertainment community to showcase itself and encourage active participation in these events.

Seasonal holidays such as Halloween, Christmas, New Year's Eve could be enriched by a number of cultural and entertainment events for the city's residents, either by the government or by individual workshops. This would create a unique cultural industry and attract people from nearby cities to visit.

Concerts and music festivals could be held at Neepsend venues, not only to enrich the entertainment of Sheffield residents, but also to attract tourists from other cities and countries. In this way, the tourism industry in Sheffield will be boosted and additional economic income will be generated for the city.

AAP2 CONSERVATION

Neepsend contains a number of buildings which are mainly former factories, and where feasible the existing buildings should be reused and refurbished rather than demolished. The site should also be repurposed to enhance its character while retaining its heritage. There is an obligation to ensure the biodiversity of the River Don while developing the riverside. Developments should attempt to reintroduce different species along the riverside. The railway should also be retained as a boundary to prevent development encroaching upon thr woodland and Stanley Fields Park.

C1 Renovate and Retrofit Existing Buildings

In Neepsend, there are many under-utilised and vacant factories and buildings. It is important that these buildings are fully utilised in future developments and that they are repurposed rather than demolished. To the greatest extent possible, they should continue to serve their current purpose. This will preserve the character of Neepsend and help in transforming Neepsend into an iconic area of Sheffield. This will result in reduce costs for future developments in the neigbhourhood.

C2 Conserving the Existing Cultural Character and Icons

The graffiti around Neepsend could be transformed and promoting as an 'icon' of Neepsend. In future developments, the graffiti could be retained. By allocating official space for cultural organisations or individuals to paint new graffiti, developments could make use of it to create a cultural icon for Neepsend and wider Sheffield, giving the area a special cultural value and making it a unique landmark.

FIGURE 75: Example of advanced factories FIGURE 76: Enhacing the skateboard park

FIGURE 77: Existing heritage building in Neepsend

FIGURE 78: Existing buidling structures in Neepsend

FIGURE 79: Artworks on wall in Neepsend

FIGURE 80: Graffiti in Neepsend

The Yellow Arch Studios in Neepsend is a part of the musical heritage of the area. It needs to be preserved to maintain its distinctiveness as a landmark in Neepsend. This will attract more cultural and entertainment studios to the area, which will not only boost the economy and cultural and entertainment development of the area, but also enrich the liveliness of the neighbourhood.

C3 Protect the Local Ecosystem and Facilitate Biodiversity

Retaining the railway boundary would prevent developing encroaching upon the woodland and Stanley Fields Park, hence effectively protecting the existing environment in the neighbourhood and promoting sustinable development in the area.

Future developments should intensify the protection of River Don and reduce pollution to the river. In particular, the bridges over River Don and the weir in the river should be protected. This does not only benefit the natural environment, but also for the water drainage and prevention of flooding in the area. The river is also home to a large number of ducks, therefore the protection of live species diversity is a priority. In addition to this, other animals such as herons need to be introduced to enrich the species diversity in Neepsend.

AAP3 COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

CD1 Developing a 15-minute Neighbourhood in Neepsend

New development schemes should contribute to the establishment of a 15-minute neighbourhood, where residents can reach many of their destinations within a short walking or cycling distance. One of the crucial requirements is that there should be a diverse range of amenities targeting the different needs of residents. Figure 85 above exemplifies the 15-minute neighbourhood concept, classifying essential amenities into four categories, namely retail and health, public services, education, and public space. Local planning authorities should give priority to projects that address the shortage of amenities that fall into each of these categories.

Another crucial requirement is that the location of new amenities should be in close proximity to residential sites and accessible by foot or bike. New development schemes should strengthen the linkages between amenities and pedestrian and cycling networks. Doing so can encourage more frequent use of active transport, which serves to develop a low-carbon and healthy community.

The 15-minute neighbourhood is an effective response to residents’ desire for a strong sense of community. Living in this neighbourhood implies that they are likely to spend more time within the locality. This gives them more opportunities to socialise with their neighbours in community spaces and discuss issues influencing its the area’s development trajectory. Frequent interactions between residents can lead to the formation of a shared identity, enabling them to recognise themselves as part of a wider

FIGURE 85: 15-Minute Neighbourhood (Source: Ottawa Public Health, 2021)

FIGURE 81 & 82: The Yellow Arch Studios in Neepsend

FIGURE83 : Bridge connecting Neepsend to wider Sheffield across River Don FIGURE 84: Listed weir in River Don, adjacent to Neepsend

CD2 Public Facilities for Young Families

Since young families account for a significant proportion of Neepsend’s population, local planning authorities should introduce public facilities which these families most need. Notable examples of these facilities include primary schools, community centres, and GP surgeries. Fulfilling their needs for childcare, education, and health, the provision of these facilities can not only retain young families living in Neepsend but also enhance its attractiveness to those living outside the area. This consolidates its role as a family-friendly community. At the same time, this can motivate more young residents to start a family in the future.

Figure 86 above illustrates the potential locations of a primary school, a pharmacy, and a community centre (with a GP surgery). It is worth noting that there is an absence of these facilities in Neepsend. Sat opposite the main site of regeneration (Cannon Brewery), the derelict building will become a primary school serving children who live in mixed-used zones. Situated along Neepsend Lane, the pharmacy and the community centre (including a GP surgery) will provide health and nursery services to young parents and their children. This can make taking care of children less of a burden, especially when children are sick.

CD3 Active Frontages and a Thriving Business Community

As many residents articulate the importance of independent business in shaping community development, local planning authorities should support their operation by creating active frontages. The presence of these frontages indicates that there is a close connection between streetscapes and buildings. Together with stylish street furniture, this promotes the vibrancy of street life and raises the appeal of streets. The above figures demonstrate two examples of liveable streets in North America. When residents perceive these streets as interesting and relaxing places, they are more willing to stay for a longer period, initiate conversation with store managers, and purchase products from independent stores. As a result, these stores can achieve a higher sales volume and have sufficient financial resources to maintain their operation.

To ensure there is a thriving business community rooted in Neepsend, local planning authorities should work with the bodies responsible for street management to discuss whether it is possible to give preferential treatment to locally owned business. Examples of preferential measures comprise start-up funds, rent reductions, and the allocation of more favourable locations. These measures can encourage more residents to become business owners. The firms run by these residents are likely to cater more for local demands than tourist demands. These firms may work with stakeholders such as citizen associations to launch community initiatives.

FIGURE 87: Active frontages in Whistler, Canada (Source: Oberklaid, 2016) FIGURE 88: Active frontages in San Jose, US (Source: Ruiz, 2014)

FIGURE 86: Suggested Location Map for Public Facilities

AAP4 HOUSING AND LANDUSE DIVERSIFICATION

Neepsend is an area that has been identified as a priority development area by Sheffield City Council, due to the potential of the neighbourhood to deliver a large number of new homes to the city’s housing stock, facilitating the development of Neepsend as a community. The provision of new housing in Neepsend will help to create a mixed and vibrant community by bringing abandoned, disused and under-utilised spaces back into functional uses. This will be carried out alongside the development of commercial and leisure spaces. The development of new housing units in Neepsend will focus on the provision of larger properties than those currently available, in line with the Council’s assessment of the demand for these types of housing in the City Centre. Adding new commercial and recreational developments to the neighbourhood as well as housing will diversify the current land use mix in Neepsend. Different land use types will be integrated in mixed-use developments to ensure that potential uses are maximised.

HD1

Diversifying and Integrating Landuses to Create a Mixed and Vibrant Community

HD1a: Diversifying and Integrating Landuses

Neepsend is currently characterised by commercial and industrial land use, and also has several blocks and plots of land that are derelict and/or vacant. As such, there is a large potential for new developments in the neighbourhood, of differing land uses, including the provision of new housing within the neighbourhood. Sites that provide opportunities for developed are indicated in Figure X. These new developments will satisfy the aim of this policy to diversify the existing land use mix of the neighbourhood.

Mixed-use developments will be preferred. In the case of housing developments, residential land use will be integrated with commercial and recreational land uses. Ground floors of new residential buildings will be given over to commercial uses such as retail and offices in order to separate housing from noise at the street level. In terms of recreation, mixed-use developments should provide public spaces for leisure use. This compact living environment will also make the neigbhourhood more vibrant, thereby responding to the community needs.

HD1b: Integrating Landuse and Transportation

Creating a sustainable transport network that allows for the local community to move efficiently through the neigbourhood and to other areas of the city is integral to the vision of a creating a liveable environment in Neespend. In order to acheive this, preferred sites for densification and the diversification of land uses will be those located along transport routes. Potential sites that satisfy this policy are displayed in Figure X. Densification along transport routes will also maximise the efficietncy of transportation services, as routes will serve sites with many destinations, leading to high ridership levels.

In terms of housing, having homes near transport routes will help Neepsend residents to access opportunities across Sheffield. Diverse land use will also allow resident to access a range of opportunities within the neigbhourhood. This will incentivize both families and individuals alike to move to and settle in the area.

HD1c: Integrating Housing and Green Space

Where feasible, housing should be located next to new public green/open spaces in order to ensure easy access to recreational spaces for residents of the neighbourhood.

Buildings with flat rooftops will have roof gardens to provide open spaces to residents, as well as contributing to the overall ‘greening’ of the neighbourhood and enhancement of the public realm.

(Clockwise) FIGURE 90, 91 & 92: Rooftop Garden Landscaping Example (Architectural Digest, 2016); Integrating Housing and Green Space Example (Savills, 2020); Mixed-Use Development Example (Stonebridge, n.d.)

FIGURE 89: Suggested Location for Potentia Housing Developments

HD2 Developing a Strong Housing Mix

HD2a: Housing Mix

This policy aims to specify the types of housing that will constitute the 400 new homes that are expected to be built in Neepsend, in line with Sheffield City Council’s Draft Local Plan. Locations for housing development are specified in Figure X.

New housing developments will be required to provide a mix of different types and tenures of housing to ensure that a range of new residents are attracted to the neighbourhood. It is expected that all new housing provision in the neighbourhood will be apartments, to ensure that the space available is maximised in its use. Buildings should contain a range of apartment types, ranging from studios to family-size apartments of 2-3 bedrooms.

Smaller-sized housing units should be aimed at the rental market, to provide opportunities for younger people to move to the neighbourhood. These property types will be offered for both private and social rent. Larger-sized housing units should be aimed at those seeking to buy property, principally young families, to ensure that future residents will see the opportunity to make a home for themselves in Neepsend.

HD2b: Affordable Housing Provision

The share of affordable housing provided within new housing developments in the neighbourhood should be inline with Sheffield City Council’s guidelines on affordable housing provision, stated to be between 0-30%.

It is expected that the Council will take ownership of affordable housing units to ensure that such properties are offered at social rent rates.

HD3 Promoting ‘Settlements’ over ‘Movements’

The types of future residential developments that will be permitted in Neepsend should create housing that encourages residents to be ‘settled’ in the neighbourhood rather than ‘transient’ to ensure the development of community in the area.

New housing developments should provide homes and long-term rentals rather than properties designed to be occupied as HMOs and short-term lets.

Hotels, Holiday Lets and Purpose-Built Student Accommodation will not be permitted as residential developments in Neepsend, as they encourage the establishment of populations that will not be permanent residents of an area, and thus will prevent the establishment of a neighbourhood community provided for by this AAP.

FIGURE 93: Development Opportunity Sites

AAP5 CONNECTIVITY AND ACCESSIBILITY IMPROVEMENTS

An essential component of the vision for the site is to make the area walkable and to make transportation sustainable. Overall, the aim is to make the site pedestrian friendly by enhancing infrastructure provision. This section also aims to introduce sustainable alternatives to accessing the site using cars. However, it is also important to also consider parking needs on the site. In this section, policies will be outlined to enhance connectivity within the site, and to further enhace connections between the site and the city.

CA1 Encourage Active Travel and Reduce Carbon Emissions

CA1a: Increase frequency of public transport service to enhance connections within and site to wider Sheffield.

Currently, there are bus routes that travel from the western side of the site to the eastern parts. As mentioned in section three of this AAP, the frequency of the bus network is inadequate. Increasing the frequency of the existing buses will futher enhance connectivity within the site, making the area more user friendly. This will also encourage users to access businesses in all parts of the sites enhancing commercial activity and footfall on the site.

Moreover, a more regular bus route could be added on Rutland road. This would connect the site with the city centre and other transport links such as the tram network. This would allow users to access the site from the city centre, which adds to the activity in the site. It also allows residents of Neepsend to easily access the city centre and other parts of the city, which enhances the liveability of the area.

Improving transport links provides users with a substitute travel means to automobiles. This lowers car dependency, which makes the area safer for pedestrians and more environmentally friendly.

CA1b: Enhance pedestrian experience by adding pedestrian crossings and pedestrianising streets in Neepsend.

Currently, the nodes and intersections in the site are not serviced with necessary pedestrian infrastructure such as pedestrian crossings. This makes the site unsafe for walking users. In response, this policy aims to provide the necessary infrastructure features such as crossings in order to enhance walkability in the site.

Furthermore, to enhance walkability in the site, more streets could be pedestrianized as shown in Figure 95. Note that from the land use analysis, there are several areas with active commercial frontages. Pedestrianizing roads close to those frontages can further enhance the user experience while accessing those frontages; pedestrianized roads open up the opportunity for more street furniture to be added. It also makes the site unobstructed by automobiles and parking areas which enhances the user experience. This strategy attracts users to the site giving businesses more opportunities.

The map also shows the potential to expand the grid by repurposing many industrial courtyards to walkable spaces. This gives the opportunity for walking users to move in the site easily and access commercial properties. In the long run, this expansion of the pedestrian network also incentivises establishing markets and public spaces in those courtyards. This also adds to character of the area.

FIGURE 95: Changes in quality of accessibility in Neepsend

FIGURE 97: An example of repurposed industrial courtyards (Source: McClung, 2019)

FIGURE 96: Examples of pedestrianized alleys and courtyards with commercial frontages (Source: Loria, 2020)

CA1c: Introducing a comprehensive cycling network aross Neepsend, enhancing cyclists’ safety and accessibility.

Cycle lanes are a significant element in fulfilling a sustainable transport vision in the site. Adding cycle lanes would encourage users to navigate the site sustainably and lower dependency on automobiles. Cycle lanes also makes traveling across the site safer for cyclists and minimizes conflicts between cyclists and automobiles.

CA1d: Converting derelict land into porous public spaces to enhance permeability, and intensify Neepsend as a walkable district of Sheffield.

Many areas in the site are abandoned unused land. This has the potential to be converted into public spaces. Public spaces would have walkable paths that enable users to walk through. This would make the site more walkable as it adds pedestrian infrastructure to the area.

Furthermore, adding green public spaces reinforces the idea of sustainable movement; green public spaces would encourage users to navigate the site through walking instead of automobiles, thereby reducing carbon emissions. The aim of this regeneration strategy is to encourage pedestrian movement.

CA2 Restrict On-street Parking

CA2a: Providing formal public parking spaces in reponse to parking needs.

The site is widely accessed by automobiles partially due to the fact that many properties are used as motor shops. Therefore, due to the nature of land uses on the site, automobile access remains to be necessary. There is a shortage of public car parking on the site; many parking spaces in the area are private. Constructing public parking is therefore important in order to respond to those needs. Currently, many cars park on the streets. This can be obstructive to public transport means, pedestrians and cyclists. Adding public parking on the site will help minimize the number of cars parking on the streets, therefore making the streets less obstructed.

Public parking will also help local residents, since locals will have a space in which their cars will be safely parked. Providing parking spaces would limit the number of cars parked on the streets, parked cars can be obstructive to pedestrian access. Therefore, limiting cars parked on the pavement would make pedestrian walkways less obstructed. An economic way to provide car parks is to build multistorey car parks, since Neepsend is a relatively dense area with little open space available.

FIGURE 98: Cycling lanes added to main roads in Neepsend.

FIGURE 100: Example of cycling lanes integrated within the wider transit network on a main street (source: Bicycle Network, 2022).

FIGURE 99: Example of public parking (source: dwtransportwriting, 2016)

AAP6 ENHANCING THE PUBLIC REALM

An essential component of the vision for the site is to provide usable public spaces that encourage families to live in the area. Enhacing the public realm will also encourage users to visit the site. Green public space is a significant step towards making the site sustainable and improving biodiversity. Drawing from local and global successes of developing public spaces, this section will outline strategies that will help with the addition of public spaces to Neepsend.

PR1

Transform public voids into usable green open spaces

PR1a: Enhance the sense of community through the provision of more public spaces.

Currently, there is a shortage of public spaces in the area. This policy aims to add more public spaces in place of public voids. The location of the proposed green spaces is in areas of high commercial activity and in areas surrounded by residents. This will help improve the quality of life of residential areas by providing families with spaces where children can play. Moreover, public space provides locals with the space needed to interact with other locals, thereby enhancing the sense of community. Public spaces will also improve the experience of users visiting the site.

Surrounding the public spaces with residential properties will also help making public spaces safer; the concept of the eyes of the street will discourage criminal activities and anti-social behavior.

PR1b: Better connecting public spaces with transport infrastructure at strategic locations.

This policy aims to distribute public spaces across the site in order to improve different portions of the site. This policy prevents concentrating activities in one segment of the site, and thereby revitalizing different sections of Neepsend.

Note that, as shown in Figure 101, the public spaces will also be enhanced with different transport infrastructure that was mentioned in the previous sections. Connecting public spaces helps in assisting users to visit different parks in the area further improving activities in the overall site. It also helps in terms of legibility since the public spaces could act as landmarks, which in turn helps users navigate different parts of the site. In response to flood risks, green public spaces can act as a way of absorbing flood water. This is part of the Sheffield city strategy to implement sponge city strategies.

PR2 Adding interactive furnitures that reflects the local character

PR2a: Adding public interactive furnitures for all ages, transforming Neepsend into a diverse and child-friendly district.

This policy aims to further enhance the usability of the public realm by providing the public with interactive street furniture. Drawing from redevelopments of industrial areas, this policy proposes adding interactive public spaces to attract users to the site. Making public spaces appealing to users will further improve the sense of community.

Moreover, developers can draw from the type of furniture that exists in other places in Sheffield such as Peace Gardens or Devonshire Green. Adding furniture similar to that in the city centre will help culturally integrate the site to the wider city, making it a significant part of the city’s character.

FIGURE 102: Example of street furniture with industrial character (IOTA, n.d.)

FIGURE 105: Sheffield Peace Gardens street furniture (Jibberjabberuk, 2015)

FIGURE 103: Sheffield Devonshire Green Public Spaces (Foursquare City Guide, 2017)

FIGURE 106: Example of Industrial street furniture (Mooool, n.d.)

FIGURE 107: Sheffield flood defensive public furniture. (Gordon, 2022)

FIGURE 104: Example of Interactive Public Furniture (Stouhi, 2019)

FIGURE 101: Adding Public spaces and connecting them with transit netowrk

SITE C RATIONALE

Situated along Rutland Road, the major road connecting Neepsend to Sheffiled City Centre, Site C is situated on a strategic location in Neepsend where it is one of the bulding blocks that welcome people into Neepsend, hence it serves as the first impression for visitors of the area. The derelict buildings in the site would not be beneficial to Neepsend’s regeneration and are a potential hazard to the neighbouring sites, reducing wider Neepsend’s attractiveness. Even so, the vacant status of Site C with the existing buildings structures and the empty space underpins its possibilities for redevelopment, which aligns with POLICY C1. The demolishment of some buildings along Neepsend Lane will open up space and connects with the nearby mature commercial developments, e.g. the Cutlery Works.

The redevelopment could provide space for community interaction and enhance Neepsend’s sense of community, hence acheiving the goals mentioned in POLICY E1, CD1, CD3 and HD1. By integrating landuse, responding to the needs for more community facilities and enhancing public space, the redevelopment could act as a catalyst for the redevelopment of other sites in Neepsend, hence raising the value of Neepsend and attracting more investment into the area.

SITE C SWOT ANALYSIS

main

• Strategically located along Rutland Road as the ‘welcoming point’ to wider Neepsend;

• Opportunities for active frontages to improve Neepsend’s vitality;

• Restoration of existing buildings integrates the site to nearby commercial area e.g. the Cutlery Works;

• Open area within site could be transformed into public green area;

• Nearby tree line provides opportunities for achieving biodiversity gains, through better vegetation management.

CONSTRAINTS

• Large public voids and inactive frontages of hard walls prompt security issues and reduces sense of place;

• Majority landuse surrounding the site (industrial use) is not ideal for mixed-use residential developments;

• The skateboard park opposite to the site is an area with high criminal acitivity, particualrly involving drugs.

Vision

Site C, the ‘Brewery Garden’ will serve as Neepsend’s gateway through Rutland Road, connecting northeast and southwest of Neepsend. It will provide the wider Neepsend community with enhanced community facilities and public space. In the long run, this development will facilitate and stimulate the regeneration project of Neepsend.

Brewery Garden Masterplan

‘Brewery Garden’ will become:

• a culturally distinctive destination through conserving the former buildings and cultural characteristics (AAP2);

• a 5-minute neighbourhood with comprehensive community facilities and quality public realm (AAP3);

• a vibrant, youthful and inclusive community with mixed landuse and affordable housing, particularly for young professionals and workers (AAP1 & AAP4);

• a walkable area of Neepsend with green pedestrian paths and cycle-friendly infrastructures (AAP5 & AAP 6).

The proposed design aims to diversify land uses on the site in order to accommodate to the different needs of users and the local community. Therefore, the ‘Brewery Garden’ redevelopment should include constructing homes that respond to the city’s needs, retail units and markets that provide small businesses and enterprises with the opportunity to conduct economic activities on the site. The redevelopment will also provide public spaces with green and interactive furniture to add to the quality of the space and to provide residents and visitors with an accessible space that could be used for leisure.

‘Brewery Garden’ consists of three blocks:

• Block A & B (office block) - shared offices, flexible offices and studios/workshops, will support the development of creative industries and local small and medium-seized enterprises;

• Block C (residential block) - provides studios, and 1 to 2-bedroom flats with 20% of all flats being 1-bedroom affordable homes, attracting young families and workers;

• Block D & E (retail, community block) - consists of a permanant market (eatery, clothing, accessories, etc.) on the first floor and retails space for local independent businesses, as a shopping destination.

EATERY E(b)

ROOFTOP GARDEN/ FARM FLEXIBLE USE (e.g. GYM) E/ E(d)

Buildings and Site Coverage

Residential

Offices

Public Spaces 5568.57

Retail 4654.9

OFFICES E(c)/ E(g;i)

WORKSHOPS(g;ii/iii)

RESIDENTIAL C3

SHOPS/ EATERY E(a)/ E(b)

SHOPS/ EATERY E(a)/ E(b)

INDOOR MARKET E(a)/ E(b)

Leisure 3019.17

Integrating Uses on Site

• The same block on the site would have different uses.

• Different uses will be integrated within the same block (e.g. Roof-top gardens).

• The lower floors will be lined with active frontages.

• Mixed uses will help vitalize the site, and potentially Neepsend overall.

Diversity of Uses in Brewery Garden

• Different floors will have different uses in each segment of the site, predominantly mixed-use with frontges for retail and residential, and public spaces.

• POLICY HD1a - Integrating housing with commercial and green spaces enhances the quality of life of residents.

• POLICY HD2a - Residential provisions are key to responding to the city’s need for housing.

• Other uses involve office spaces, leisure spaces and artist studios. This provides local artists with the space to practice their art. Leisure spaces are instrumental to attracting users to the site.

SHOPS/ EATERY E(a)/ E(b)

FIGURE x: landuse Map By Blocks

FIGURE xxx: Integrating residential units with active frontages (On Architecture, 2023)

FIGURE xxx: Integrating office and retail land uses (McCormick, 2020)

FIGURE XX: Bar chart showing distribution of different uses

FIGURE XX: Pie chart showing portions of different uses

FIGURE XX: Spitalfields Market, London (Source: TripSavvy, 2019)

FIGURE XX: Semi active frontage e.g. glass gym (Source: Shutterstock, 2023)

Residential Commercial

• POLICY HD2a - Homes of different sizes will be provided (studios, 1-bedroom flats, 2-bedroom flats) to attract different demographic groups such as young familes and individuals to settle in Neepsend.

• 26 housing units will be provided: seven 2-bedroom flats, 9 studios and ten 1-bedroom flats.

• POLICY HD2b - 20% of housing provisions will be affordable (5 housing units).

• Affordable units will be 1-bedroom flats, which is in line with the city council’s aims.

CROSS-SECTIONS

In terms of lettable spaces, retail units, studios and office spaces will be available for let. For residential, 1 and 2 bedroom apartments will be for sale.

Figure XX: Portion of lettable spaces compared to owned spaces

FIGURE XX: Pie-Chart of types of housing units on the site

'Creating an environment that promotes neighbourhood interaction.'

The daytime and nighttime functions are differentiated: during the day, Brewery Garden provides a place for people who work here to spend time in this space and interactions between individuals are encouraged. Meanwhile at night, it provides space for the neighbourhood to stay active and fit. The site provides spaces for different types of activities and interactions between the residents and the people who use it around the city. It offers endless possibilities in bringing neighbours closer together and creating a harmonious community, in line with POLICY PR1.

Flexibility: Permanent + Seasonal

Permanent:

POLICY PR2 - the public space is furnished while keeping it flexible to meet the needs of everyday experience for every individual of the community. Encouraging outdoor activities, active social interactions and public space for all-age.

Seasonal:

The proximity between commercial, office and residential landuses ensures the public space is actively used all year round while accomodating seasonal events during weekends, such as a food market or arts festival, in response to POLICY E4 & C2. According to POLICY CA1, the public courtyard should creates a safer pedestrian environment.

Sustainability: Green Roof

Bringing agricultural activities onto the rooftop space can create a social space with a sense of belonging based on the ecological benefits of green roofs. Increasing the amount of greenery can absorb CO2 to produce oxygen, hence purifies air, reduces noise pollution and increasing biodiversity, as stated in POLICY C3.

Roof Garden

Roof Farming

FIGURE x: Publice Space Masterplan

Roof Restaurant

FIGURE 123: Publice Space furniture (Time impression, 2022)

FIGURE 124: Publice Space Furniture FIGURE 125: Publice Space Furniture(Nipic, 2021)

FIGURE 126: Publice Space furniture (Shopping Center News, 2019)

FIGURE 127: Publice Space Masterplan

FIGURE 128: Publice Space Activity(Shu,2018)

FIGURE 129: Publice Space Activity( Jennifer ,2017)

FIGURE 130: Green Public Space

FIGURE 131: Green Public Space

FIGURE 132: Green Public Space

FIGURE 133: Green Public Spaces

FIGURE 135: Green Public Space (Go Green Hong Kong, 2014)

FIGURE 136: Green Public Space (Tripadvisor, 2022)

FIGURE 134 : Green Public Space (Jackson, 2021)

7.5 Movements and Accessibility

'Providing a safe and friendly envronment for non-motorised road users to promote active travel.'

7.6 Character

'Brewery Garden is a youthful and active area in Neepsend, as a catalyst for wider Neepsend's regeration project .'

Pedestrian-only Zone

• POLIVY C2 - Incorporating steel elements into public furnitures could promote Sheffield's historical character as the 'steel city'.

• POLICY E2 & E4 - Employing local artists to decorate the public space to conserve the existing cultural character in Neepsend by formalising the artworks.

• POLICY PR2 - Materials used for the development are sustainable and consider the surroundings to achieve a harmonious built environment.

Materials palette:

- Public Space Flooring

- Building

FIGURE 137: Movement and Accessibility Masterplan

• POLICY CA1d - The central courtyard of Brewery Garden provides an alternative route for pedestrians from Rutland Road with busy traffic. The public space's landscaping creates a comfortable walking environment.

• Pedestrian-only zone along Boyland Street extends public space in Brewery Garden and restricts vehicle access.

• POLICY CD1 & CA1b - Pedestrian crossings near the access points of Brewery Garden enhances non-motorised road users' accessibility to the site while improving pedestrians' safety when commuting around wider Neepsend.

• POLICY CA1c - Integrated cycle lanes could ensure road space for cyclists and enhance cyclist's safety.

• Installing bicycle parking spaces at Brewery garden's main entrance could encourage people to cycle to the site.

• POLICY CA1a - Increasing the service of no.784 bus route and adding bus stop at Brewery Garden enhances the site's accessibility and northeast and southwest public transport connection between Neepsend and wider Sheffield.

- Public Furnitures

glass red bricks

- Lights

FIGURE 139: Mark x Protected Junction indicated (Glasgow City Council, 2021)

FIGURE 138: Overlay sketch of pedestrian street (Tun, 2023)

FIGURE 140 & 141: Smart cycle parking public furniture (ArchiExpo, n.d.), (Transport for london, 2020)

wood stone tiles grass

mixture steel

FIGURE 142: Material palette for Brewery Garden

- Street art

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