Decision looming for future of ex-John Lewis store

Plans to transform the former John Lewis building in Sheffield city centre into shops, cafes and offices with a rooftop garden and car park will be decided by councillors next week.

Urban Splash, who redeveloped the Park Hill flats, wants to keep the former Cole Brothers department store as versatile as possible so it can be adapted for different uses.

Councillors are being advised by planning officers to approve the plans as the Grade II-building has been empty for five years and is at risk of long-term decay.

A report said: "The emphasis is on providing as much flexibility as possible to attract future occupiers, that can support a range of commercial, office, cultural and leisure uses."

The ground floor is likely to be shops and food and drink outlets, with entrances onto Cambridge Street and Barker's Pool. The upper floors are set to be offices.

At this stage, it is envisaged the old rooftop plant room will be adapted for food or drink with an outdoor terrace. This will allow members of the public to access the roof through a separate entrance off Cambridge Street

Large areas of the basement and the lower ground floor, previously inaccessible to customers, will be opened up and there are a number of options to create larger spaces or divide into smaller spaces.

The existing car park will be brought back into use but the original 480 spaces will be reduced down to 190, with 40 spaces for people working in the offices and 150 for visitors to other parts of the building.

The William Mitchell frieze will be incorporated along Burgess Street, close to its original location.

The building has been vacant since John Lewis left Sheffield in 2021 and all the internal features have been stripped out, with only the lifts and escalator left.

While the £470m Heart of the City development has sprung up around Barker's Pool, the building has remained an eyesore in the centre.

It was granted listed status in 2022 by Historic England, which meant it could not be demolished and any redevelopment has conservation constraints.

Heritage groups originally objected to brown mosaic tiles being removed and new windows but planning officers said a revised "well-considered" scheme now retains as much of the exterior as possible while windows will be upgraded with a sensitive, modern alternative.

The report added: "The Heart of the City regeneration scheme is now just about complete. This project has seen a huge transformational change to the city centre and this building is in the centre with the regeneration taking place on all sides.

"Bringing it back into use is a fundamental part of these regeneration works presenting high levels of public benefit."

The building was designed by one of the most prominent post-war British modernist architect firms Yorke, Rosenberg and Mardall.

The former department store was opened in 1963 and planners stated: "The building's apparent simplicity reflects a high level of architectural skill, planning, and ambition. As part of Sheffield's distinguished mid-20th Century architectural heritage, the store contributed significantly to the city's post-war commercial optimism."

Sheffield City Council members will decide on the plans at a meeting on Tuesday 10 March.

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