Sheffield

Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough in South Yorkshire, England. It is so named because of its origins in a field on the River Sheaf that runs through the city. It is the greenest city in England, with 150 woodlands and 50 public parks and is the 4th Largest city in England.

The city has grown from its largely industrial roots to encompass a wide economic base. The population of the City of Sheffield is estimated at 520,700 people (2005), and it is one of the eight largest English cities outside London, which form the English Core Cities Group. The wider Sheffield Urban Area, which extends beyond the city proper, has a population of 640,720.

History
A recession in the 1930s was only halted by the increasing international tension as World War II loomed. The steel factories of Sheffield were set to work making weapons and ammunition for the war. As a result, once war was declared, the city became a target for bombing raids, the heaviest of which occurred over the nights of 12 December and 15 December 1940 (now known as the Sheffield Blitz). More than 660 lives were lost and numerous buildings were destroyed.

In the 1950s and 1960s, many of the slums were demolished and replaced with housing schemes such as the Park Hill flats. Large parts of the city centre were also cleared to make way for a new system of roads. Other large complexes of flats built then include Broomhall flats, Hyde Park flats, and Kelvin flats Along with new tower blocks and modern housing estates

In the 1970's and 80's the City suffered from the Recession and decline of Manufacturing, especially in its principle industry Steel making, the decline of the center continued following the opening of the Meadowhall Shopping Centre, on the site of a former steel works adjacent to the M1 motorway.

In the late 1980's as part of the regeneration of the city it was decided to Host the World Student Games in 1995, and so large amounts of money was spent on new facilities. These included the Sheffield Arena, Don Valley Stadium for athletics, Ponds Forge International Pool for the swimming and diving events, with a second pool at Hillsborough for other aquatic events.

Recently the city has Invested large sums on regeneration projects. The most prominent scheme being the Heart of the City project to rebuilt the Peace Gardens and replace the 1970's Town Hall Extension, known locally as the Egg Box, with the Winter Gardens, Millennium Galleries, A new 4* Hotel and modern offices. This development called St Pauls Place includes 3 New office blocks Incorporating retail and Restaurant units at piazza level and City Loftsa residential tower which will be 101m tall. The development also includes a 520 space MSCP with a casino in the basement. This is part funded by EU Regeneration funding.

The city has 2 Major Universities with over 40,000 students. The University of Sheffield, and Sheffield Hallam University (SHU), both of which are building new additions to their campuses. Along with new University buildings a lot of new halls of residence are being built. A lot of the new student residential blocks are in the St Vincents Quarter and the Cultural Industries quarter "CIQ".

Two More High rise Towers are under construction, as well as City Lofts, these are the 16 storey IQuarter building in the Riverside-Northbank area, and the 22 storey Velocity tower located at junction of the Inner ring road and Ecclesall road. Other new projects include lots of private Developer build flats for Young professionals and Students, as part of the trend for City living.

Transport
Sheffield is Located within 1 hours travel by road of Leeds, Manchester, Derby, Doncaster, Chesterfield, Rotherham and Nottingham The M1 motorway is about 3 miles from the city center and the Midland Main line railway from London to Leeds passes through Sheffield Midland Station which is on the edge of the city center. Recent works have created a public Square outside the station by demolishing 2 1960's office blocks.

The City has one of the few modern Tram Networks in the UK. The Sheffield Supper Tram network has 3 main routes from the city center, Hillsborough and Middle wood in the North West, Meadow hall in the North East, and Halfway via Crystal Peaks in the south, via the new townships created around Crystal Peaks district center in the 80's. This has replaced the earlier tram system that was scrapped in the 1960's.

The Inner Ring Road IRR has just been completed after being built in stages over 40 years. The final section was over 4 years being constructed, with a new bridge over the River Don a large part of the works.

Tower Blocks 1960's
Areas were blocks located (No of blocks) Name | Date built | Size (misc info)


 * Broomhall (1) Hannover | 1966 | 16 stories+ Broomhall flats complex
 * Chapeltown (?)
 * Gleadless (6) 1963 | 14 / 16 stories
 * Hemsworth (2)Queen Elizabeth court, Queen Ann court (previously called Leighton and Morland) |1959| 13 stories (relad in 1998) A third block Raeburn was demolished
 * High Green (1) Fosters 9 stories
 * Jordanthorpe (1) Chantry | 1967 | 14 stories (2) Demolished
 * Low Edges (3) Demolished
 * Netherthorpe (4) Adamfield, Cornhill, Robertshaw, Crowshaw |1962 | 14/15 stories |(Reclad in 1998)
 * Norfolk Park (15) Demolished
 * Parkhill complex (4)| 1961 | upto 13 stories inc shops and pubs in the bottom.
 * Sharrow (Landsdowne rd) (3) Keating, Wiggin, Greggory | 1964 | 16 stories
 * Shrewsbury Road (2) Demolished
 * Stannington (3) Cliffe, Parkside, Woodlands| 1965 | 15 stories (reclad in 1990's)
 * Upperthorpe (4+3) Oxford, Albion, Bond, Burlington / Martin, Adelphi, Wentworth | 1959 / 1961 | 13 stories |Reclad in the 1994 /1996's

Some info from "Sheffield Tower Blocks and High rise Apartments of the 20th Century" link below:

Complexes of Flats Built in the 1960's
These were large complexes and not tower blocks as such. They had "streets in the sky", and were effectively complete estates in a large blocks complete with shops, pubs and in some schools. Only Park Hill survives complete and it is a Listed building and has a grade II listing.
 * Broomhall flats
 * Hyde Park flats
 * Kelvin flats
 * Park Hill flats

Modern Apartments and Student Flats Areas

 * St Vincents Quarter
 * Kelham Island Quarter :- Old converted Factories, and new Apartments
 * Riverside
 * Cultural Industries Quarter "CIQ"
 * Devonshire Quarter "DQ"
 * Victoria Quays :- 1st Loft Living conversions
 * Ecclesall Road
 * City Center :- Converted offices, Re-conversions over Shops, Old School building New Build Towers

Housing Estates
The City has expanded at variouse periods in its history, resulting in waves of new developments, based around existing settlements, and at several periods boundary changes have added section of what was formerly Derbyshire to the city and south Yorkshire. The main housing areas (districts) include: (working from north to south across the city in bands )

North

 * Birley edge & Carr
 * Ecclesfield
 * Firth Park
 * Firvale
 * Grenoside
 * Grimesthorpe
 * Longley estate
 * Parsons cross
 * Pittsmoor
 * Shiregreen
 * ShireCliffe
 * Wincobank

East

 * Tinsley :-Victorian terraces
 * Manor estate :- One time had a reputation as the worst estate in the country
 * Manor Park :- Inter war housing estate built around the site of Manor Lodge a historic monument were Mary Queen of Scots was held prisoner.
 * Brightside
 * Attercliffe
 * Darnall
 * Greenland
 * Richmond
 * Handsworth

North west

 * Crooks & CrookesMoor
 * Hillsborough :- Regent Court
 * Loxley
 * Malinbridge
 * Middlewood
 * Netherthorpe
 * Owlerton
 * Stannington :- Tower blocks; (3)
 * Upperthorpe
 * Wadsley Bridge
 * Walkley :- Tower blocks; Kelvin flats

West

 * Brincliffe
 * Ecclesall
 * Fulwood :
 * Greystones
 * Lodge moor : Large Detached and semi's 1970's,80's, & 90's
 * Millhouses
 * Nether Edge :-Large victorian Houses (mixed area), Modern flats 70's & 90's
 * Parkhead : Victorian villas,
 * Ranmoor
 * Sandygate
 * Wirlow :- Mansions

Central

 * Burngreave & Spital
 * Broomhall :- Tower blocks; Broomhall flats
 * City center
 * Heeley
 * Highfield & Lowfield
 * Norfolk park :- Tower blocks (?) all now blown up (Demolished)
 * Parkhill :- Tower blocks; Park Hill Flats, Hyde Park flats
 * Sharrow :- Tower blocks (3)? To be refurbished
 * St Vincent's Quarter

South

 * Arbourthorne
 * Beighton
 * Charnock hall
 * Frecheville :- inter-war mainly semis
 * Gleadless & Gleadless Valley :- 1960's estate laid out with green space
 * Hemsworth :- Tower blocks (2)
 * Intake & Hollins End
 * Meersbrook & Meersbrook Park
 * Mosborough (Townships) :- New districts created in the late 70's early 80's around existing vilage, with new district shopping center Crystal Peaks
 * Drakehouse :- New township
 * Waterthorpe :- New township
 * Sothall :- New township
 * Westfield :- new township
 * Hackenthorpe
 * Halfway
 * Oxclose :- New Township

South / West

 * Abbeydale
 * Batemoor :- 1960's Maisonette's
 * Beauchief
 * Bradway
 * Dore & Totley
 * Greenhill
 * Jordanthorpe :- 1960's maisonettes and flats, Tower blocks (3)
 * Lowedges :- 1950's maisonette's and flats up to 4 stories, Tower blocks (3) Demolished
 * Meadowhead
 * Norton :- 1930's Semi & Detached Large houses, Some Art Deco Modern, + 1970's infill
 * Norton Woodseats :-Pre war and Inter-war Mainly semi-detached

(these areas need the age (period of principle housing stock adding and then list splitting into period classifications / Geographic areas) Variouse areas had Tower blocks built in the 1960's a lot have since been demolished

Links
Sheffield City Council web :City Living http://www.sheffieldcitycentre.com/index.php?category=0df902ca-6709-37a4-0d20-fbd6eb0eff5f

Sheffield Tower Blocks and High rise Apartments of the 20th Century : http://www.thewookie.co.uk/skyscrapers/index1.html

See also remaing 1960 tower blocks Thread on Skyscrapercity.com http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=515001

BulldozerD11 04:18, 20 March 2008 (UTC)