Park Hill Regeneration

The Park Hill estate occupies a prime position just outside the city centre and provides a striking backdrop to city centre regeneration projects and is a gateway to Sheffield.  In 2003 and in conjunction with English Partnerships, the national regeneration agency, the City Council began to put together a vision for the future of the estate:

 

To achieve a mixed tenure, mixed use, transformation of Park Hill as a fashionable City centre address.

 

Surveys commissioned at the time showed the need for a reduction in Council rented units on the estate and the partners proposed a split in the number of units to 1/3 social rented, 1/3 market sale and 1/3 commercial space.  In April 2004 an advert was placed to select a Registered Social Landlord and Developer partner.   Parkway Housing (Manchester Methodist Housing Group) and Urban Splash were selected.

 

In partnership with Sheffield Homes, Sheffield City Council has shown its commitment to the project by beginning to rehouse residents.  This will provide the developer with empty blocks which can be handed over in phases.  The first empty phase to be handed over will be the largest block which overlooks the Park Square roundabout.

 

In March 2006 Urban Splash submitted an application for outline planning permission.

 

The plans include proposals for:

 

 

For more detailed information about Park Hill:

 

 

For more information on how regeneration in this area fits into the region's development, see the Transform South Yorkshire website.

 

The building alone covers an area of 17 acres and currently contains around 1,000 flats.  In total the whole site covers 32 acres.  The slope of the site inspired the idea of a continuous roof line which results in the height of the blocks varying dramatically from 4 storeys at the top of the estate, rising to 13 storeys towards the City centre.

 

Over the years the estate has been home to 31 shops, 4 pubs, 74 garages, a primary and a nursery school, doctor's surgery and pharmacy.  The shops were set at the lowest point of the estate, to which people were thought to naturally gravitate.  4 pubs and a laundrette were more widely dispersed at points on the ground near lifts.

 

Park Hill was the first completed post-war slum clearance scheme of an entire community in Britain.  It was the most ambitious inner-city development of its time.  In 1954 work began on the design of Park Hill and it was later built between 1957 and 1961. 

 

Within the old Park area architects recognised there was a strong sense of local community and in the design of Park Hill, tried to preserve this community spirit.  Where possible, neighbours were rehoused alongside each other in the new complex and each flat opens out onto a 10 foot wide deck.  This provided access for milk floats and communal areas, enhancing the image of "streets in the sky".

 

In 1998 Park Hill was listed as Grade II* by the Department of Media, Culture and Sport.

 

This placed it amongst the top 5% of listed buildings in the country and identified it as a building of outstanding interest, drawing particular attention to the layout and appearance of the estate.

 

We have selected the Developer, Urban Splash, and the Housing Association Parkway, a subsidiary of Manchester Methodist Housing Group (MMHG) to work with us to deliver the vision.

 

 

 

 

Most of the funding will come from Urban Splash as the Developer. However, the public sector will contribute the following:

 

 

 

Sheffield City Council started to move the existing tenants out of Park Hill in December 2003.  The North Block, the 13 storey block overlooking the town centre, was the first to be emptied. Phases 2 and 3 are both empty and secured and Phase 4 will be completely vacant by summer 2008.  We do not intend to start moving people out of phase 5 until 2010/11.  Tenants who have lived in their flat for more than one year are entitled to homeloss and disturbance payments and are awarded a high priority so that they can bid for properties across the city. 

 

In summer 2006 Park Hill junior school was closed, as the numbers of pupils was falling. This building along with the shops and Area Housing Office were all demolished in 2007.

 

 The Grace Owen Nursery remains open and on site.

 

In June 2007 Urban Splash submitted their detailed planning application for Phase1, this was agreed in October 2007.

 

It sets out their proposals for:

 

 

If you would like to view the planning application for Park Hill please see the attached link, and enter the planning reference which is 07/02476/REM Sheffield City Council Planning Pages

 

Urban Splash are on site on Phase 1.  They are stripping out the flats and removing the asbestos.  The next stage will be to remove the windows and brick infill panels, so that the building will be taken right back to its H frame structure before the refurbishment work starts.

 

This means that Phase 1 is a building site and no public access is allowed.

 

The newly refurbished homes will not be completed until around 2010/11.

Urban Splash will be marketing the properties for sale.  Please click on the link attached to register your interest: Urban Splash

 

Parkway Housing will own and manage the rented properties. These will initially be ring fenced for existing and former tenants of Park Hill, who moved as a result of clearance. Parkway will be contacting them to ensure they have up to date details.  If there are any properties left they will be advertised via the property shop.

 

Park Way will manage the sale of properties for shared ownership. These will initially be available for existing and former tenants of Park Hill who want to buy a property. After that, they will be sold by Parkway to people who can not afford to buy a property on the open market. Prices are not yet available, but please see the link attached to see other properties marketed by Manchester Methodist Housing Group 

 

Sheffield City Council have commissioned a documentary about the regeneration of Park Hill, which covers its history, the listing and why each of the partners is involved and why they think it will be a success. The film should be completed in Summer 2008 and we will be planning a launch later in the year. After that it will be available on request for schools, colleges and other bodies to borrow. Details to follow.

 

The BBC has commissioned a 4 part series on English Heritage to be shown later in 2008. Park Hill will be one of the buildings featured.

 

The BBC also has a web page dedicated to South Yorkshire, which has information and photographs of Park Hill.  Please see the attached link for more information: BBC South Yorkshire

 

There is a huge advertising banner on the North Block overlooking the Parkway roundabout. The profits from this go into community uses at Park Hill.

 

We send regular newsletters to residents to keep them up to date, as well as holding Project Group meetings once a month.

 

Please see the attachment below for the latest newsletter