Regeneration of Porter Brook in City Centre

REPORT TO AREA PANEL

(BROOMHILL, CENTRAL AND NETHER EDGE)

June 2006

Regeneration of the Porter Brook in the City Centre

Background

The Porter Brook rises on the moors above Sheffield and flows 10km into the heart of the city. Its valley forms a natural green corridor from the open moors, it flows through the recreational parks at Bingham and Endcliffe, alongside remains of early Sheffield industrial heritage and then enters culverts adjacent to Ecclesall Road . From here it flows eastwards past the General Cemetery and into the Cultural Industries Quarter in the City Centre.

The course of the Porter Brook in the City Centre was altered with the introduction of the water powered mills in the 18th and early 19th centuries, until it was finally culverted in the 1860’s to make way for the construction of the Midland Railway Station and the Sheffield to London railway line.

Today the Porter Brook is generally hidden, with many people unaware of its existence. It runs along Mary Street and Sylvester Street and through to Shoreham Street by the BBC Studios and Persistence Works, where it then disappears into a culvert to re-emerge next to the railway station. Views of the river are only glimpsed around walls and to the rear of buildings.

A plan is attached to this report showing the route of the Porter Brook in the City Centre.

Introduction

The Porter Brook provides a unique opportunity to contribute to the creation of an attractive riverside walkway, linking newly created open spaces and at the same time revitalise the route of the Brook in the City Centre. Development pressures are such in the CIQ that if this opportunity is not taken now, there will not be another occasion when intervention and guidance can have such an effective outcome.

The City Council has commissioned a Strategic Flood Risk Assessment which will provide the baseline information required for designing flood defences and new built development on the Porter Brook. This work is due for completion in late July and will be vital to inform designs to de-culvert the Brook,

re-naturalise the river banks and encourage biodiversity.

The intention is to ensure that future developments along the Porter Brook are permeable to enable access and views to the Brook. There is the potential for new developments along the edge of the Brook to maximise the amount of active frontage along the river side – this will give opportunities for new, publicly accessible viewing points or walkway access and will ensure maximum light on to the Brook to ensure the Brook becomes an attractive asset in the City Centre.

Policy Background

The Sheaf Valley Masterplan states that the reclamation of the Porter Brook provides a unique opportunity to create new landscape features and a focus for the development of the area between Sydney Street and Mary Street. It suggests the de-culverting and restoration of the Porter Brook to transform it into an urban stream. It also suggests that future developments along the Porter Brook should be permeable to enable people to access the Porter Brook from viewpoints along the river side.

The Urban Design Compendium recommends the City rivers should be re-integrated with the City wherever possible and names the Porter Brook as a prime opportunity.

Development pressures on vacant industrial buildings and empty sites in the CIQ are at an all time high and it is now the best opportunity for the Council and its partners to ensure that the current and future population of the CIQ will also have the amenity of well-designed, attractive and safe open space and public realm.

A presentation was previously made to Area Panel on the City Centre Open Space Strategy when the proposals for the potential of opening up the Porter Brook were first shown.

Programme

The City Council’s Regeneration Projects Section are currently working on a commission to investigate ways of improving the River Porter from Eyre Street to the Railway Station in the City Centre. They will provide an urban design framework for the Porter Brook in the CIQ and will take into account advice from the Environment Agency regarding flooding in the area. This will ensure that a holistic approach is taken to the containment of flooding in the CIQ, rather than on a site – by –site basis as the area is developed, as is currently the case.

The Urban Design Framework will be used by the planning service to advise potential developers, land owners and interested parties about the City’s aspirations of opening up the Porter in the CIQ and creating new public spaces along the river’s route. This will ensure that future developments along the edge of the river will incorporate the design principles required to revitalize the Porter Brook and provide attractive public access to the Brook’s river banks.

The Regeneration Projects Section will commission ecological surveys to show where there are opportunities to increase biodiversity. Site surveys will also identify opportunities for new artwork on the riverside route together with historical interpretation displays and feature lighting.

A draft report should be available in late July at which time the planning guidance aspects could be adopted subject to Area Board approval. Ecological reports will not be available at this stage and will be incorporated into the final report in mid September.

Funding

Section 106 funds which have been designated for open space in the CIQ will be used in the first instance to fund this project. Sheffield1 may also contribute some funding (to be confirmed).

Work will also be carried out to identify further sources of funding for improvements to the ecology, interpretation, and public realm in the CIQ.

Contact Details for Further Information

Jan Stratford

Development Officer

City Development Division

Sheffield City Council

4th Floor, Howden House

1 Union St

Sheffield

S1 2HS

Tel: 0114 273 4473

email: jan.Stratford@sheffield.gov.uk