These characteristics include historic buildings, iconic architecture and features dating all the way to the very birth of Sheffield. As part of phase one of the project, the first two conservation area sites, in the City Centre and Kelham Island, are being reviewed with several areas being proposed to be included.
The work to re-assess the conservation areas was launched in January 2025, after the Council successfully bid for skills funding from the UK Government and Historic England. The first phase focussed on two conservation areas, the city centre and Kelham Island. This phase included early listening sessions with key stakeholders. A number of adjoining areas have been proposed to be included in these Conservation Areas.
These include:
- City Centre Conservation Area to include parts of Castlegate, Fitzalan Square, Norfolk Street and West Street.
- Kelham Island and Neepsend Industrial Conservation Area to include an area to the north of Neepsend and Moorfield Flats.
Sheffield is a city that is changing all the time, it’s improving, modernising and preparing for the generations to come. But it is a city with a varied and vitally important history, one we cannot and will not ignore. The review into these Conservation Areas shows that we take our role as keepers of Sheffield’s historic past incredibly seriously and we will do all we can, as a Council, to ensure the most historically important sites are kept and maintained as much as possible.
Cllr Ben Miskell, Chair of the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee at Sheffield City Council
From medieval Sheffield Castle, where Mary, Queen of Scots was held captive, to Kelham Island at the forefront of the Industrial Revolution, Sheffield is a city teeming with historic and iconic places. These places are not just important to us here in the city and the surrounding area; some hold national and even international significance, and it is vitally important that we preserve them for generations to come. This review will ensure that this happens and will signal to any potential developer that those areas are to be preserved and protected.
Cllr Janet Ridler, Heritage Champion at Sheffield City Council
A public consultation is due to be launched with the Council urging anyone who would like to be involved in the Conservation Area Appraisal process to add their feedback to the project.
The six-week launches on 9th June and will run until 18th July. If you want to add your feedback, you can do so by heading to the new informational website.
There will be display boards in the Winter Gardens between 9th June and 13th June and at Kelham Island Museum between 24th June and 27th June. There will also be a drop-in session held at Sheffield Town Hall on 18th June, email conservation@sheffield.gov.uk to book your place.
