Labour call for controversial listing of John Lewis building to be put on hold in Sheffield

The letter asks why this decision has been “dropped on Sheffield” with no consideration of local public opinion and seemingly no consideration of the wider financial, economic or environmental implications.

Coun Fox also states that he wants the voices of Sheffielders to be heard.

The city council LibDems have already called for a review of the decision, which they say they were ‘flabbergasted’ by.

Sheffield Labour MPs Clive Betts and Paul Blomfield have also objected publicly but Coun Minesh Parekh welcomed it on sustainability grounds and Coun Mazher Iqbal said there were some positive aspects to the decision.

Coun Fox has called for an urgent meeting of the council’s cross-party strategy and resources committee to decide on the next steps.

Sheffield Labour say that, whilst the recommendation to list the building was made by Heritage England, the recommendation considered only heritage factors.

It was ultimately the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) who made the final decision, without consulting the residents of Sheffield, they say.

A public consultation conducted earlier this year as part of the City Centre Vision project garnered the opinion of more than 1,500 people.

A majority supported the demolition of the John Lewis and former Cole Brothers building in Barker’s Pool and replacing it with a smaller building and park.

The closure of the store during the pandemic was greeted with anger and grief by many customers and long-standing members of staff.

The front of the shop was covered with messages saying how much people would miss the store.

It was originally built for city department store Cole Brothers and opened in 1963. The firm was taken over by John Lewis 20 years ago.

The council has already gone out to the market, with what is understood to be around 16 interested expressions of interests in developing the site. Coun Fox said that he wants to see all options open for Sheffield.

It may well be that companies will withdraw their interest, given that it will take demolition off the table and will hugely complicate and increase the cost of any development plans.

There are also worries about the state of the multi-storey car park.

Coun Fox’s full statement: “It is greatly disappointing that government have dropped this on Sheffield – and I know that residents are concerned that this decision will limit potential options for the site going forward.

“Whilst the Council can make an appeal to Heritage England – only 28 days are given to put this in and incredibly the only means of challenging are on factual inaccuracies. Given this strict criteria there is little hope of succeeding.

“This is why I am appealing direct to government – do the right thing and put this listing on hold until all the implications have been fully considered.

“I am not saying this site isn’t of some heritage value – and it may be that whatever comes next does indeed utilise the current building – but ultimately it should be for Sheffield to decide what best to do with the site. Not some official in Whitehall or Minister in Parliament

“Whilst the Listing does not mean no alterations can be made to the building, in the majority of cases applications to make changes to a listed building are approved, it would pose challenges and make wholesale removal of the building near impossible.

“We have had many expressions of interests in developing the site, and I think the people of Sheffield want to see all options considered. Instead, the government are limiting what may be achievable, and leaving Sheffield taxpayers with a potentially costly building.

“As well as appealing direct to government, I am working with our MPs to challenge this in parliament, and I’ve called for an urgent committee of cross-party councillors to determine our next steps”.

“Make no mistake, the government’s current decision could lead to the council picking up the costs here.

“At a time when public services are stretched, and residents are feeling the squeeze of a cost-of-living crisis, I am clear that this decision shouldn’t cost the Council and Sheffield residents a penny”.