Plans unveiled to pedestrianise city square

Plans have been submitted to part-pedestrianise Fitazlan Square in Sheffield.

Fitzalan Square in Sheffield was built with a “traffic island” design in 1881.

New plans aim to create a larger, more useable space by relocating traffic to the west and removing trees, buildings and structures to make a route through Esperanto Place to improve the link to the city centre.

The scheme includes the demolition of two buildings: 31 Arundel Gate and 33/35 Arundel Gate. It also allows for café seating in the pedestrian square.

The proposal is part of the Knowledge Gateway scheme, a corridor which forms the link between the Cultural Industries Quarter around the Digital Campus and the new Innovation District in Castlegate via the Sheffield Hallam University campus.

The Knowledge Gateway, which is largely financed by the Sheffield City Region Investment Fund, aims to help unlock development opportunities which could create more than 4,000 new jobs over the next five years.

The planning statement said: “As well as a space in its own right, it is important that Fitzalan Square is seen as a key gateway location between the city centre and Castlegate and needs to read as a co-ordinated space with the wider masterplan proposals, providing a strong visual and physical pedestrian link.

“By creating a new pedestrian space for the city, it is hoped this will encourage more pedestrians to enter and remain in the square and thereby lead to the regeneration of the surrounding area.”

Fitzalan Square contains a number of grade two-listed sites including the 1913 statue of Edward VII and the 1908 White Building.