Sheffield Council to demolish huge John Lewis car park at a cost of £1.3 million

The 400-space multi-storey car park in Barker’s Pool will be knocked down to make the site more attractive to prospective developers and reduce the number of vehicles in the city centre.

In the council’s latest capital spending report it said the cost will be nearly £1.3 million which will come from prudential borrowing and be mitigated via the lease surrender payment the council received.

Officers said: “The car park is currently in a poor condition with numerous elements of cracking and spalling of the concrete plus steel beams that show signs of corrosion.

“The car park is almost certainly redundant and difficult to convert to any other use than a car park therefore the proposed solution is demolition to make development of the overall site more viable by creating a new building development plot/area of open space, which provides some cross subsidy to the rest of the site.”

The strategy and resources committee is expected to approve the plan in a meeting on Tuesday, July 5.

If it goes ahead, the demolition is due to be completed this financial year.

What is happening to the rest of the building?

Although a recent public consultation on the future of the building showed a preference for demolishing the building and replacing it with a new, smaller building and outdoor space, the council is keen to ensure that all options are explored – including re-purposing the current building.

The authority is therefore in the process of assessing proposals from developers.

It is encouraging ideas that will add to the vibrancy and popularity of Barker’s Pool, which is home to numerous bars and restaurants, and encourage more people to visit and enjoy the city centre.

Since acquiring the lease of the property from John Lewis in January, the council has been securing the building and commissioning surveys and investigations on the site.

Work to remove asbestos and strip out the building is expected to be completed by Spring 2023.