The beautiful and historic neo-Tudor façade of Thomas Wiley & Co. in Haymarket has now been completely and permanently lost, owing to the actions of the site’s developer Brijesh Patel. It was left for five years supported only by scaffolding until both the façade and the scaffolding became dangerous. Despite multiple attempts to contact the developer he did not respond, so the Council intervened to try to achieve a positive outcome. They held meetings with Hallamshire Historic Buildings and The Victorian Society and worked out a plan to dismantle the façade as carefully as possible, recording as they went, and keeping the materials on site so that there was a chance of reconstructing this lovely piece of Sheffield’s history. By 23rd September Council contractors were on site implementing this plan.
However, Mr. Patel was having none of it. He turned up out of the blue in late September demanding that the Council leave. To their credit they would not until the developer had convinced them that he could take over the work safely, and they asked that it was recorded and retained for re-use, just as they had planned to do. This was ignored, and instead it was demolished in just a few days. It was not a respectful operation: workmen were witnessed hitting the façade with a lump hammer and allowing rubble to fall onto the empty site. We have been reliably informed that nothing remains intact and that no programme of recording or photography was carried out. Sheffield’s heritage was regarded as a mere inconvenience to be destroyed at a whim. This is slash-and-burn development at its most offensive.
We share the frustration of our colleagues at The Victorian Society. Hardworking officers and concerned members at the Council must be feeling it too. They have really done all they can to work in partnership, keep in communication, and achieve the best possible outcome. It’s a far cry from even recent past experience, and we hope it can be a template for the future. The actions of their predecessors – as well as of insensitive developers – will make the job harder.
Six years ago the Council was promising a Conservation Area for Castlegate which would have recognised the heritage value of buildings such as Wiley’s and placed limits on what developers could get away with. Early in 2019 a consultation on this was abruptly cancelled, without any reason being given. Threats were made by some of those in power at the time concerning our other Conservation Areas, which were labelled a “brake on development”.
Development certainly seems to have had the brakes on. This ill-judged race to the bottom, pursuing development at any cost, has not resulted in a renaissance in Castlegate. Neither has it attracted the best or most dynamic developers. Far from it. Neither the apartments approved four years ago on the site of the now-demolished Old Coroner’s Court nor Mr. Patel’s 8-storey monstrosity have materialised. Across the road, multiple schemes for the former BHS have proved so bad that even the Government refused them. The less said about Mr. Ata’s stewardship of the Old Town Hall the better.
The Council clearly want the future to be different from the past. They have adopted a Heritage Strategy. Recent communications with the heritage sector are markedly improved. There are signs of heritage making its way into plans and strategies. But in Castlegate one element is missing, needed to ensure that these positive changes can achieve something. That is the long-promised Conservation Area. Its absence has been harmful. Delay now means more disasters such as the three historic buildings lost so far during 2024 continuing further into the future. An appraisal has already been done and it could be designated very quickly. That is what we now call upon the Council to do.
