HS2 PHASE 2 STATIONS

LCR Development Reviews

Sheffield Victoria Station

27 January 2014

Contents

Executive Summary

1. Introduction

1.1 London & Continental Railways

1.2 Background

1.3 Development Reviews

2. HS2 Station Proposal

2.1 Urban Context

2.2 Proposed HS2 Station Design

3. Wider Development Area

3.1 Planning Policy Context

3.2 Land Ownership

3.3 Development & Market Background

3.4 Economic Growth

4. Analysis

4.1 Station Design

4.2 Connectivity and Interchange

4.3 Station & Interchange - Conclusions

4.4 Development & Delivery

5. Summary of Recommendations

6. Conclusions

Appendix 1: Sheffield Local Plan: Pre-Submission Proposals Map

Appendix 1: HS2 Victoria Sheffield City Council Ownership Plan

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Executive Summary

In autumn 2011, High Speed 2 (HS2) requested a presentation of the experience of London & Continental Railways Limited (LCR) in relation to delivering regeneration around the HS2 stations. From this presentation, LCR was asked to suggest how it could assist HS2 in promoting regeneration and development through Government’s investment in HS2 and LCR has undertaken Development Reviews of all the Phase 1 and Phase 2 Stations.

The Phase 2 consultation route provides for a station at Sheffield Meadowhall, adjacent to the Meadowhall shopping centre, close to junction 34 of the M1 motorway. The site is approximately four miles north east of central Sheffield and three miles south-west of Rotherham, and linked to both (and other regional centres) by existing rail links.

Sheffield City Council has lobbied for an additional or alternative station to be located closer to the city centre at the former Victoria Station site. It is understood that this proposal was rejected at optioneering stage by HS2 Ltd for a number of reasons, including the cost of additional tunnelling, additional journey times and the views of neighbouring authorities. Sheffield City Council has, nonetheless, requested LCR to undertake a Development Review of the regeneration opportunities that might arise from a station at Victoria. A costs/benefit comparison of this location compared to Meadowhall is specifically not a matter for this report, which instead includes a review of the earlier HS2 feasibility work together with observations on the proposed station design, transport interchange, regeneration opportunity and other issues for consideration. In addition, the planning context and the market background in the locality have been reviewed.

The potential economic benefit of a station at Sheffield Victoria has been the subject of a variety of previous reports, which estimate between 7,000 and 9,000 net new jobs could be created, together with 900 homes, all close to a ward which is in the top 1% of deprived wards in the UK. Views differ on how much, if any, of this would be delivered without an HS2 station, however it is LCR’s opinion that a station would be a significant catalyst to achieving this.

The Victoria location offers major opportunities for urban regeneration (on a par with, if not greater, than the most regeneration-friendly of other HS2 stations), including:

- The proximity to the centre of the fifth largest city in the UK, and the most significant in South Yorkshire, providing strong underlying economic drivers, - The history of successful recent regeneration in this part of the city and associated mixed use occupational market, - The availability of land and sites to accommodate growth, - Existing good connections to the city and the region, with opportunities to further enhance these, - The potential to address existing deprivation and dereliction, - Riverside locations and heritage buildings and structures.

There are barriers to regeneration (such as land assembly etc), however, indicating that a purely market-led approach may not be successful, and degrees of public sector intervention will be required. In particular, the current connectivity (notwithstanding relatively short distances) between the

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Victoria location and both the city centre and the Sheffield Midland Station requires attention and, in particular, rail connections to adjoining regional centres. Improving these regional connections in to Victoria will be key to maximising wider economic benefits.

Victoria is an exceptional location for a station, with its vantage point and commanding views over the city. There are some challenges and opportunities for the design of a well-connected and integrated station interchange at this location. Addressing these in a comprehensive and integrated manner can deliver a landmark HS2 station and transport hub at Victoria - one which, combined with complementary high quality urban realm and retail, could create an attractive place and destination in its own right – providing the catalyst for regeneration in Sheffield and the region.

Should an HS2 station be located at Victoria, LCR recommend that the regeneration arm of HS2 engages with Sheffield City Council and SYPTE in the joint masterplanning and delivery of an integrated programme of transport and land-use developments at Victoria that will optimise the benefits for Sheffield City and the region.

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1. Introduction

This report has been prepared by London & Continental Railways Limited (LCR) for Sheffield City Council.

1.1 London & Continental Railways

LCR is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Department for Transport (DfT). It was formed in 1996 as the successful bidder for the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (now known as High Speed 1) PFI contract. LCR was responsible for the successful delivery of High Speed 1 on time and to budget. LCR retains ownership of the Government’s 40% share of Eurostar International Limited and has been restructured as a DfT- owned property and development company.

Since inception, LCR has employed a small stations and property development team responsible for facilitating large scale regeneration around the new international stations most notably at King’s Cross and Stratford in London. The team was also involved as commercial client for the HS1 stations and promoted synergies and opportunities between the stations and the surrounding development sites.

1.2 Background

“HS2 Regional Economic Impacts”, the KPMG report produced for HS2 in September 2013, suggests that investment in HS2 could potentially generate £15billion of additional output per year for the British economy in 2037 (2013 prices), by providing cities and regions with better connections. It also recognises that these cities and regions will need to have the capacity to accommodate the resultant growth in economic activity, including the availability of skilled labour and land in the right locations. Fullest realisation of the potential benefits may therefore require complementary changes to create an environment in each city in which businesses can develop. This may include, among other things, the enhancement of connectivity (at local, city and regional level), additional development to accommodate office, retail, residential, social and other uses (requiring major land-use developments or regeneration schemes at some locations) and appropriate facilities and resources for the development of the necessary local skills.

Thus, HS2 Ltd can help to maximise the benefits of HS2 by working in partnership with local planning, transport and economic development authorities for each station to ensure:

 The HS2 stations are properly integrated with good local, city and regional connections

This should create an efficient local transport network that builds on and distributes the benefits of the high-speed link. In some instances, it may require investment in new or enhanced connectivity. It should place each HS2 station at the heart of an efficient transport hub that is as convenient and attractive as possible – recognising that interchange is typically the least attractive part of a journey, and poor interchange can be a disincentive or barrier to mobility, eroding the benefits of good connectivity.

 These transport facilities are carefully integrated into surrounding land-uses and land-use developments

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This may provide a unique opportunity to deliver high-value development at and around the HS2 stations, that takes greatest advantage of its location, and that will contribute to the economic development and, where appropriate, regeneration of the area. This should incorporate high-quality public realm improvements that will enhance the value of the property development, and the quality of life of those who live, work and play in the area, as well as those who travel through it. Altogether potentially creating an economically and socially vibrant destination in its own right.

 These investments are carried out in a way that supports and enables (or in some cases unlocks) wider regeneration schemes, to maximise the long-term economic benefits for the city/region

This will be most effective and beneficial when done within the context of a masterplan or shared vision for the wider area – the developments at and around the HS2 stations can then provide a potent nucleus of earliest economic development that will support and kick-start development and regeneration across the wider area.

 An appropriate skills and training programme is jointly established with the local economic development authorities

This should be designed to support the longer term economic growth in the city/region, and to ensure that maximum social benefits are realised in the city/region, by providing local people with a range of necessary skills. At some locations, this may involve collaboration with local industries, especially where there are major employers or industry clusters.

Altogether, this approach will help stimulate economic activity around the HS2 stations, by creating places that are considerably more attractive for businesses to relocate, and enhancing the capacity of these cities/regions to accommodate the wider growth in economic activity that will result from the investment in HS2. While requiring complementary measures and funding, it will provide the greatest return on central and local government investment – not only the financial return from the relevant property developments, but also the greater, longer term social and economic benefits from the growth in economic activity generated around these stations, and across the wider areas, including increased tax yields.

1.3 Development Reviews

LCR has provided briefings to HS2 on its experience in relation to delivering regeneration around the HS1 stations. LCR has subsequently undertaken Development Reviews of each of the Phase 1 HS2 stations and has had a small team seconded to assist HS2 on development matters. This team is now carrying out similar reviews for the Phase 2 stations.

For each of the Phase 2 station sites (Leeds, Manchester Piccadilly, Manchester Airport, Crewe, Toton and Sheffield Meadowhall), LCR is undertaking a Development Review.

During the optioneering phase Sheffield Victoria and Meadowhall were identified amongst the possible HS2 station sites. Additional cost and journey times associated with Sheffield Victoria were contributory factors in the decision to select Meadowhall as the new HS2 station to serve the Sheffield

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area, and consultation is underway on this proposal. Sheffield City Council has requested LCR to carry out this additional Development Review that will consider the development and regeneration potential that could be unlocked or stimulated as a result of siting an HS2 station at Sheffield Victoria. LCR has not reviewed the overall case for and against an HS2 station at Victoria, as opposed to Meadowhall, and any relative cost/benefit analysis of the two locations has not been the subject of this review.

This Development Review also considers the station design, interchange and route information previously developed by HS2 and how they may be improved to contribute to the wider regeneration of Sheffield.

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2. HS2 Station Proposal

2.1 Urban Context

The area surrounding the Sheffield Victoria site is very mixed in its character in terms of land use, development and urban quality and is very much an area in transition. The station site is located on the northern fringe of the city centre, being segregated by the busy dual carriageway of the city inner ring road.

The wider area has been the focus of regeneration intervention in the past and there are noticeably pockets of high quality modern development such as Victoria Quays, the Kelham Island development, new hotels and offices as well as student accommodation. In contrast other areas remain either derelict, underused or as empty sites in interim uses such as surface car parking.

The local environment is dominated by the elevated presence of the Wicker Viaduct, the prominent Royal Victoria Hotel and its approach ramp (Victoria Station Road). The viaduct positively contributes to the streetscape of Wicker but also appears to act as a barrier to the spread of development – to the north the quality and scale of new development is notably less and the level of industrial use and dereliction higher.

The area is bisected by the River Don as well as the Sheffield and Tinsley Canal, the basin of which underpins the Victoria Quays development. The presence of these water features through the area presents a considerable opportunity to aid regeneration now that, as we understand, flood alleviation measures have been, or are to be implemented. Whilst there is access to the riverside in part, there are opportunities to enhance the riverside area and make it more attractive as a walking and cycling route.

Footfall through parts of the area appears relatively low which impacts on the extent and quality of the retail and catering offer currently available. The underuse of the arches on Furnival and Sussex Street detracts from the streetscape.

The area has retained a legacy of historic or interesting industrial buildings, heritage features and structures which together enhance the character of the area and provide considerable potential for future regeneration and reuse. The Kelham Island development, the Aizlewood Mill Business Centre and Victoria Quays provide good examples of what can be achieved by working with heritage assets.

The Victoria area has many of the attributes that are generally associated with successful high quality urban regeneration including heritage assets, water, character, interesting topography and a critical mass of available sites. Whilst the area is mixed in character today, there is considerable potential to build upon the regeneration completed to date to expand the city centre beyond the ring road and to start to influence land use change to the north of the Wicker Viaduct.

2.1.1 Location

The proposed HS2 Sheffield Victoria Station would be located to the north east of Sheffield city centre, on the northern side of the A61 Derek Dooley Way dual carriageway, and 0.6 miles north of Sheffield Midland Station, a walk of some twelve minutes on average. The new Sheffield Victoria Station would

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also be approximately ten minutes walking distance from the city centre. It would be constructed on the site of the former Victoria Station, which was closed in 1970. The River Don and the Sheffield and Tinsley Canal pass beneath the proposed HS2 platforms.

The former Victoria Station, which opened in 1851, was built on a raised structure approximately 10m above the adjacent street level. The elevated structure consists of a steel viaduct to the east, and viaducts with masonry arches and the Wicker Arch to the west. The Wicker Arch and station viaduct are both Grade II* listed.

Most of the railway infrastructure was demolished in 1989, although a single freight line serving the Stocksbridge Works and the Grade II listed Royal Victoria Hotel remain. An extension to the hotel and car park has been built on part of the station site. The Royal Victoria Hotel (currently operated by Holiday Inn) is at the elevated level of the former Victoria Station, and is connected to street level at Exchange Place by Victoria Station Road, a long ramp which is also Grade II listed.

2.1.2 Site

The site of the HS2 Sheffield Victoria Station is a constrained site that brings with it a number of design challenges. The River Don on the west side and Sheffield and Tinsley Canal are two physical features that have informed both the Victorian railway and the HS2 station design. The other major constraints include the height of the redundant railway line above street level and the number of listed buildings and structures at the station and in the vicinity. Whilst the HS2 design assumes the demolition of the Royal Victoria Hotel, significant engineering work is required to retain the viaduct arches. The site is bounded to the south by the Derek Dooley Way dual carriageway which sits some 15 metres beneath the elevated HS2 platform. Permeability across Derek Dooley Way to the city centre and height differentials on site are in part addressed by the Victoria Station Road access ramp, but these issues remain a considerable design challenge for a station in this location.

To the north of the railway the land earmarked for car parking and sitting between the River Don and the Sheffield and Tinsey Canal is at grade and is currently used for light industrial, open storage and gas storage.

2.1.3 Existing transport links a) Rail

Sheffield Midland Station is situated to the east side of the city centre, 0.5 miles from City Hall, a walk of some ten minutes on average, providing the city with good national and regional rail connections. The station is well served by four train operating companies: East Midlands Trains, Transpennine Express Trains, Northern Trains and Cross Country Trains.

These operators provide very frequent services with connections to many towns and cities in the region and beyond, notably including:

• Derby & Nottingham, and beyond that to London St Pancras, and to Birmingham and the southwest of England, • Stockport, Manchester and Liverpool, via south west Sheffield,

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• Barnsley & Huddersfield via Meadowhall, and • Rotherham and Leeds via Meadowhall, and beyond that to Leeds, York and Newcastle, and to Doncaster.

The Sheffield Victoria Station site under consideration is 0.7 miles to the north of Sheffield Midland Station, a walk of some twelve minutes on average. This route is currently not a particularly easy, intuitive or attractive walk, as explained under ‘Pedestrian and Cycle Access’ below. b) Tram

Sheffield Supertram is a high-quality public transport system, with three routes connecting Sheffield city centre (and Sheffield Midland Station) with Middlewood and Malin Bridge, to the north-west of the city, Halfway to the south-west, Herdings Park to the south and Meadowhall, to the north-east.

Each of these termini is served by a park and ride facility. Park and ride facilities are also located at Valley Centertainment tram stop, and closer to the city centre at Nunnery Square tram stop. All of these park and ride facilities have good road connections. To the east of Sheffield, the Meadowhall, Halfway and Valley Centertainment park and ride facilities have good connections to the M1.

These tram routes have not only greatly increased connectivity through a high quality public transport system, they have also brought the additional benefit of improved streetscapes along their routes, especially in the city centre.

The Sheffield Victoria Station site is 0.4 miles from the nearest Supertram stop, Fitzalan Square/Ponds Forge, a walk of some nine minutes on average. c) Coaches/Bus

Sheffield city centre and suburbs are well served by a comprehensive bus network, with high- frequency bus services.

Sheffield is well connected to the national coach network through its Sheffield Interchange (a bus/coach interchange adjacent to Sheffield Midland Station) and Sheffield Meadowhall Interchange facilities.

The Sheffield Victoria Station site is 0.6 miles from the Sheffield Interchange bus and coach facilities, a walk of some eleven minutes on average. There are bus interchange facilities on Wicker, on the west side of the Sheffield Victoria Station site. d) Road Connections

The Sheffield Victoria Station site is conveniently located adjacent to, and on the north side, of the Sheffield Inner Ring Road, also known at this location as Derek Dooley Way. This Inner Ring Road passes underneath the existing ramp road which provides the sole road access to the elevated Royal Victoria Hotel building and car park above, on the Victoria Station site. The Inner Ring Road is well connected to Junction 33 of the M1 to the east of Sheffield, via the A57/A630 Sheffield Parkway. It also has good connections to the surrounding suburbs of Sheffield.

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The Inner Ring Road performs a very important function in providing congestion relief in the city centre. Keeping traffic flowing smoothly on this road is therefore vitally important, and enhancing pedestrian crossing facilities while maintaining smooth traffic flows may require careful consideration. e) Car Parking

As there is no longer an existing station at Victoria, there is no station car parking. The nearest off- street public car park is to the south of the station site, and south of the Inner Ring Road, in Blonk Street, providing 305 spaces. It is understood that this is currently well utilised. There are various other off-street public car parks in the city centre to the south of Victoria, all of which are understood to be well utilised. f) Pedestrian & Cycle Access

The site under consideration for Sheffield Victoria Station is on top of a railway viaduct and associated ramparts, currently some 10m above the level of the surrounding streets. The HS2 scheme involves the establishment of platforms a further 5.9m approximately above this viaduct level. Currently, pedestrian and cycle access from this level to the street is solely via the approximately 200m long two- way ramp road that runs south from the viaduct to Exchange Place, spanning the Inner Ring Road. This continuous ramp may, on its own, be considered inadequate for the purpose of pedestrian access to and from a modern rail station due to DDA compliance issues.

The pedestrian routes to the city centre and to Sheffield Midland Station are not intuitive, especially at street level. The elevated position at the top of the ramp road does offer views of both routes to the centre, and a good sense of wayfinding, but this diminishes upon descent to street level. Nor is either route easy or attractive, especially for people with mobility issues, as both involve movement along and across very busy streets and junctions, with partially sub-optimal urban realm. In particular, the Inner Ring Road and the Park Square gyratory are not easy or attractive to traverse en route to the city centre and the Sheffield Midland station respectively. Any measures to improve pedestrian access across the Inner Ring Road will need to take account of the potential impacts on smooth traffic flows, and the consequences for city centre congestion.

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2.2 Proposed HS2 Station Design

Figure 1 shows the location and general design layout of Sheffield Victoria HS2 station as considered during the optioneering phase. The existing elevated Victorian structure on which the former Victoria Station sat does not provide sufficient space to accommodate the HS2 station design, platforms and accesses. The design solution proposed by HS2 is a new viaduct with platforms sitting above the existing structure with connections down to concourse level, forecourt and short-term parking. The new station structure would span the Sheffield and Tinsley Canal and the River Don and sit above the Wicker Arch. The station facilities would be accommodated at different levels (ie the new viaduct, the existing station level and street level) as can be seen in the view of the station in Figure 2 and the long section of the station in Figure 3.

Figure 1: Layout of HS2 Sheffield Victoria Station

The HS2 station would have two new platforms, each 415m long and 12m wide, providing four platform faces. These platforms would be approximately 5.9m above the existing viaduct. Passengers would gain access to the platforms by escalators and lifts from the station concourse level. Freight trains would continue to pass through the station using the southernmost track.

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Figure 2: Facilities at HS2 Sheffield Victoria Station would span different levels

Figure 3: Long section of HS2 Sheffield Victoria Station looking from the south

The HS2 station concourse, forecourt and short-term parking would be to the south of the HS2 platforms, at the level of the former station and platforms, and would require the Royal Victoria Hotel to be demolished. Stairs and lifts would connect the main concourse to a lower entrance and forecourt at street level adjacent to the River Don.

Forecourt arrangements at the HS2 Sheffield Victoria Station would be split due to the constrained nature of the site which is framed by water ways and the dual carriageway to the south. One forecourt would be to the east of the new HS2 station concourse, and would provide the main station entrance and the forecourt for private car and taxi traffic. This forecourt would be at the level of the Royal Victoria Hotel and would be accessed via Victoria Station Road from a junction at Exchange Place. Opportunities exist for a new tram stop to the east of the main forecourt.

A second, lower level, forecourt would be at street level opening up on to the east bank of the River Don. A new footbridge over the River Don would provide pedestrian access from this forecourt to an area in front of the Wicker Arch where enhanced bus facilities would be provided.

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Both short-term and long-term parking would be provided. Short-term car parking would be provided underneath the HS2 platforms. Multi-storey car parks north of the new station would provide long- term parking and would be connected to the new station by pedestrian links, and vehicular access would be from Sussex Street.

2.2.1 HS2 Proposals - Connectivity

The HS2 Phase 2 Command Paper (Investing in Britain’s future: Phase Two: The route to Leeds, Manchester and beyond – January 2013) identifies the Sheffield Victoria Station site as the best performing option for a Sheffield city centre station. It also identifies connectivity of this location as an important issue, in particular regional rail connectivity, on the basis the existing Sheffield main line station is one km distant, a walk of some twelve minutes on average. Realisation of HS2 benefits for the wider region as well as Sheffield city will require best possible rail connectivity to other places in particular Barnsley and Rotherham. The Command Paper identifies a Sheffield Supertram extension as mitigation of this constraint on rail connectivity, in order to provide an equivalent level of regional connectivity to a Meadowhall HS2 station. It also reports that Sheffield City Council and other delivery partners have suggested reopening the disused Sheffield Attercliffe station located 500m to the east of the Victoria site.

The HS2 Phase 2 Engineering Options Report (January 2013) suggests connection to Sheffield Midland Station by either a dedicated bus service or connection to the Supertram network via a new loop, and it indicates provision for a tram stop at the proposed Sheffield Victoria Station.

The facilities described in 2.2 above for private car and taxi pick-up and drop off, and for short- and long-term car parking, take advantage of the existing good road connections to Victoria, including the Inner Ring Road and its connections to the M1 to the east, and to the city centre and suburbs.

Also, the facilities described above in 2.2 above for a bus interchange on Wicker, to the south of Wicker Arch, would take advantage of the comprehensive bus network, with high-frequency bus services that serve Sheffield.

The HS2 Phase 2 Engineering Options Report (January 2013) states that the city centre would be a ten minute walk by existing routes, with pedestrian access to the high-level station via the Victoria Station Road ramp, which spans the busy Inner Ring Road, and via the street-level entrance of Wicker, on the north side of the Inner Ring Road.

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3 Wider Development Area

3.1 Planning Policy Context

The Sheffield Local Plan, formed of the Core Strategy (March 2009) and Unitary Development Plan saved policies and Proposals Map (March 1998) and the Pre-Submission Draft City Policies and Sites and Proposals Map dated April 2013, is the overall development framework for the Sheffield area. The latter of these documents will not be submitted to Government and will instead be incorporated into the new Local Plan which will include a review of the adopted Core Strategy.

3.1.1 Core Strategy

The Core Strategy has a number of policies that are relevant to the Sheffield Victoria Station area and the land between the station and the Heart of the City. These include policies CS1 and CS2 which both give priority to using previously developed land for new business development. Policies CS3 and CS4 identify the city centre office development as being a crucial driver for the transformation of the city economy and a vibrant centre with offices underpinning and supporting a range of other occupiers including shops, leisure and complimentary hotels.

The Core Strategy identifies a number of Priority Office Areas within the city centre and envisages prestige offices being located in the ‘Heart of the City’, knowledge based industries in the Sheaf area with close links to Sheffield Hallam University and professional, legal and financial services in the Castlegate area. Wicker/Riverside, West Bar and Bridgehouses are identified separately as transition areas in the city centre where manufacturing and industry should not expand where it would detract from the city centre and industrial uses should be encouraged to relocate as regeneration opportunities arise and alternative sites become available. The close proximity of the Courts to these areas would encourage legal and professional offices uses.

Policy CS17 and CS27 seek to strengthen the city centre quarters and promote interaction and physical links between them. Wicker/Riverside, West Bar and Castlegate are identified as mixed use areas with potential for office, residential, hotels and complementary retail and are key to linking the Heart of the City to both Victoria Quays and Sheffield Victoria Station. CS27 focuses on housing in the city centre and recognises the contribution that city neighbourhoods can have to the vitality of the city.

An industrial sector is identified on the land to the north of the railway line, fronting the River Don and the Sheffield and Tinsley Canal. To the west of the River Don, the new Tesco store and Saville House and car showroom dominate the Saville Street frontage, however key sites at the southern end of Saville Street and Spital Hill remain undeveloped and are allocated as office, business and industrial areas. To the east of the River Don the land is zoned in the Core Strategy for industrial uses and is not yet viewed as a transition area – current uses include the gasometer, industrial, storage, Attercliffe Crucible Works and open storage uses.

The latest Proposals Map (see extract below in Figure 4) shows the policies and allocations for the city quarters between the city centre the Sheffield Victoria Station area. A copy of the Proposals Map is also included as Appendix 1.

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Figure 4: city centre & North East Urban Area Site Proposals Map: Light pink representing ‘Business Areas’; dark pink ‘Priority Office’; light orange ‘Central Housing’; purple ‘Industrial’; light purple ‘Business & Industrial’; blue ‘District Centre’. Red diagonal hatching indicates an allocated site.

3.1.2 City Policies and Sites document

The Sheffield City Council, City Policies and Sites document (3 April 2013) flows from the Core Strategy objectives and supplements the policies by informing the development management process and further defining the spatial policies of the Core Strategy. A number of specific sites for development are identified and allocated in the document.

3.1.3 City Centre Master Plan

The Sheffield City Centre Master Plan (CCMP) has been revised several times since its initial publication in 1994, with the latest revision dated May 2013 under consultation. The CCMP is not a statutory plan but acts as material plan when determining planning applications. The CCMP is broadly consistent with the Core Strategy and sets out in detail the vision for developing the city centre, and a programme for delivering improvements and regeneration to 2017 and beyond. The CCMP emphasises the Council’s view that Sheffield city centre is the key driver of the ‘City Region’ economy and sets out a vision for a vibrant, attractive centre with strong pedestrian and public transport links, a consolidated retail offering, three new Business Districts (Central, Riverside and Sheaf Valley) and a broader housing offering. In economic terms, the CCMP wishes to see Sheffield develop as a ‘strong, sustainable, international economy driven by enterprise, innovation and knowledge’ by 2020, with an ‘unrivalled quality of place’ and an emphasis on high performing sectors and building a highly skilled workforce.

Several areas highlighted for major development in the CCMP are within the vicinity of the Sheffield Victoria Station. These are summarised below.

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3.1.3.1 Riverside Business District

The Riverside Business District (RBD), shown as area 2 in the Spatial Principles plan in Figure 5 below, encompasses a number of quarters including the Castlegate, Wicker/Riverside, West Bar, Victoria Quays and Sheffield Victoria Station areas. The masterplan envisages RBD as a location for large floorplate offices targeted at legal and professional services which may want to cluster around the Courts (in comparison with Grade A/Prestige Offices in the Central & Sheaf Business District and smaller scale legal and professional offices in the Cathedral Quarter). The mix of offices and residential development falling within the RBD combined with public realm improvements will encourage food, drink and convenience shopping and create a vibrant part of the city that is busy both during the week and at weekends. In its report, Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners (May 2013, Employment Land Review) notes that improving leisure and retail offer is essential to continue to grow the city’s office market.

Figure 5: Spatial Principles plan (CCMP Consultation Draft, May 2013)

Castlegate, including Castle Hill Heritage Project and Park

As identified in the April 2013 City Policies and Sites document referred to above, the Castlegate Quarter is a key site for offering the opportunity for comprehensive regeneration in the short to medium term. The proposals include new office development, city centre living, retail, leisure and potentially a hotel. Castlegate is a significant city centre area which contains the remains of Sheffield

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Castle and other sites of historic interest, but has suffered decline in recent years. A large indoor market was housed in the area, which has now relocated to The Moor in the south of the city, presenting an opportunity for redevelopment.

As shown in Figure 6 below, Castlegate forms a major gateway zone between the city centre and the wider Riverside Business District. Its improvement is a key element of SCC’s vision for regeneration in the city centre. As well as enhancing this historic part of the city in itself, redevelopment in the area could unlock the potential of Victoria Quays, which is seen as underused, and the proposed Riverside Business District.

SCC intends to demolish the former Markets, investigate and preserve the archaeological remains on the site and deculvert the River Sheaf at its confluence with the Don, which will create space which has provisionally been identified as the location of a riverside heritage-influenced public park, the Castle Hill Park.

Further public realm creation is proposed in the form of Exchange Square, which could be delivered by reclaiming space formerly used by the Inner Ring Road, now diverted further north of the city centre. This pedestrianised square would interface directly with Victoria Quays, improving connectivity to that area. SCC is keen to enhance links to the relatively large concentration of hotels in and around Victoria Quays, and also to explore the potential for locating a hostel or backpacker hotel (currently lacking in the city centre) in Castlegate. This would further enhance the vibrancy of the area.

Around Exchange Square, development sites are to be created to enclose the square, and elsewhere in Castlegate, the stock of historic buildings are to be considered for conversion to new, mixed uses, including residential and small business as well as leisure and culture. The Old Court House and the Castle House Co-op are viewed as particularly in need of redevelopment.

Improvements to Exchange Square will also enhance the connectivity to and from Victoria Quays, a quarter that has undergone significant regeneration but is still identified as an area in need of repair and recovery and which, despite the heritage buildings and waterfront setting, lacks vibrancy.

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Figure 6: Proposed Castlegate Development (CCMP Consultation Draft, May 2013)

Wicker/Riverside

The CCMP and the Wicker/Riverside Action Plan seek to enhance the contribution of the Wicker/Riverside area to the city centre by increasing the residential population within the Central Housing Area fronting the River Don and encouraging a change in land use from industrial/manufacturing to office/commercial.

The Wicker/Riverside area, shown in the plan in Figure 7, is identified as being in transition where reconfiguration arising from regeneration should respect the heritage and historic street patterns and overall urban grain. The northern boundary of Wicker/Riverside also includes the former Victoria Station, Royal Victoria Hotel and railway arches. The new office offer would seek to differentiate itself from the existing office areas with a focus on legal, professional and niche office uses. Provision of local retail hotel and leisure uses combined with improved accessibility to Victoria Quays, Castlegate and West Bar will reinforce Wicker/Riverside as a vibrant Neighbourhood Centre (shown at E in the

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Spatial Principles plan in Figure 5) encouraging footfall from the Heart of the City in a northeast direction towards Sheffield Victoria Station.

To the north-west of Wicker and sitting between Derek Dooley Way and the railway sit a concrete batching plant, light industrial units and a number of vacant and cleared sites known as Bridgehouses. Jewsons sits just to the west. (See P00089 on the Spatial Principles Plan in Appendix 1.) SCC has earmarked the site for mixed use development.

Figure 7: Proposed development of Riverside Business District (CCMP Consultation Draft, May 2013)

West Bar

West Bar is a 7 acre development opportunity that sits to the west of Wicker/Riverside and north of the Cathedral Quarter. Current land uses include a mix of former industrial, office and surface car parking set around a suboptimal street pattern that impedes connectivity through to Nursery Street

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and Kelham Island. Significant regeneration opportunities exist in this area and the Core Strategy envisages a mixed use scheme, with offices, residential and open space. It is thought that the close proximity of the Law Courts may attract office tenants with links to the legal profession. Occupiers of older office stock in the Cathedral Quarter may also be attracted to newer grade A office space.

3.1.3.2 The Steel Route

The Steel Route is a proposed chain of high-quality pedestrian and cycle spaces which is to be developed to provide legible, attractive routes through to the city centre from the Wicker Arch in the north east, to Moorfoot in the south west.

Its route will improve connectivity to Victoria Quays, the proposed Castle Hill Park and Exchange Square, and will significantly improve permeability and connectivity to the city centre from the Sheffield Victoria Station site and beyond. The Steel Route is shown coloured green in the Proposed Castlegate Development plan in Figure 6.

Work is now underway on the Steel Route, which adopts a similar approach to that used in the already- established Gold Route, which joins Sheffield Midland Station to the University of Sheffield campus via a number of attractive public realm spaces developed in the ‘Heart of the City’ area. The new route will be developed incrementally, as opportunity arises.

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3.2 Land Ownership

LCR has not undertaken a detailed independent review of land ownerships in the key regeneration areas around Sheffield Victoria Station and has relied on the review of landownership information in the CBRE Property & Financing Solutions for HS2 Stations report (dated 12 September 2013). In summary, SCCs land interests in the Wicker area are fairly extensive but the sites are fragmented and often subject to long leasehold interests. A plan showing SCC land ownership is included in Appendix 2. The CBRE review found that Sheffield City Councils land holdings are concentrated in the Castlegate and West Bar Quarter regeneration areas. At West Bar Bolsterstone Group owns three development sites within the area that are cleared and ready for high density multi-storey development. The gasometer site to the north of Victoria Station and the land east of Chatham Street (both owned by utility companies) are two other substantial tracts of land in single ownership.

The use of compulsory purchase order (CPO) powers is likely to be required to drive forward the regeneration envisaged in CCMP. CPO associated with the construction and operation of HS2 will be implemented but there is a likelihood that most of the HS2 construction sites in the Sheffield city centre will be in close proximity to the station and trace. Derek Dooley Way appears to be a logical southern boundary in the vicinity of the station with the Bridgehouses land offering additional construction space that could be used with little disruption to existing businesses. To the north of the railway the land fronting the River Don and Sheffield and Tinsley Canal, including the gasometer site are potential construction sites that would minimise the impact of HS2 construction on Sheffield and help bring forward former industrial sites for regeneration post construction of HS2.

The CBRE report also touches on the important role that CPO powers can play in driving forward strategic land assembly in regeneration areas where land ownership is fragmented or complex title matters are frustrating development. It is likely that Wicker/Riverside will be one of the regeneration areas where the use of CPO powers would have maximum impact and deliver greatest benefit. We note that SCC is well versed in promoting the use of CPO to assemble land with recent schemes including the New Retail Quarter. The current HS2 Hybrid Bill proposes that HS2 Ltd is granted CPO powers for regeneration (in addition to those required for railway construction), although the intent is that these would only be used in partnership with the relevant local authority, providing an alternative solution.

There is also merit in working closely with existing landowners and partners to assemble key sites in the regeneration areas purchasing on both a reactive and proactive basis as and when opportunities arise.

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3.3 Development and Market Background

The Sheffield city region has a diverse economy and encompasses more than 1.8 million people and around 700,000 jobs. The city region is located strategically in the centre of the UK and comprises nine local authority areas with Sheffield in the west and Doncaster in the east as the prime employment centres. Sheffield is the fourth largest city in England.

The area’s economic base has transformed over the last twenty years from being dominated by traditional manufacturing to a wider range of knowledge economy sectors including advanced manufacturing, healthcare technologies, low carbon, creative and digital carbon industries. The economy of the city region has an estimated output of more than £24.7 billion and contains approximately 55,000 businesses (Sheffield City Region: Economic Overview, March 2013).

3.3.1 Office

The traditional location for offices in Sheffield city centre is the Cathedral Quarter, although newer concentrations of office floorspace have developed in three other areas since the early 2000s: Central, Riverside and Sheaf Valley. The city centre contains total office floorspace of 5.5m sq ft, spread across 237 buildings, approximately 28% of which is Grade A and 40% is Grade B. Circa 20% of the total is vacant (Sheffield city centre Master Plan 2013 – Consultation Draft, May 2013). There is a shortage of supply of Grade A space, with none currently available and none being constructed. The latest CCMP targets the creation of 1.5m sq ft of additional office floorspace and 7,000 office-based jobs by 2023, to be delivered by completing developments that are underway and prioritising certain sites, such as the Riverside Quarter discussed above.

BNP Paribas’ Autumn 2013 Yorkshire Office Market report also highlights shortages in Grade A space, but suggests there is ‘renewed positivity’. Uptake in office space in Q1-Q3 2013 increased by 19% on the corresponding period for 2012, up to a total of 192,188 sq ft. The forthcoming speculative development of 76,000 sq ft of prime space at 3 St Paul’s Place also points to an improvement in the market. This will be the city’s first major office development in over five years and is expected to encourage further development.

The amount of office space being taken in the city centre has increased on 2012, whereas out-of-town uptake has reduced. Headline rents in Sheffield are £19.50 per sq ft, a figure which has remained static for the last three years. 18-24 months rent free are typically negotiated on a ten year lease. (Yorkshire Office Market – Autumn 2013 – BNP Paribas report)

In its report, Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners (May 2013, Employment Land Review) refers to the 2013 Sheffield Office Stock Study which records stable levels of demand overall, with continued demand within the Grade A and B sectors. Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners also refers to Knight Frank Sheffield Offices Market Update Q4 2012 which suggests that interest in office space in Sheffield is improving.

3.3.2 Residential

The latest available Annual Housing Market Bulletin prepared by SCC (drawn from Land Registry data) provides a summary of residential sales for 2012. It reveals an average house price for Sheffield of £113,716, down 17% on 2007, and significantly lower than the national average of £160,888. A total

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of 5,277 residential properties were sold during the course of the year, with an average time on the market of 26 weeks. Private rents have increased by 14% over the past five years to an average of £623 per month. Burngreave, immediately to the north of the viaduct at Sheffield Victoria Station, is identified as the cheapest place to buy property in the city, at an average of £56,865 in 2012.

The latest available quarterly Housing Market Bulletin (covering July-September 2013) reveals a modest improvement, with an average house price for Sheffield of £115,257, an increase of 1.92% on the previous quarter but only 0.04% on the corresponding quarter for 2012. This compares with a national average of £167,063, an increase of 3.02% on the previous quarter and 3.42% for July- September 2012 quarter. Private rents have fallen somewhat to an average of £604 per month.

The CCMP Consultation Draft sets out objectives for Sheffield to encourage more city centre living, including in areas which currently have little or no residential occupation such as Castlegate. Prior to the economic downturn, some depopulated areas had begun to be reinvigorated, with new developments in former industrial areas predominantly attracting students and young professionals. However, growth has stalled, with over 30 city centre sites with residential planning permission currently on hold (Sheffield city centre Master Plan 2013 – Consultation Draft, May 2013).

According to the CCMP, the student/young worker housing markets remain active and are capable of attracting finance. However, SCC is trying to direct developments serving these types of occupier to specific sites, or to encourage developers to widen their offering to cater for a broader range of tenant groups. SCC believes increasing numbers of social groups inhabit the city centre today, or wish to relocate there, and it is undertaking research to better understand their needs. This will inform policy development.

3.3.3 Industrial

Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners (May 2013, Employment Land Review) notes that Sheffield has a strong industrial property market. Consultation with stakeholders suggests that current demand for industrial space outweighs supply, and that there is a shortage of quality modern stock. The Sheaf Valley provides space and is attractive to small scale industry where its location close to the local workforce is of importance. Much of the space in the Sheaf Valley is old but is adaptable to meet the needs of the market.

3.3.4 Retail

The city centre retail offering is described as ‘limited’ in the CCMP with factors such as out-of-town shopping (for example at Meadowhall) and the growth of internet shopping being contributing factors.

The new indoor Moor Market at Eyre Street and Cumberland Street opened in November 2013. It has 196 stalls selling a wide range of products including fresh fruit and vegetables, meat and fish, jewellery, crafts and clothes.

With the departure of Hammerson from the Sevenstone retail scheme in July 2013, SCC is now seeking a new development partner to deliver a New Retail Quarter in the city centre to provide modern, flexible space and attract quality fashion retailers. SCC aims to complete the scheme in 2018/19.

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At a more local level, SCC approved a citywide strategy to help and support local shopping centres in 2011. In July 2013 a Shop Front Improvement Scheme was launched in Darnall. A similar scheme is now being considered for Spital Hill, north of Victoria Station. It is hoped that improvements to the front elevations of existing businesses will in turn attract further investment by the businesses themselves. Improvements will also be made to the streetscene and public realm.

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3.4 Economic Growth

Genecon (February 2012, Maximising the economic impact of HS2 investment in Sheffield) notes that a station at Victoria would have the potential to become a driver of place development, becoming a centrepiece for a new city centre business quarter. A station at Victoria would act as a major catalyst in accelerating city centre development, and underpin the ongoing transformation of Sheffield city centre as a primary economic driver for the city region.

The report notes that HS2 has the potential to be a stimulus for improved rents, and could significantly impact on the viability of development and regeneration schemes. Genecon estimates that station investment at Victoria will generate between approximately 9,400 and 12,100 net additional jobs and between 170,000 sq m and 220,000 sq m of additional commercial floorspace, and up to 800 residential units. The majority of additional jobs would be in the financial and insurance services, professional/scientific/technical, administrative and support services, and public admin and defence sectors. In contrast, Temple-ERM (March 2012, Options for Phase 2 of the high speed network: Appraisal of Sustainability) estimates that Sheffield Victoria Station could create 7,700 net additional jobs and support 900 housing units.

The HS2 Options report goes on to say that the station would conflict with three site allocations proposed within the Sheffield City Council Core Strategy (2009) but acknowledges that provided the detailed design is taken forward as part of a masterplan-led approach, the station would support the key objectives set out in the core strategy.

CBRE (September 2013, Property & Financing Solutions for HS2 Station (Final Draft)) believes that without HS2 there is no real catalyst for change and no commercial imperative to bring forward a development of any significant density. It considers that some 351,000 sq m could be developed without HS2, whilst 903,000 sq m of development would come forward with HS2, including 250,000 sq m of residential and 373,000 sq m of commercial offices. It believes that with HS2, the vast majority of the capacity will be developed. CBRE refers to a report by Drivers Jonas Deloitte & SKM Colin Buchanan (DJD SKM) (December 2011, High Speed 2, SIFT 3: Relative Development Impact Assessment (South Yorkshire) – Draft) which concludes that there is potential for development of 704,000 sq m of space in an unrestricted policy environment

Volterra (September 2013, An assessment of the case for a city centre high speed rail station in the Sheffield City Region) notes that most parts of the city centre would be within a 12 minute walk of a station at Victoria, which would help to enable the development of the Riverside Business District. The successful delivery of the developments proposed in the CCMP would in turn boost the city’s competitiveness. Volterra also considers the location of stations on high speed routes in other parts of the world, noting that the location of a through station in Lille has helped to generate additional commercial activity in its centre, and that Cordoba in Spain saw urban regeneration around the high speed station which was built in the city centre.

Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners (May 2013, Employment Land Review) notes that the city centre is a key economic driver for Sheffield City as well as the wider Sheffield City Region. Historically characterised as a heavy manufacturing city, employment in Sheffield is now predominantly in the service sector. There is a shortage of Grade-A office accommodation in the city centre, and the report notes that the key challenge for the city centre office market is reconciling the supply of space and

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voids, particularly of ageing poorer quality stock, with the need to provide additional Grade A floorspace to support and sustain Sheffield’s position as the premier office location in South Yorkshire.

Locations such as the West Bar Triangle are important sites for development of city centre office space. The report also notes that the city centre’s offer of leisure and retail is relatively weak in comparison to cities such as Leeds, Manchester and Birmingham. Leisure and retail are seen as essential attractions to the city centre office-based market and improving their offer is seen as being essential to continue to grow the city’s office market.

Research into High Speed stations suggests that their beneficial impact on regeneration in the immediate vicinity is not a given, and requires a number of complementary factors – notably underlying economic drivers beyond purely transportation and an active delivery organisation or structure. Similarly, successful regeneration can of course occur without expensive new transport infrastructure (which does not always have a necessarily positive impact on the urban realm).

It remains the case, however, that the investment in an HS2 station at Victoria could play a powerful role and that there are opportunities for development and regeneration associated with a new HS2 station at Victoria. The location of the station would reinforce the importance of the Riverside Business District and allow development for a wide range of uses to be brought forward on adjacent sites. The station would help to generate values which would allow heritage buildings to be renovated, and would provide a stimulus to improve the public realm. It would foster high quality development, and development in a holistic, rather than piecemeal, manner. It would provide an impetus to the transition areas, helping to shift land use away from historic industrial uses towards a more mixed use. A new HS2 station at Victoria would play an important role in creating a vibrant northern quarter on the fringe of the city centre which would ultimately support the aspirations of SCC to encourage new development in the city centre and support the regeneration of The Moors area to the south.

LCR believes that development brought forward without HS2 could be higher than suggested by CBRE if there was an aspirational environment including a pro-active approach to compulsory purchase, joint ventures, the promotion of SCC-owned land, and a flexible planning regime. HS2 would, however, be a catalyst and would provide the potential for a step-change development. Accordingly, LCR’s view is that the potential for development with HS2 would be likely to be between the two figures put forward by CBRE and DJD SKM.

Outline proposals for a station that will not be completed for two decades does, of course, bring potential problems as well as benefits. Uncertainty can cause blight, as investment decisions are delayed, and property speculation can also be damaging. The construction phase can also have a negative impact. Addressing these short term issues (through targeted land purchases/interim uses etc) will be important to ensure mitigation.

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4. Analysis

The section below sets out the main LCR recommendations in respect of the current design of the new HS2 station.

4.1 Station Design

This exceptional location with its vantage point and commanding views over the city, while posing some accessibility and design challenges, offers great opportunities for an iconic landmark HS2 station and transport hub which, combined with complementary high quality urban realm and retail, would create an attractive place in its own right – providing a strong catalyst for regeneration in Sheffield and the region.

The HS2 station proposals for this location were developed during an early feasibility stage and are therefore at a conceptual design level. If a station at Sheffield Victoria was to be taken forward, the design proposals would need to be developed through a comprehensive feasibility design study, to arrive at an integrated multi-modal transport and land-use development scheme that will optimise benefits for the city and region, taking account of all key stakeholder requirements. This report sets out a number of headline comments below on particular design issues which would require further consideration.

Given its location, a new HS2 station at Victoria has the potential to forge links between the Riverside Business District, Castlegate, Victoria Quays and the Steel Route. On the northern boundary of the city centre, it would be in an area that is currently on the fringe of the city centre. However, it would have the potential to significantly alter the focus of the city by both widening the ‘outlook’ of the core of the city centre towards the north and in turn by connecting the northern fringe with the core. The local planning authority is therefore likely to seek a high quality design for the new station.

Vertical design and permeability

The principal issue affecting the design of the station is the fact that the station and its facilities will span vertically over different levels, rather than being at grade. This may present challenges to providing access between street, concourse and platform levels. Consideration should be given as to whether, rather than being a constraint, this could provide design and commercial opportunities that make a feature of and benefit from the vertical design. We recommend below that retention of Royal Victoria Hotel should be considered. The hotel is elevated, and it would be worth investigating what is beneath the hotel as there may be opportunities to use existing space beneath the hotel, or to create new spaces, possibly linked to the arches under Victoria Station Road. We suggest below an additional entrance at the eastern end of the station, and that it may be possible to provide access from street level through one of the arches under the station. The vertical design of the station could therefore be a stimulus to bringing forward development of the heritage structures of the former station, in particular the hotel and the arches.

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Hotel and forecourt

The proposed design of the HS2 station requires the demolition of the Royal Victoria Hotel, shown in the photograph in Figure 8. We would recommend that consideration be given to retaining this local listed and attractive landmark at the main entrance to the new station.

The potential to incorporate all or part of the ground floor of the hotel into the concourse and the new station should be explored. By way of example, the Grade II Great Northern Hotel at King’s Cross has been restored and opens directly onto the new King’s Cross Western Concourse. Retention of the Royal Victoria Hotel would be consistent with the hotel uses at the Riverside Business District and Castlegate proposed in the Sheffield city centre Master Plan, and may offer the opportunity to incorporate retail and leisure uses at ground floor level.

If the hotel is retained, a more linear station structure and forecourt may be appropriate. The quality of the forecourt area would need careful consideration to ensure a welcoming and attractive environment is created. Consideration should be given to relocation of the car and taxi drop-off/pick- up facilities to make the forecourt area in front of the hotel more pedestrian-friendly, and perhaps offering the opportunity to create a piazza style space.

Retention of the hotel would be complementary and could increase footfall and dwell time. The hotel could become a destination in its own right. Access to the main entrance and hotel would be via Victoria Station Road (see Figure 9), which would provide the principal direct link between the station and Exchange Square and the city centre. Part of this access is currently used for car parking. Consideration should be given to relocating the parking to provide an improved pedestrian route to the station. It may be possible to also include a dedicated cycle route on this road.

Figure 8 (left): Royal Victoria Hotel Figure 9 (right): Victoria Station Road

Additional entrances to the station

The HS2 design proposed a new footbridge over the River Don to link the lower concourse with Wicker, where enhanced bus facilities would be provided. Consideration should be given to creating an additional western station entrance directly onto Wicker, adjacent to the west bank of the River Don, providing a direct link between the station and enhanced bus facilities. This would also strengthen

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the relationship of the station with the offices and residential accommodation in the Riverside Business District, with the residential areas to the north of the station, as well as with the Steel Route. A view of Wicker and Wicker Arch is shown in the photograph in Figure 10.

As the Steel Route will provide a pedestrian and cycle-friendly route linking Wicker to the city centre, consideration should be given to providing cycle facilities at Sheffield Victoria station, including secure cycle storage, hire, route information, and possibly repairs and sales. Consideration should be given to the design and layout of bus facilities so as not to impede pedestrian flows between the Riverside Business District and the station.

It may also be possible to create a further entrance at the eastern end of the station to provide direct access to and from the short-stay car park and to a new tram stop. It may be possible to use one of the arches to provide an entrance at ground level and access to the elevated levels of the station. An eastern entrance would unlock the commercial potential of the arches, and would enhance the relationship between the station and the Victoria Quays area. Provision of a new access across Derek Dooley Way to link the station and Victoria Quays should also be considered. A view of Derek Dooley Way is shown in the photograph in Figure 11.

An eastern access may lend itself to providing a drop-off/pick-up point on the north side of the station for a revised car and taxi route which would take traffic north along Furnival Road, under the station and east on Sussex Street to the drop-off/pick-up point. Part of the review of a revised taxi route should include consideration of where it would be appropriate for taxis to queue. An entrance with car and taxi drop-off/pick-up on the north side of the station would also connect the station to the area to the north, and would benefit any waterside development to the north of the station.

Creation of an additional entrance at the western and/or eastern end of the station may require duplication of facilities such as ticket barriers, escalators and lifts.

Figure 10 (left): Wicker and Wicker Arch Figure 11 (right): View of Derek Dooley Way

Car parking

There may be potential to reconfigure or relocate the multi-storey car parks from their proposed locations north of the station to safeguard potential waterside development adjacent to the River Don

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and the Sheffield and Tinsley Canal. Possible alternative sites for car parking may include the gas holder site to the north of the station, or there may be an appropriate site south of the station. The number of car parking spaces provided in the HS2 design is not clear, but we anticipate that it would be a similar level to the provision at Meadowhall, that is 1,250 long stay spaces and 280 short stay spaces, totalling 1530 spaces. It would be worth reviewing the number of car parking spaces required, given Victoria’s city centre location, more so if sufficiently good connections are established to regional rail services to reduce the demand for less sustainable road access.

International Services

The current station design appears to make no provision for international services. If there is a case for providing such services in the future, passive provision should be incorporated in the design so that this can be retrofitted.

The Arches

As can be seen in the photographs at Figures 12 and 13, there are brick arches under the viaduct. There are also arches under Victoria Station Road (please see Figure 14). The station design should not frustrate the commercial use of these arches. The arches currently have low grade uses such as storage and car salvage. The arches north of the railway in particular would benefit from refurbishment.

We note that the arches would be repaired, modified and strengthened as part of the works to construct the elevated HS2 station deck and station approaches. Once repaired, the arches could be used for retail and leisure (such as food and drink or gym uses) or for workspace or business start-up. Leisure, café, bar and restaurant uses may be appropriate as part of a possible waterside development adjacent to the River Don between Sussex Street and Furnival Road (a view of the River Don is shown in Figure 16). This would provide opportunities to animate the north and south of the station with new retail or commercial activities. Depending on the level of market demand, development of the arches may need to be safeguarded until regeneration of adjacent areas provides sufficient demand.

The River Don flows under an arch at the western end of the viaduct, between the Royal Victoria Hotel and the Wicker Arch. There is currently a pedestrian walkway linking the north and south sides of the railway (see Figure 15). We would recommend that this pedestrian route be improved following construction of the HS2 station to make it more attractive to users and encourage north-south permeability. There may be potential to incorporate this walkway into the Steel Route.

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Figure 12 (left): Arches south of railway Figure 13 (right): Arches north of railway

Figure 14 (left): Arches beneath Victoria Station Road Figure 15 (right): Pedestrian walkway under viaduct

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Figure 16: View of River Don, north of railway

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4.2 Connectivity and Interchange

4.2.1 Rail

As outlined in section 2.1.3, Sheffield main line rail station provides the city with very good national and regional rail connections, but is one km from the HS2 station location at Victoria, a walk of some twelve minutes on average. This does not constitute an ideal interchange solution, in terms of the interchange journey time, the quality of the urban realm along the walking route, wayfinding and permeability, or perceived personal security. Unmitigated, this would significantly erode journey-time savings from the high-speed services, and significantly constrain interchange between HS2 and regional rail services, which would in turn diminish the potential benefits for the region.

Optimisation of these regional benefits will require the best possible link between the two stations, to provide a level of regional connectivity that is equivalent to the Meadowhall HS2 station option. A number of link options have been considered, including a dedicated bus service, a tram extension and reopening the former Attercliffe rail station some 500m to the east of Sheffield Victoria Station site. The business case for the latter is not known, but it appears to have been discounted as an option. This may warrant further consideration. It is noted that, prior to the HS2 proposals, a feasibility study was carried out by Arup on behalf of Sheffield City Council and South Yorkshire PTE which identified a feasible scheme for running commuter trains on the Don Valley Railway along the viaduct through Victoria. It is not known what consideration was given to integrating these services into the HS2 proposals, although it is expected that this would significantly increase the spatial land-take requirements along the rail corridor, with increased property, cost and environmental impacts.

Bus links, even dedicated shuttle bus links, are not generally considered ideal interchange solutions, as they are at least perceived to provide a service that is of lesser reliability, speed, quality and capacity than say a tram link.

A tram link or shuttle service could have the additional benefit of providing a direct link to the wider city Supertram network, as well as a fast, reliable, good quality link the main line station and its regional and national connections.

On the basis of currently available information, indications are that a tram link may be the best deliverable option. However, there may be better options. If not already carried out, a full feasibility study is recommended, to properly evaluate all link options, including interchange facilities, and to identify the preferred best-value solution for this critically important link, to the satisfaction of city and regional stakeholders. This study should of course be carried out within the context of the creation of an overall vision for the Victoria area.

4.2.2 Tram

As outlined above in section 4.2.1, and subject to feasibility studies, the preferred option for an acceptable interchange link between HS2 and regional rail services may prove to be a tram link between the HS2 Sheffield Victoria Station and the existing main line station. This should also provide better interchange with the bus and coach interchange facility to the north west of the main line station, helping improve the city-wide and regional connections. It appears that this would simply

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require a tram extension between the Sheffield Victoria Station site and the existing tram route some 500m to the south-east – albeit traversing an important junction on the Inner Ring Road and some topographical level changes.

A dedicated shuttle tram link or loop would potentially have the additional benefit for HS2-regional rail interchange of being less susceptible to service disruption, if it is not an integral part of the city- wide Supertram service network.

A tram extension to HS2 Sheffield Victoria that is an integral part of the Supertram service network would have the additional benefit for some of providing more direct and faster links to other parts of the city and its suburbs. It is understood that Sheffield City Council and SYPTE wish to consider a tram link from the mainline station to HS2 Sheffield Victoria as part of a proposed new city tram route to the suburbs.

Any tram interchange options at Victoria will need to be considered within the context of a comprehensive feasibility study, also in the context of the tram link option that is being considered, as well as the other opportunities and constraints at Victoria. For example, a shuttle tram service could simply enter the Victoria Interchange running parallel and to the south side of the HS2 viaduct, terminating at a tram stop over the arches on the south east side of the station. On the other hand, a tram loop would require a different design configuration, with the alignment of the platforms and the track as it emerges from the Interchange being influenced by the preferred tram route and destination beyond Victoria. In both cases, establishing the tram platforms at existing viaduct level (ie upper HS2 concourse level) would optimise interchange with the HS2 platforms a level above that. Consideration should be given to how a tram route passing through Victoria might help unlock regeneration to the north side of the station and viaduct.

4.2.3 Bus

As stated in section 4.2.1, a dedicated bus link is unlikely to be the preferred option for a link to the main line station, although this option should be considered as part of an interchange feasibility study.

In any event, the Sheffield bus network should play an important role in connecting the HS2 services to the city centre and suburbs. The HS2 proposal for a bus interchange facility in Wicker, adjacent to the HS2-proposed forecourt, would appear to be the best option. Bus interchange is best served by bus facilities that are on-street (whilst not impeding traffic flow) and adjacent to the station. The location of such facilities on the Inner Ring Road to the immediate south of the station are likely to impact on the critically important capacity and smooth traffic flow on that road. Any bus interchange facility on Exchange Place would be so far south of the station as to incur interchange journey time penalties. There may be opportunities for the provision of a consolidated bus station adjacent to the station, but this would have an opportunity cost in terms of the alternative uses of high-value land close to this key transport hub, and in any event may not be necessary as demand may not justify such a facility.

Again, all these factors should be considered in a comprehensive feasibility study.

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4.2.4 Pedestrian Access

An efficient hub at this location must provide best possible interchange facilities for regional rail, bus, private car and taxi pick-up and drop-off and car parking, as well as high speed rail station facilities. The preceding sections of this report have considered these aspects in some detail. However, the most important aspect is the need to provide best possible pedestrian movement, environment and accessibility within the transport hub, and to and from the hub.

In this regard, Victoria presents particularly interesting interchange challenges and opportunities, in respect of the vertical interchange between the three levels of the interchange, the north-south permeability through the station arches and east-west movement across the River Don, between the station and the forecourt and street at Wicker. Victoria also presents particularly important interchange opportunities, in respect of pedestrian movement between the hub and the city centre, the mainline rail station and its adjacent bus and coach interchange. While the establishment of good public transport links into the city centre and mainline station will remain vitally important, the creating good pedestrian routes will be equally important, and should be a key factor in a comprehensive interchange feasibility study. Achieving this will not only make access to the transport hub more attractive and help increase patronage, it will also make help make the quarter more attractive to developers and potential tenants – an important place-making factor.

4.3 Station & Interchange - Conclusions

Victoria is an exceptional location for a station, with its vantage point and commanding views over the city. There are a number of challenges and opportunities for the design of a well-connected and integrated station interchange at this location. Addressing these in a comprehensive and integrated manner can deliver a landmark HS2 station and transport hub at Victoria - one which, combined with complementary high quality urban realm and retail, could create an attractive place and destination in its own right – providing the catalyst for regeneration in Sheffield and the region.

If there was to be a HS2 station located at Victoria, the regeneration arm of HS2 should collaborate with Sheffield City Council and its regional partners in the creation of a shared vision for this quarter. Critical to the realisation of this vision would be the delivery of an efficient, high quality transport hub and connections to other parts of the city and the wider region. This will require complementary station and interchange facilities, including good quality retail facilities, and high quality public realm and associated property development. This would significantly enhance development values throughout this quarter and beyond.

This work would require demand modelling and forecast that are agreed between the parties, at both strategic and interchange operational levels. This would inform the identification and evaluation of options, jointly by the key stakeholders against their respective requirements, and enabling the management of trade-offs between transport and land-use requirements and aspirations, to optimise benefits for the city and region.

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4.4 Development and Delivery

An HS2 Station at Sheffield Victoria would provide a significant boost to the city centre both during construction and following the opening of HS2. The Station would represent a significant investment in the City and be seen as a huge vote of confidence. It is likely that the property market would respond favourably with significant interest and development activity in the quarters to the north and east of the city centre.

The fundamental characteristics of the city centre are very positive and we believe that significant regeneration is capable of coming forward in advance of HS2. West Bar and the Castlegate Quarters are the two opportunities where excellent central locations, relatively straight forward land ownership structures and significant previous input are likely to deliver regeneration ahead of HS2. Both of these developments have active private sector involvement (Bolsterstone and Carillion) and have been allocated as office led mixed use schemes incorporating residential, open space and neighbourhood shopping. In addition Castlegate’s proximity to the River Don and the cluster of hotels will also lend itself to hotel and leisure uses. These allocation provide a degree of flexibility and allow the scheme to respond better to prevailing market conditions. In addition to the design and build quality of the schemes the relationship to the public realm and quality of the public realm will be key to encouraging footfall and stimulating activity. Masterplanning in these areas needs to place emphasis on connectivity and wayfinding into the Wicker/Riverside Quarter (including Sheffield Victoria Station) and the Victoria Quays Quarter.

Wicker/Riverside

As referred to in section 3.1.3.1, Wicker/Riverside (the area of land bounded by Nursery Street, Wicker and Derek Dooley Way) is a transition area with ambitions to move away from historic industrial uses to a vibrant quarter where the residential neighbourhood fronting the River Don sits next to a new office quarter with an emphasis on legal and professional services. The fragmented land ownerships, historic buildings and associated street pattern have resulted in significant, though piecemeal, regeneration development to date. Whilst historic buildings and street patterns need to be respected there is scope for greater intervention, including the use of CPO powers, to consolidate landownerships and improve the variety of development opportunities available to developers or development partners.

Wider investment in the public realm is needed and the proposed investment in the Steel Route will help improve the quality and consistency of the streetscape. These improvements should deliver real and lasting benefits to the Wicker/Riverside Quarter by encouraging greater footfall which in turn would increase economic activity and create a more vibrant neighbourhood. As with the Castlegate and West Bar Quarters, the fundamentals (including river frontage, mixed use allocation in the Core Strategy and a central location close to public transport infrastructure) are in place for regeneration to commence in advance of HS2.

Confidence will play an important role – this will be needed at a national level through a stable economy, a healthy residential and office market and a commitment to HS2 Sheffield Victoria station. At a more local level developers will want to work in a proactive and flexible planning environment

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with evidence of successful partnering and regeneration being brought forward on the city centre sites where regeneration and site assembly is more advanced.

The northern boundary of Wicker/Riverside also includes the former Victoria Station, Royal Victoria Hotel and railway arches. Retention and renovation of the Royal Victoria Hotel as part of the HS2 scheme would strengthen the areas hotel and leisure offer and help activate the Sheffield Victoria Station and the northern parts of the Riverside Business District and reinforce Wicker/Riverside as a vibrant Neighbourhood Centre.

Land North of railway fronting River Don and Sheffield and Tinsley Canal and Bridgehouses and Spital Hill

The land to the north of the former Victoria Station consisting of Effingham Street/Sussex Street, and Blast Lane sitting to the east of the River Don and either side of the Sheffield and Tinsley Canal is currently zoned for industrial use in the Core Strategy with uses on site including gas storage and open storage. Use of this land for construction of HS2 and ultimately construction of carparking would provide the step change needed to regenerate this area

Land at Bridgehouses (adjacent to Pitsmoor Rd and Chatham Street) and the southern end of Spital Hill and Savile Street are pockets of vacant former industrial land that have been allocated in the Core Strategy. National Grid has held discussion regarding the Bridgehouses site and the relatively straight forward land ownership arrangements and allocation as flexible use areas may mean the site is developed ahead of HS2. However, as noted in Deliverability below, the proximity of these sites to the HS2 trace and ultimately the Sheffield Victoria HS2 station may mean that they are more suited to HS2 construction worksites followed by comprehensive higher value developments post construction. The sites are discrete and their use as worksites would have limited impact on the wider residential population or nearby businesses. The barriers to regeneration that would need addressing are comprehensive land assembly, the removal of the gasometer, remediation of historic contamination, topography and protection against flooding.

4.4.1 Deliverability

RegenCo

LCR is promoting the creation of an HS2 specific regeneration company – ‘RegenCo’ – that will be tasked with working with local partners to promote the delivery of regeneration around HS2 stations, addressing identified areas of market failure and capturing created value on behalf of the taxpayer.

The activities that RegenCo may undertake could include:

- Supporting the definition of a shared vision or masterplan around stations - Production of a Development Infrastructure Funding Study - Land acquisition - Land pooling and other commercial arrangements with partners - Promoting and enacting CPO in partnership with local authorities - Site clearance and preparation - Interim uses and estate management

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- Enabling infrastructure provision - Influencing HS2 station design and construction strategy - Influencing other transport provision/public investment - Influencing the planning context - Promoting development opportunities - Seeking private sector development partners - Jointly pursuing planning applications/seeking funders - Jointly marketing/seeking occupiers - Equity participation in development - Eventual disposal of interest and provision of receipts to HS2/DfT.

RegenCo would need strong relationships with all public authorities in the region, HS2, and DfT as well as being commercially focussed and responsive to private sector requirements. It would need revenue financing for day to day activities as well as access to capital for investing in potential opportunities either as a last resort (for example where the private sector was unable or unwilling) or where timely investment would increase the return to the public purse. Whilst a national organisation answerable to Central Government through the DfT, RegenCo’s local activities would be as a partner to existing organisations. As such (and arrangements will vary across cities), it may well be appropriate that a local Programme Board is established to include and co-ordinate all relevant bodies, with RegenCo working towards the priorities set by this Board as well as by DfT.

Given the number of station locations and the pressure on resources, any intervention will need to be carefully targeted at areas where the maximum impact can be achieved and where the market cannot provide this. Whilst it will be able to take a longer term view than private developers, RegenCo will still be run on a commercial basis, and investment will need to show an appropriate return. Given: a) the central urban location of Sheffield Victoria, b) the availability of derelict/under-utilised land, c) the underlying strong economic drivers and associated recent regeneration successes in the city, and d) the potential to build upon the successes of Sheffield City Council and previous regeneration bodies,

Sheffield Victoria would be likely to represent one of the higher priority locations for any activity by an HS2 Regeneration body.

Activity

As described above, considerable regeneration activity has occurred and is currently underway in Sheffield, including in and around the Wicker area, and the current draft planning policy sets an appropriate planning context for this to continue. Given the necessity to balance the requirement for a commercial business case with the need to avoid displacing normal market activity, RegenCo would have to examine closely where to get involved. Targeting activity at specific locations, probably in priority order, would be sensible, and be based on an assessment of existing constraints and opportunities.

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Establishing the ‘vision’ – which would take planning policy to the next stage and marry it with commercial factors – would be the next step. A site assembly strategy – whether through land pooling, private treaty purchase or CPO – would be required in order that an appropriate package could be put to the development market, with the public sector having de-risked the opportunity as far as it can, with the private sector taking on the development risk that it is best able to handle.

Establishing an appropriate arrangement with development partners, ensuring a fair value split mechanism whilst designing a relationship intended to endure for the medium term, is critical and the ability to defer receipts or convert land value into equity assists in this. Only with this route to delivery established is it worth undertaking more detailed masterplanning, since any earlier work by the public sector alone is likely to be nugatory. Whilst the private development partner thereafter moves more into the fore, there is an important requirement for continuing liaison across the range of public sector bodies through masterplanning, consultation, application and into construction.

Choosing discrete areas for this process, with RegenCo acting as occasional ‘honest broker’ between public and private sectors (and across public sector interests), as well as providing a central focus for regeneration within the various partnerships and undertaking limited specific capital investment (site purchase and/or key enabling infrastructure) as well as research/promotion/lobbying etc, would represent a sensible approach towards delivering the undoubted significant regeneration opportunities associated with an HS2 station at Victoria.

Phasing

Existing regeneration activity should, of course, continue in the area, encouraging quality infill developments in sites as they become available to increase density, activity and thus lettability, particularly in those areas currently performing beneath potential, such as Victoria Quays.

Beyond this, our initial view is that Wicker/Riverside represents the most sensible place to commence any area-based approach, since it is bounded by recent regeneration activity, but contains numerous sites where redevelopment could occur. Ensuring continuity of operation for those existing businesses that may stay or appropriate relocation in order to maintain existing employment would be important, as would be the preservation of the existing historic street pattern and other heritage aspects. Development of this area (ideally occurring closely following the redevelopment of Castle Market and West Bar) would extend regeneration from the city centre out to the Sheffield Victoria Station site, providing a strong setting for a new HS2 station and, subject to market take-up, potentially be largely delivered prior to HS2 Phase 2 opening.

The station area itself would be the next priority, addressing the immediate environs of the new station, including the variety of railway arches and other nearby sites and buildings. Given, however, that this area would be heavily affected by HS2 construction, it would be difficult to deliver regeneration prior to HS2 Phase 2 opening. Instead, the focus would be on influencing HS2 design and construction to ensure that regeneration requirements dovetailed with the needs of transportation and buildability. The potential re-use of some/all the Royal Victoria Hotel for station accommodation rather than demolition and replacement by a low rise, modern building would be one such example. The brick arches under Sheffield Victoria Station will be repaired and strengthened as part of the works and, as described above, would provide the opportunity to offer improved accommodation for retail, leisure and business uses alternative to the current sub-optimal uses.

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The area to the north of the station offers the greatest potential for locating HS2 work sites. Whilst this allocation would prevent redevelopment in the short term, it would ensure more viable areas are not blighted. Moreover, the opportunity would then exist for HS2 to clear (and potentially remediate) land for construction compounds and provide flood prevention works, thus assisting in the bringing forward of sites once released from construction use. In the short to medium term, and subject to relocation of the multi-storey car parks, fuller redevelopment of this area could occur, including waterside development adjacent to both the River Don and the Sheffield and Tinsley Canal. This area is near the Riverside Business District, so any development at this location should be sympathetic to Sheffield City Council’s proposals for the area. Leisure and retail, office, or residential uses may be appropriate.

In the medium term, there may be potential for development in the area west of the River Don, between Derek Dooley Way, Wicker and Savile Street. Development at this location would benefit from a western entrance to the HS2 station. It could also form part of the transformation of the River Don proposed as part of the Riverside Business District development.

A Development Infrastructure Funding study should be carried out to identify a programme of necessary or desirable connectivity and development infrastructure investments, with associated costs, potential funding sources and preferred delivery mechanisms – those which are best delivered by the public sector as enabling infrastructure, mainly in advance of any development partnership, and those which are best delivered by the development partner as part of the property developments.

This development infrastructure may include, among other things, connectivity enhancements, local roads, public spaces, utility infrastructure, education facilities, healthcare and community centres, sports facilities, employment and skills training facilities. Consideration should be given to potential interim land-uses as part of an interim land-use strategy for the wider area.

Significant additional public sector funding may be required for these complementary investments, as enabling works that may be required to create the development opportunity and market confidence, well before the appointment of a development partner. Potential funding sources may include developer contributions (through CIL or other tariff), TIF, local authority prudential borrowing, central government grant funding, EU funding (eg: European Regional Development Funds, JESSICA funds), local authority bonds or PFI. Given the potential opportunity for pooling of significant public and private sector land holdings at Victoria, a local asset-based vehicle may be recommended.

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5. Summary of Recommendations

The section below sets out the main LCR recommendations in respect of the current design of the new HS2 station.

Station, Access & Interchange Design a) As already noted, the principal issue affecting the design of the station is the fact that the station and its facilities will span vertically over different levels. Careful consideration should therefore be given to vertical permeability between street, concourse and platform levels. The different levels may present design and commercial opportunities, such as the potential use of the space beneath the Royal Victoria Hotel and the arches beneath the station and Victoria Station Road. b) Consideration should be given to retaining the Royal Victoria Hotel, and the potential to incorporate all or part of the ground floor of the hotel into the concourse of the new station should be explored. A more linear station structure and forecourt may be appropriate if the hotel is retained. Consideration should be given to the forecourt area in front of the hotel, as well as to improving the access via Victoria Station Road. c) Additional entrances at the western end (onto Wicker) and at the eastern end of the station would provide opportunities to strengthen the relationship of the new HS2 station with developments in the Riverside Business District and Victoria Quays. It may be possible to use one of the arches at the eastern end of the station to provide an additional entrance at ground level. Additional entrances may require duplication of facilities such as ticket barriers, escalators and lifts. d) Access to the station should be reviewed, including any improvements that could be made to the pedestrian route along Victoria Station Road. Provision of a new access across Derek Dooley Way to link the station and Victoria Quays should also be considered. e) The location of the drop-off/pick-up point and the car and taxi route should be reviewed. It may be appropriate to relocate these to tie in with a possible eastern entrance. It may be possible to create a drop-off/pick-up area on the north side of the station, connecting the station to any waterside development north of the station. f) Consideration should be given to the number of car parking spaces required. As this is a city centre location fewer spaces may be required than at Meadowhall. It may be possible to reconfigure the multi-storey car parks or relocate them from their proposed locations north of the station to allow potential waterside development sites to be safeguarded. g) The current station design appears to make no provision for international services. If there is a case for providing international services in the future, passive provision should be incorporated in the design so that this can be retrofitted.

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h) Once repaired and strengthened as part of the HS2 construction works, there may be potential to use the arches beneath the station and beneath Victoria Station Road for retail and leisure, or for workspace or business start-up. j) Consideration should be given to a tram link or shuttle between the new HS2 Sheffield Victoria Station and the existing Sheffield Midland Station to provide a fast, reliable and good quality link between HS2 services and national and regional rail connections. This would be part of a wider, comprehensive, feasibility study to evaluate all link options and interchange facilities. k) The pedestrian route between the new HS2 Sheffield Victoria Station and the Heart of the City Quarter should be reviewed to provide an appropriate and secure walking route with suitable wayfinding and permeability. In particular, consideration should be given to providing a suitable pedestrian route across Derek Dooley Way. At the same time, improvements to the public realm as a whole should be considered to aid development and delivery.

Property l) The new HS2 station has the potential to be a landmark station and transport hub that will be the catalyst for regeneration in Sheffield and the region, linking Wicker/Riverside and wider Riverside Business District, Castlegate, Victoria Quays and the Steel Route. Most of the HS2 construction sites will be in close proximity to the station and the trace, allowing development and regeneration in the Riverside Business District to be brought forward in advance of HS2. m) Land immediately to the north of the new HS2 Sheffield Victoria Station, fronting the River Don and the Sheffield and Tinsley Canal, is likely to be used for construction. Consideration should be given to safeguarding this area for development and regeneration post construction of the new HS2 station. n) There may be an opportunity for mitigation of HS2 property compensation costs by acquiring some of the key landholdings early. We would encourage entering into an early dialogue with landowners and stakeholders.

Development & Delivery o) HS2 has the potential to be the catalyst for development adjacent to the new station. HS2 should work closely with SCC and other stakeholders to develop a wider development framework for the new station and the surrounding lands to provide clarity on HS2 requirements both during construction and permanently. p) A Development Infrastructure Funding study should be carried out to identify a programme of necessary or desirable connectivity and development infrastructure investments, with associated costs, potential funding sources and preferred delivery mechanisms – those which are best delivered

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by the public sector as enabling infrastructure, mainly in advance of any development partnership, and those which are best delivered by the development partner as part of the property developments. q) If an HS2 specific regeneration company (‘RegenCo’) is established, it should consider the potential for involvement in regeneration at the new HS2 Sheffield Victoria Station should this station site be selected. r) RegenCo should seek to influence HS2 design and construction to ensure regeneration requirements dovetail with HS2 requirements.

Economic Benefits s) A programme should be jointly establish for the funding and phased delivery of all the transport and land-use developments, in a manner that assures maximum economic growth. t) This should also provide for interim land-uses and activities with the aim of maintaining the best possible social and economic fabric of the Sheffield Victoria Station area and wider Sheffield city centre area prior to construction. A broad programme of social and economic initiatives should be established to ensure early benefits are realised from the HS2 proposals. u) It should also include an appropriate skills and training programme, designed to support the longer term economic growth in the region, and to ensure that maximum social benefits are realised by providing local people with a range of skills that will be required to accommodate the economic growth. Opportunities should be explored for collaboration with local industries, especially major employers or industry clusters.

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6. Conclusions

LCR has not reviewed the overall case for and against an HS2 station at Victoria, as opposed to the currently proposed location at Meadowhall. It is understood that there are considerable additional costs associated with a city centre route as well as journey time penalties, and analysis of these – or comparison against potential additional benefits achieved – has been studied in a number of previous reports, and is not the subject of this review.

It is, however, LCRs firm view that the regeneration opportunities at Sheffield Victoria are highly significant, due to a number of locational factors – all generally deriving from the fact that the proposed site is very close to both an established major city centre with recent regeneration successes, as well as to areas of notable deprivation and existing dereliction. The ability of this location to respond to, and accommodate the anticipated growth derived as a result of HS2 is very strong, given the availability of sites, existing and possible connectivity and the potential to create high quality spaces and places.

The latent opportunity for economic success is, thus, high – more so, in LCR’s view, than a number of other HS2 station sites across Phase 1 and 2. Indeed, were a ‘RegenCo’ to be established and Sheffield Victoria to be chosen as a station site, it is very likely that it would represent a high priority for intervention, on the basis that significant benefits could accrue from investment.

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Appendix 1: Sheffield Local Plan: Pre-Submission Proposals Map

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Appendix 2: Sheffield City Council Land Ownership Plan

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