‘An Urban Example: The fall and rise of Sheffield's Lower Don Valley’ Ian D. Rotherham Sheffield Hallam University, UK © Ian D. Rotherham 2015
Ebenezer Elliot, 1836 ‘Don, like a weltering worm, lies blue below, And Wincobank, before me, rising green, Calls from the South the silvery Rother slow, And smile on moors beyond, and meads between, Unrivall’d landscape’
In 1546, the ancient chapel at Attercliffe was still in use and the curate of Rotherham, the major town and main ecclesiastical centre, would come to his flock when it was too wet for them to come to him ‘…….. to mynistre to the seke people, as when the waters of the Rothere and Downe [DON] are so urgent that the curate of Rotherham cannot to them repayre, nor the inhabitants unto hym nether on horseback or bote……’ (Hunter, 1819).
Positive Planning Interventions & Transformation Environmental improvement & greening Strategic infrastructural transformation Sport mega-events Leisure retail Entertainment Image & Perception transformation
Welcome to Sheffield, South Yorkshire and the River Don Sheffield is a remarkable city It grew in under 200 years, from around 10,000 people to over 300,000. A capital of world industry it covers around 300 square kilometres of varied landform – centred around a series of river valleys and hills. Over 80 ancient woods, extensive heather moorland and bog, urban relict grasslands, and remarkable post-industrial sites.
A City of Rivers and Valleys running from the high western ground down to the lowlands Like the spokes of a wheel and converging on the city centre Forms a network of natural green corridors and allows the persistence of semi-natural wildlife areas into the heart of the City
Sheffield and South Yorkshire - the English north midlands - POWERHOUSE OF THE GLOBAL INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION. © Ian D. Rotherham 2010
© Ian D. Rotherham 2011
Lower Don Valley Peak National Park Sheffield City Centre © Ian D. Rotherham 2010
The greater city region © Ian D. Rotherham 2011
The Consequences of Success Economic Social Environmental © Ian D. Rotherham 2010
A DIRTY CITY in a GOLDEN FRAME © Ian D. Rotherham 2010
© Ian D. Rotherham 2010
© Ian D. Rotherham 2010
© Ian D. Rotherham 2010
© Ian D. Rotherham 2010
The Legacy 250 years of heavy industry Widespread legacy of depopulated and derelict urban industrial lands © Ian D. Rotherham 2011
© Ian D. Rotherham 2010
Heavy Metals etc © Ian D. Rotherham 2010
In the 1970s and 1980s …… It was the river that provided the focus for the first community action to clean and green the valley and to reclaim the watercourse for access and recreation.
Housing abandoned and demolished Huge tracts of dirty, derelict and despoiled land and water Some contamination was so bad that site access - where people formerly lived and worked – now restricted to decontamination workers + protective bodysuits. Serious economic decline + unemployment 20-30% Poor self-image Cleaner air – eventually After catastrophic smogs of industrial and domestic coal burning killed thousands of people in the 1950s and legislation was enacted to control emissions © Ian D. Rotherham 2011
© Ian D. Rotherham 2010
© Ian D. Rotherham 2010
FILMS: The Full Monty (1997) Brassed Off (1996) © Ian D. Rotherham 2011
A Post-industrial Renaissance © Ian D. Rotherham 2010
© Ian D. Rotherham 2010
New buildings …….. © Ian D. Rotherham 2010
© Ian D. Rotherham 2010
© Ian D. Rotherham 2010
© Ian D. Rotherham 2010
© Ian D. Rotherham 2010
© Ian D. Rotherham 2010
Key Drivers: Social Triggers Environmental Triggers Economic Catalysts © Ian D. Rotherham 2011
These included: Greening the industrial heartlands such as the Lower Don Valley Development private sector led retail experiences particularly at Meadowhall Shopping Centre Hosting the World Student Games in 1991 The establishment of the short-lived Sheffield Development Corporation (in 1988) with government money to grant-aid projects and with fast-track planning powers © Ian D. Rotherham 2011
And……. Establishing Countryside Management Areas (1984) to support environmental improvements and community projects Establishing the South Yorkshire Community Forest (in 1991) with government grant aid to support community and environmental renewal Accessing government Derelict Land Grants to clean up and green the dereliction © Ian D. Rotherham 2011
Economic Triggers: Branding Sheffield as the UK CITY OF SPORT and hosting major events and also long-term coaching and training centres for elite athletes Promoting major cultural events such as concerts and festivals in the facilities provided by the WORLD STUDENT GAMES 1991 © Ian D. Rotherham 2011
Transformation Completed? Restoration and reclamation of derelict lands – turning liabilities into assets New housing and changed socio-economic profiles – long-term regional transitions New environmental initiatives New investment and growth of emerging economic sectors © Ian D. Rotherham 2011
People and Communities Transformed © Ian D. Rotherham 2010
Key Economic Growth Hubs: EDUCATION - with two major universities and 50,000 students – many tourists from overseas TOURISM - educational tourism, cultural and sports tourism, countryside tourism and recreation, National Park visiting, heritage tourism, nature reserves SPORTS – events, tourism, training & education, community-engagement, business RETAIL LEISURE – Meadowhall etc © Ian D. Rotherham 2011
Examples of Key Growth-poles for New Economic Drivers: PEAK NATIONAL PARK – 25 million visitors per year MEADOWHALL SHOPPING CENTRE – biggest shopping mall in Europe SHEFFIELD ARENA – major sporting, entertainment and events venue DON VALLEY STADIUM – major sporting, training, entertainment and events venue MAGNA – museum, venue and exhibition centre in former steel works © Ian D. Rotherham 2011
FUTURE CHALLENGES ‘Ecosystem services’ ‘Green infrastructure’ © Ian D. Rotherham 2011
© Ian D. Rotherham 2010
Assessment and Evaluation SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT’ (SD) ‘TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE’ (TBL) – economy, environment and society © Ian D. Rotherham 2011
To Trigger the Benefits – need to engage local people Sheffield ‘Fright Night’ © Ian D. Rotherham 2010
FROM THIS © Ian D. Rotherham 2010
TO THIS © Ian D. Rotherham 2010
CHALLENGES Need to invest - CAPITAL Need to create ‘opportunities to spend’ - REVENUE PARTNERSHIPS to achieve this © Ian D. Rotherham 2011
And finally, what of the River?
Urban Figs, Knotweed and Otters A recombinant ecology