Distinctive Sharrow

What is the Distinctive Sharrow project?

This project aspires to develop a strategy for the Sharrow area that will build on the distinctive strengths of the Sharrow area consider the opportunities within and desires of those who live, work and visit the area. As Sharrow Community Forum own none of the land it is important that those who live here or work here recognise and feel part of the vision so that they can become part of instigating it. It is only through representing the ambitions of Sharrow people that what is considered here has any meaning or chance of success. Sharrow Community Forum can then lead this vision and provide access to funding or broker new relationships between stakeholders, local businesses, residents or activists. In short- we need you; your views and your participation.

What has happened so far?

There have been a series of projects looking at physical and social space within Sharrow, which are available in full format from Sharrow Community Forum.

Live Projects

The Live Projects, which ran during October and November 2004 and October and November 2005, were collaborative projects between Sharrow Community Forum and University of Sheffield architecture students.

Visioning for the John Street area was carried out based on research and conversations that the architecture students had with the SCF and those working and living in the area.

The project followed three main strands; Making Connections, Cultural John Street and The Market.

The report concluded that small interventions in this industrial and cultural area could support the distinctive and important aspects of the site and hopefully become self-sustaining. These proposals were presented in Stag Works in November 2005 where the prevailing question was “So, what next?”

Bond Bryan & Hello Sharrow

The Distinctive Sharrow Report’ followed on from this work and focused on the main artery roads within Sharrow. The proposals were split within three headings, ‘Short Term’, ‘Medium Term’ and ‘Long Term’ and involved the potential pedestrianisation of Bramall Lane or London Road and the creation of new public squares.

During the period that this report was being produced the Distinctive Sharrow Steering group met at monthly intervals and a series of conversation points were staged by SCF at sites around Sharrow to gather feedback.

There was recognition of the Sharrow portrayed in the John Street Triangle project; many felt that the market would be a viable and positive addition to this area and the need for reconnecting the east and west side of Sharrow and connecting Sharrow to the city centre was seen as crucial.

The feedback on the Bond Bryan Proposals was polarised; many thought that the radical option of pedsetrianising Bramall Lane was fantastic; others thought it unviable or potentially disastrous for the businesses in the area.

it was acknowledged however, that there was conflict between Sharrow as a route (between the suburbs to the south and the city centre), Sharrow as a leisure destination and Sharrow as a place where people live and work; each of these strands are critical to any proposals for the area.

Mixed Use Streets

The Rediscovering Mixed-Use Streets report was commissioned by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and considered London Road as one of three throughout England. It made a series of conclusions for mixed-use streets in general based on areas it saw as problems or opportunites; these were:

Dominance of traffic in the street scene and traffic accidents.

Conflicts among footway uses and users. “Footways cater for a wide range of pedestrian place activities- 10 have been identified in this study- and sensitively catering for them without formalising space use too much and so jeopardizing the attractiveness that comes from the buzz of diverse, interacting and sensitive street activity… improvements need to be sensitively introduced so that they do not lead to commercial pressures that exclude existing businesses or groups of people that have contributed to the character of the area”.

Exclusion of some of the population group. In this report this aspect was discussed in very basic, purely physical terms such as wheelchair access. We would also hope to consider social exclusion and interconnectivity.

Poor street appearance and cleanliness.

Lack of amenities.

Co-ordination between agencies and street-user stakeholders. This aspect was seen as critical in terms of achieving the above improvements.

5 Big Ideas

The basis for the five big ideas has grown out of current and previous work and conversations. There are many strands to the Distinctive Sharrow project but it is useful to consider them as 5 key ideas.

London Road London Road is the crucial road for Sharrow, as the point where all the communities shop, work and meet. It is therefore critical that the diversity of services is strengthened, the quality of environment is improved, and access for all is promoted. These developments must always aim to retain the unique physical and social character of this road. Views and ideas from the conversations carried out with residents will be supplemented through consultation with the business forum about what is desirable and how it should be achieved.

Micro-communities and interconnectivity. There is great diversity within Sharrow with a number of cultures, business types and communities; yet there are physical and social barriers which separate them. This aspect of the report will look at how cohesion can be fostered through both small and very large scale changes that promote more physical, social and resource overlap between communities.

Green spaces and key features This aspect of the report will consider key spaces and buildings within Sharrow and how cultural symbols can be brought into the public realm. These could include features such as a Chinatown arch, religious buildings, climbing walls, performance spaces, public art or any symbol which makes the distinctive and diverse aspects of Sharrow public. This will also look at the use of community buildings and how they can be utilised to greatest benefit.

Strengthening character and street scene This aspect of the report will consider enhancing the character of Sharrow through first, an analysis of the physical and social character of the area and then secondly, suggestions for both basic improvements to the paving, street furniture and shop fronts and perhaps design guidance for future developments.

Opportunity sites This aspect of the report will highlight key sites that both have physical and/or social importance to Sharrow and very playfully speculate on what they could or should be. This part of the report will be visual, collaged and the work of many people. It should provide a great opportunity for local people to become involved in the project in an aspirational way.

The Report

In order to acheive meaningful change within Sharrow that is not fixed but can alter as populations, needs and desires change, it is important to think both in terms of tactics and strategy.

A strategy will look at how aspects of the area fit together and which of those aspects need co-oporation between different agencies and/ or the influence of developers and the city council. It might provide design guidance for an area or consider highways or road safety.

Tactics will look at how those living and/or working in the area can input into a shared vision through small-scale interventions or through social networks. This might include projects to improve the look of a street or improvements to a green space, the need for signage or potential sites for public art.

This project will run over the long term and it wll be possible to become involved in each “Big Idea” as it develops; it is also possible to contact the Forum directly about the project as a whole.