Sheffield Development Corporation
Encyclopedia
The Sheffield Development Corporation
(SDC) was created in 1988 to oversee the urban regeneration of the Lower Don Valley
area of Sheffield
, South Yorkshire
, England
.
s, it was the planning authority for the area during its existence. It was wound down in 1997 with development operations ceasing on 1 April 1997 and dissolved on 1 July 1997.
. This was supported by £680 million of private investment. It reclaimed 600 acres (2.4 km2) of land and created over 5 million square feet (460,000 m2) of commercial floor space. It also created 18,000 new jobs. It also regenerated the local landscape with 160,000 trees and shrubs and renovated the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation
.
, which was Europe's largest shopping centre when it was built in 1991. It also brought the Abbey National
share exchange centre to the area along with several call centres. Sheffield City Airport
was also built during this time but is now facing an uncertain future since the end of chartered flights and the construction of Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield
airport. The Victoria Quays
at the end of the Don Valley Navigation also received a large investment. Although largely built in the region the SDC had no involvement with the World Student Games development.
There was also due to be a four lane link road from junction 34 of the M1 at Meadowhall and the city centre. This was abandoned for a more modest improvement of the local roads when the early 1990s recession struck. In the end a total of 9 miles (14.5 km) of road was improved.
, including one of the country's largest cinema complexes, has also been built since 1997. In May 2005 Sheffield City Council announced a £1 billion investment scheme for the Attercliffe
area taking 20 years to complete.
Development Corporation
In England and Wales, Development Corporations are bodies set up by the UK government and charged with the urban development of an area, outside the usual system of Town and Country Planning in the United Kingdom...
(SDC) was created in 1988 to oversee the urban regeneration of the Lower Don Valley
Lower Don Valley
The Lower Don Valley, or historically the East End of Sheffield, is the mainly industrial north-east quarter of Sheffield, England. Based around the River Don it encompasses the areas of Attercliffe, Brightside, Darnall, Tinsley and Wincobank....
area of Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
History
The area had been the major industrial region of Sheffield but had gone into decline since the 1960s. Huge parts of it were derelict and the city as a whole was suffering from large unemployment. The Corporation was established in 1988 and, in common with other development corporationDevelopment Corporation
In England and Wales, Development Corporations are bodies set up by the UK government and charged with the urban development of an area, outside the usual system of Town and Country Planning in the United Kingdom...
s, it was the planning authority for the area during its existence. It was wound down in 1997 with development operations ceasing on 1 April 1997 and dissolved on 1 July 1997.
Key economic indicators
During its existence it invested £101 million of government money and £7.5 million from the European UnionEuropean Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
. This was supported by £680 million of private investment. It reclaimed 600 acres (2.4 km2) of land and created over 5 million square feet (460,000 m2) of commercial floor space. It also created 18,000 new jobs. It also regenerated the local landscape with 160,000 trees and shrubs and renovated the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation
Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation
The Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation is a system of navigable inland waterways in South Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, England....
.
Developments
The most famous development during its time was MeadowhallMeadowhall
Meadowhall is an indoor shopping centre in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. It lies three miles north east of Sheffield city centre and four miles from Rotherham town centre....
, which was Europe's largest shopping centre when it was built in 1991. It also brought the Abbey National
Abbey (bank)
Abbey National plc was a UK-based bank and former building society, which latterly traded under the Abbey brand name. It became a wholly owned subsidiary of Grupo Santander of Spain in 2004, and was rebranded as Santander in January 2010, forming Santander UK along with the savings business of the...
share exchange centre to the area along with several call centres. Sheffield City Airport
Sheffield City Airport
Sheffield City Airport was a small airport located in Sheffield that is now closed. It was located in the Tinsley Park area of the city, near the M1 motorway and Sheffield Parkway, and opened in 1997...
was also built during this time but is now facing an uncertain future since the end of chartered flights and the construction of Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield
Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield
Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield is an international airport located at the former RAF Finningley airbase at Finningley, in the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster within South Yorkshire, England. The airport lies southeast of Doncaster and east of Sheffield.The airport is operated by Peel...
airport. The Victoria Quays
Victoria Quays
Victoria Quays is a large canal basin in Sheffield, England. It was constructed 1816–1819 as the terminus of the Sheffield Canal and includes the former coal yards of the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway...
at the end of the Don Valley Navigation also received a large investment. Although largely built in the region the SDC had no involvement with the World Student Games development.
There was also due to be a four lane link road from junction 34 of the M1 at Meadowhall and the city centre. This was abandoned for a more modest improvement of the local roads when the early 1990s recession struck. In the end a total of 9 miles (14.5 km) of road was improved.
Criticism
In 1989 there was accusations that the chairman was using his authority for personal financial gain. Although he was never found to be doing anything improper or asked to step down, he did have business interests within the region. He was also a non-executive chairman of a company who invested in regeneration projects in Sheffield.After the SDC
The land continued to be developed after the dissolution of the SDC. A further 6,000 jobs were already due to be created and £124 million was pledged to redevelopment of Sheffield by the government over the next 7 years. Since 1997 the lower Don Valley has also seen further investment due to its links. Valley CentertainmentValley Centertainment
Valley Centertainment is a leisure and entertainment complex in the Don Valley in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. It was built on land previously occupied by steel mills near what is now Meadowhall and the Sheffield Arena...
, including one of the country's largest cinema complexes, has also been built since 1997. In May 2005 Sheffield City Council announced a £1 billion investment scheme for the Attercliffe
Attercliffe
Attercliffe is an industrial suburb of northeast Sheffield, England on the south bank of the River Don.-History:The name Attercliffe can be traced back as far as an entry in the Domesday book -Ateclive- meaning at the cliffe, a small escarpment that lay alongside the River Don...
area taking 20 years to complete.