Planning permission has been granted for a mixed-use cultural community hub called Event Central on Sheffield’s Fargate.
Event Central is a regeneration project commissioned by Sheffield City Council and funded through the Future High Streets Fund, which will see the refurbishment of the existing vacant building at 20-26 on Fargate.
Formally solely used as a ground floor retail space, Event Central will see all five floors and the basement opened up to create a useful community and commercial space – showcasing Sheffield’s diverse talent with events, shows, exhibitions, workshops and talks all under one roof. The mixed-use space will also benefit from co-working spaces, a café/juice bar and a 200-capacity standing music venue.
Cllr Mazher Iqbal, Co-Chair of the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee, said: “The approval of the Event Central planning application is another exciting step in creating this vibrant and cultural space for the people of Sheffield. We know how much talent there is within our city and we are confident Event Central will be the perfect place to showcase it, attracting thousands of visitors each year. This transformation will be a crucial part of our vision for Fargate and the whole city centre – unlocking all the potential Sheffield has to offer.”
Event Central is funded by the Government’s Future High Streets Fund. Sheffield City Council successfully bid for £15.8m in funding in 2021 and the funding requires plans to be delivered by March 2024.
As part of the wider Future High Streets Fund project, pocket parks will be introduced through Fargate, using the design skills and knowledge gained through the Grey to Green scheme.
Sheffield City Council’s bid for the Future High Streets Fund has been supported by the University of Sheffield. These inputs included elements of the written bid as well as 3D modelled visuals of the proposals for Fargate and Event Central, developed by Architectural and Urban Planning students. The University has also coordinated and hosted a series of consultation events for cultural stakeholders.
