Developers Urban Splash have now secured planning approval for the iconic department store site in the heart of the city. According to an online update, plans will see the lower floors transformed into ‘vibrant leisure, entertainment, food, drink and retail space’, while the upper levels become ‘high-quality, flexible workspace’.
The proposal also includes a rooftop terrace, with the existing plant room repurposed as ‘a restaurant or bar with an external terrace’, accessible from ground level via the building’s main lift core.
Urban Splash say they are now talking to businesses looking to secure their future in the space.
The story of Cole Brothers began in 1847 when brothers John and Thomas Cole opened a silk and hosiery shop on Fargate. The business quickly expanded to become one of Sheffield’s most prominent retailers, with its original site at Fargate and Church Street becoming the famous meeting spot known as Coles Corner.
In 1963 the store moved to its modernist building at Barker’s Pool, designed by architects Yorke Rosenberg Mardall. It operated there for decades before being rebranded as John Lewis in 2002.
The department store closed in 2021, leaving the landmark building empty in the city centre.
In 2023, regeneration company Urban Splash was selected to redevelop the site. The building was also granted Grade II listed status, recognising its architectural significance and protecting it from demolition.
For more information on the project, head here.
