Sheffield students get hands-on with city regeneration
The future of Sheffield is in the hands of its young people. This month, a group of aspiring property professionals had the chance to influence how their city evolves, thanks to a collaboration between Regeneration Brainery – the award-winning academy that mentors and inspires young people aged 16 and over – brand agency Peter and Paul, and planning consultants Made It Together, for a week-long training programme: Sheffield Brainery Week.
Here, Michele Steel, Chief Executive at Regeneration Brainery, tells us more.
Students in Sheffield had the unique opportunity to explore some of the city’s most iconic regeneration projects this week, learning from industry leaders while developing their own creative ideas for Sheffield’s future.
As part of the week-long training programme, we teamed up with a range of industry experts including Urban Splash, to inspire and engage the city’s young people with real-world property and regeneration experiences.
The hands-on programme gave students insight into the planning and regeneration process, with sessions hosted in inspiring locations such as Cole Brothers – the Grade II-listed former department store in the city centre. Urban Splash is transforming the building into a vibrant mixed-use destination, featuring cafés, restaurants, shops, leisure facilities, cultural spaces, and flexible workspaces, all contributing to the wider Heart of the City regeneration.
The students had the chance to participate in a mock public consultation, presenting their own ideas and visions for the building’s future use. They came up with some fantastic suggestions, including gyms, arcades, and the use of bold colours in architecture to create ‘futuristic features’. It was particularly encouraging to see them advocate for sustainable materials and explore ways to preserve Coles’ historic fabric. Their ‘Meet me at Coles’ concept – which they described as being ‘symbolic of Sheffield’s socialising’ – beautifully captured the emotional attachment the city holds for the building.
The students also gave their feedback on the Urban Splash plans at Coles, saying that there’s lots planned that will ‘engage the community’, with ‘things for all ages’, as well as visiting Park Hill, one of the UK’s most celebrated regeneration projects. Urban Splash has breathed new life into this Grade II-listed estate, transforming it into a new community of more than 800 homes, workspaces, and green spaces, while preserving its iconic brutalist architecture.
Inspiring the next generation of city shapers
The week was absolutely brilliant and I want to say a huge thank you to all the organisations involved in this delivering our life-changing programme. The best way to inspire young people to consider careers in property and regeneration is by immersing them in real projects, surrounded by the professionals actively shaping their cities and showing them a clear path to economic opportunity that would otherwise remain hidden.
Sheffield is undergoing an exciting transformation, and Brainery Week in the city gave its young residents a front-row seat – showing them how they can play a part in shaping its future.
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