A historic cutlery works in Sheffield city centre is set to be restored with regeneration company CAPITAL&CENTRIC submitting plans for a refurbishment of the iconic Eyewitness Works and Ceylon Works buildings.
The two Grade II-listed buildings will be restored to provide 97 loft apartments and townhouses along with a 900 sq.ft. café-bar.
The £21m project will also see private courtyards and a cobbled street for residents, draped with festoon lighting and lined with trees and foliage, creating a neighbourhood-type feel for an area of the city centre which has become run down in recent years.
A ground floor cafe and bar on Thomas Street will also be installed. Tim Heatley, co-founder of CAPITAL&CENTRIC, said: “There’s no denying, Eyewitness Works is a stunning structure with a rich social heritage, but it needs a fair dose of TLC. We’ve a lot to work with. The bones of the building and original features mean it’ll be a beautiful place to live once we’re done with it.
“People are drawn to these dominant, industrial buildings. If something imaginative can be tabled, they make really vibrant neighbourhoods that then sparks further development around them. That’s what we see happening here.
“This is just the beginning of what we want to do. We’ve got a bold vision for the area which will have its own identity. In a couple of years’ time it could be Sheffield’s ‘Cutler’s Village’, known for its stunning historic buildings, amazing places to live and cool places to hang out.”
If planning permission is granted, Eyewitness Works could be ready by the end of 2020.
