The Sheff

Sheffield’s iconic Park Hill estate begins its next phase of construction

125 homes are on the way

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 28th April 2026

The iconic Sheffield landmark that is Park Hill is set to begin the next phase of its construction, with plans for 125 new homes and plenty more.

The Grade II-listed Brutalist beauty has been slowly being brought back to life by Urban Splash and has once again become a key landmark on the city's skyline.

And now work is kicking off on its fourth phase, which will see 125 new homes delivered along with new green spaces, secure bike storage, and plans for commercial and community use at ground level.

Nicknamed the 'streets in the sky' thanks to its wide, elevated concrete walkways that replicate terraced streets, Park Hill has become known globally for its bold vision for modern urban living.

Park Hill's renovation was shortlisted for both the 2013 and 2024 RIBA Stirling Prize, for the first and second phases of the redevelopment respectively.

For phase four, developers and architects will continue to balance modern living with respect for the building's historic mid-Century character.

Architects Mikhail Riches said: "We are pleased to share that the next phase of the Park Hill Estate regeneration is now under construction.

"Working together with Urban Splash, Places for People, and GMI Construction, Phase 4 will bring 125 new homes along with new green spaces, EV charging, and bike storage and new commercial and community uses at ground floor.

"Following on from our work on Phase 2 – which was nominated for the RIBA Stirling Prize in 2024 – we have had the unique opportunity to take lessons learnt from construction to improve buildability and refine our designs to push our sustainability approaches further.

"This next phase marks another step forward to revitalising the estate and we’re excited to see the vibrant community that it creates."

Park Hill is set for full completion by 2028.

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Featured image: The Sheff

The Sheff

Claire’s shutting down all standalone shops in UK and Ireland

Danny Jones Danny Jones Claire's shutting down permanently

In another hit to the high streets, Claire's Accessories is shutting up shop across the UK and Ireland after entering into administration yet again.

Falling into an unfortunate financial status for the second time in less than a year, Claire's will be shutting down all of their standalone stores across Britain, along with their IE branches.

A total of 154 stores will soon disappear, with more than a thousand people set to be put out of work.

Once a mainstay up and down the country, the accessory shop known for all things jewellery, piercings and more has ceased trading effective immediately.

Announced at the start of the week and the end of the first full month of Q2, it was confirmed that Claire's closed their final locations on Monday, 27 April.

With administrators, Kroll, appointed to wrap up business proceedings, an estimated 1,300 English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh workers have now lost their jobs.

Founded in America way back in 1961, Claire's has enjoyed a presence across the Atlantic for more than three decades.

However, with various other contemporaries and cheaper online options having appeared over the years, they've struggled not just to remain profitable but to compete full stop.

They filed for bankruptcy in the US in August 2025 after having already concluded operations in Spain, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

Credit: Savills

For many, the outcome isn't all that surprising, but it will nevertheless be a sad loss for many who have seen multiple generations visit these venues over the years.

It is also worth noting, on the other hand, that an estimated 350 concession stands within the likes of Asda supermarkets will remain open - at least for now.

More importantly, it's never good to see people being made redundant, and we send all of our love and support to those impacted by the developments.

Do you have any lasting memories of visits to Claire's here in Yorkshire?

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Featured Images — chrisinplymouth (via Flickr)

The Sheff

Cheap flights up for grabs as easyJet’s ‘Big Orange Sale’ is BACK for 2026

Danny Jones Danny Jones

If you're in need of a holiday, there's no better time to book than now with easyJet's 'Big Orange Sale' returning to the UK.

Not only can you get affordable trips from the likes of Leeds Bradford and Doncaster Sheffield, specifically, but there are discounts across the board by the operator.

The Big Orange Sale is becoming an increasingly popular annual occurrence for Brits, with countless holidaymakers, rather fittingly, making the most of the offer.

In fact, you might have already seen the advert yourselves:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgGG1AciY3I

Just as the ad explains, those travelling via easyJet can get up to 20% discount on flights to a load of different destinations across the globe.

Yes, the company are knocking up to a fifth off the price on flights over the course of nearly 10 months' worth of travel from the UK, provided the trip is booked within the right window.

Seeing savings on more than 730,000 seats, the time frame itself is also one of the longest cut-price periods you'll come across this year, not to mention well into 2027.

Better still, it doesn't just stop at flying itself...

Get this, the flight operators and travel agents are offering up to £400 off on package holidays, meaning those old faithful all-inclusives are about to become even more bang for your buck.

Featuring not only countless mainland European favourites on the list, but also the likes of the Canary Islands, Morocco, and numerous popular skiing hotspots, just to name a few.

As reported by our friends over at The Manc, there are loads of cheap seats from the likes of Manchester Airport, Liverpool, Leeds-Bradford and more as part of this year's sale.

Allowing you to book trips departing between 1 May 2026 and 14 March 2027, it's a huge travel window for you to get extra value-for-money deals on your next getaway.

You can find the full list of flights and package holidays on easyJet's Big Orange Sale right HERE.

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Featured Images — Anna Zvereva (via Flickr)

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