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‘All the way from China’ is the fifth story in the ‘Orchard to Orchard’ series I created in collaboration in 2024, with photographer James Sebright. The series imagines lives interacting with one site in urban Sheffield over a 300-year period, combining creative writing, photography, photomontage and archival research.

XIANG: Hi, excuse me, I’m trying to find the consultation for the new development.

BARRY: Hello, love. Yep, I know where it is, it’s in the Crow, the pub just along here. I’m going that way, I’ll walk with you. Course it used to be called the Crown, I reckon the N fell off and they decided to rename it, instead of getting a new N. It’s just been done up, and I’ve not been in since it re-opened.

XIANG: Yes. Thank you.

BARRY: So you’re going to look at the plans for the new block, are you?

XIANG: Yes. Are you?

BARRY: Well, I were gonna go later but seeing as I need to show you where it is I might as well come along now.

XIANG: OK, thank you. Do you live near here?

BARRY: Well, not far away, over on Upperthorpe, but I’m interested in what’s going on here because I used to work in maintenance on the HSE building just up there, and my brother used to work in the HSBC office that used to be on this site before it was demolished. It was, um…Well my brother’s moved away now, he lives in Wolverhampton, but when I told him there were plans in for site he asked me if I’d pop in and have a look ‘cos obviously he’s still interested and that.

XIANG: I see, yes.

BARRY: And what about you? Chinese, aren’t you?

XIANG: Yes, from Beijing.

BARRY: Oh, right? Student, are you?

XIANG: Yes.

BARRY: What you studying?

XIANG: Architecture.

BARRY: Oh, right, well this probably will interest you then, won’t it. Lots of new building going on round here. Course there’s lots of Chinese round here, i’nt there? Reckon there’s more of your lot than anyone else!

XIANG: Maybe. There are seven Chinese students in my year on my course.

BARRY: Aye. And do you live round here too, like?

XIANG: No, I live in Crookesmoor.

BARRY: Oh, so near the University, then. Is it good?

XIANG: It’s…convenient. The…

BARRY: Oh, we’re here now look, it’s in here. In that side, I can see the display boards. In we go…Eh up, Derek? What you doing here?

DEREK: Barry! Good to see you! Well, I’m a planning consultant, y’know, working for developers and landowners when they’re bringing sites forward for planning. Been here a couple of years now. I like coming out to do consultations like this – gets me out of the office.

BARRY: Oh right. How’s your dad?

DEREK: Yeah, he’s OK, he’s had his knees replaced and he’s still recovering. Got a bit of a cough, an’ all. He managed to quit smoking but…you know?

BARRY: So Derek, this is my new Chinese friend. What’s your name, love?

XIANG: Shyang.

BARRY: Shyang. That’s a lovely name, innit?

XIANG: Thank you.

BARRY: So Shyang’s come all the way from China to look at your plans here, Derek.

DEREK: Wow! Hello…Well, thanks for coming, err, Shyang. Pleased to meet you. Let me tell you all about the exciting development we’re proposing here. 260 apartments and 660 student bedrooms. It’s all fully serviced, all the latest in facilities on-site. And a couple of retail units for maybe a café and a convenience shop. Look at this plan here: we’ve got the car parking over here, and the apartments on this side have a lovely view, and… Oh, and let me tell you about the old furnace which has been on the site since the 1800s, it’s a Scheduled Ancient Monument, and we’re restoring it and making it the centrepiece of this public open space here.

BARRY: Oh yeah, the furnace. It’s in a right state now, like. Right, what’s it gonna be, like?

DEREK: Just a monument, really.

XIANG: I like the furnace. I went to a place called Faraday Lighthouse in London, in the Docklands area. It reminds me of that, as a focal point for a new development. There it is small businesses though, not apartments.

DEREK: Right, yes. Well, it needs restoring and it’s something we’re doing as a developer contribution to enhancing the area. Doing our bit, you know?

XIANG: What was the furnace used for?

DEREK: Oh, err, it was part of the steel industry. You know Sheffield had a massive steel industry, and now a lot of it’s shut down…

BARRY: Aye, that’s ‘cos most of the steel industry’s in bloomin’ China now, innit?

XIANG: My grandparents in Beijing have Sheffield cutlery in their house. Many older people do.

BARRY: Really? There you go then, we used to lead the world!

DEREK: Well, the furnace shut down in the 1950s. Anyway, Shy…err…Is there anything else I can tell you about the development? Are you thinking of coming to rent a place here?

XIANG: Oh no, I’m a student in architecture at the University, and I am researching for a project on sustainable urban construction. And I would like to ask about your sustainability features in the development. Will there be solar power? And will it connect to the district heating network?

DEREK: Err, well, the development will be built to the current government standards. But I’m not the technical expert – I can give you an email address for the technical team. I’m like an intermediary between the developer and the Council, working to secure the planning approval.

XIANG: And what about modern methods of construction? Off-site manufacture? In China this is happening a lot now.

DEREK: Again, not exactly my area, but I can tell you that there’s been a focus on specification and detailing for fire resistance, and the brick slips are what everyone is using now for buildings above three storeys. Since Grenfell, you know. There’s a guy called Johnny I can put you in touch with if you want to know more.

XIANG: It does seem strange that you’re building all these buildings now that will still need to be heated and cooled with electricity instead of making them zero-energy.

DEREK: Mmm, but that adds a lot of cost on, and you know, we’ve got the furnace restoration to pay for too.

XIANG: And do you think it’s more important to restore the furnace than to think about the future of the apartments?

BARRY: Ha! Future, eh? I’ll be dead by then. Well, I’m gonna get off Derek. Nice to see you, nice to meet you Shy,,,,,Shyang.

XIANG: Bye. Thank you, Derek, I will say good bye too.