How The Star newspaper's former offices in Sheffield are becoming flats for hundreds of students

At the building where the presses once thundered into life to print The Star every day in Sheffield, work is well under way to create flats for scores of students in a multi-million-pound development.
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The journalists who produce the paper and website haven't gone very far, it must be quickly pointed out - the newsroom moved at the end of 2017 to smart serviced offices at a complex called The Balance just yards away.

But The Star's old base on York Street, which was sold for £3.6 million, is a piece of Sheffield history.

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This partly explains why those behind the scheme have named it Star Residence, but there are other reasons too - life there will be a little more luxurious from now on, for this will be no functional workplace.

Star Residence - new student accommodation at the old offices of The Star on York Street. Picture: Scott MerryleesStar Residence - new student accommodation at the old offices of The Star on York Street. Picture: Scott Merrylees
Star Residence - new student accommodation at the old offices of The Star on York Street. Picture: Scott Merrylees

Cinema and games rooms are being created, there will be an on-site gym, students can cook their meals in well-appointed kitchens, and the very central location is a major advantage.

"A lot of people like the city centre," says Alicia Cavell, of Severns Rental Agency which is marketing the flats and will manage the property. "For this development, especially, a lot of the enquiries we've had so far have been about it being right off the high street - you're next to the cathedral. That's great."

The building served as the home of The Star and the Sheffield Telegraph for decades and the first Sheffield Daily Telegraph was published on the site in 1855. Printing has happened at a modern plant in Dinnington since 2006.

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In 2018 developer Mabec Property was granted planning permission to create accommodation for more than 250 students at York Street, comprising of 25 studios on the ground floor, 60 on each of the first and second floors and 55 on the third. Consent for an extra studio at fourth floor level was given by the council in 2019.

Star Residence - new student accommodation at the old offices of The Star on York Street. Picture: Scott MerryleesStar Residence - new student accommodation at the old offices of The Star on York Street. Picture: Scott Merrylees
Star Residence - new student accommodation at the old offices of The Star on York Street. Picture: Scott Merrylees

The company, which previously worked on the Heritage Park apartments at the old Sheffield Royal Infirmary, was lent £33 million by OakNorth Bank to bring forward projects including Star Residence.

Efforts to convert the newspaper offices began two years ago, but construction was paused when builders were sent to a Mabec development in Nottingham instead.

"A lot of property developments fall behind their deadlines and end up having to put people up in hotels," says Alicia. "We didn't want to do that."

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Now progress is being made in earnest, with a deadline of early July ahead of the opening date in September. Gold-coloured cladding has been added outside, sprucing up the appearance considerably.

Star Residence - new student accommodation at the old offices of The Star on York Street. Picture: Scott MerryleesStar Residence - new student accommodation at the old offices of The Star on York Street. Picture: Scott Merrylees
Star Residence - new student accommodation at the old offices of The Star on York Street. Picture: Scott Merrylees

"Most of the rooms upstairs are all done, we're just doing the lower floors at the minute," Alicia says.

Accommodation is being offered as studios - with a small cooking area - or cluster flats with shared facilities. Every room has an en-suite bathroom.

"I think it's quite generous," says Alicia, opening the door to a show flat that represents a completed 'silver studio'. "There's a lot of storage - under bed storage, wardrobes and everything. Compared to what I had when I was at uni, this is a lot better."

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Students, particularly those coming to the UK from overseas, have high expectations these days.

"They want something with facilities, and with security there 24 hours a day," Alicia says. "They would rather look at loads of different places and compare, as well."

The Star's open-plan offices have been painstakingly subdivided, which posed a challenge for architects initially.

"They'd been planning that for a while before we actually started taking everything out of the building. To get the number of rooms, and the fire safety and all of that, was quite a bit of a task," Alicia says.

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Star Residence's reception desk for students, decorated with nice geometric wallpaper and parquet flooring, will open soon close to where the newspaper's front counter used to be.

"They'll come down and get their post, or if they get locked out there'll be someone here to help them... general things like that really," says Alicia.

The large sign on York Street bearing The Star's masthead will be removed, but there will be some reminders of the building's past, Alicia adds. "We really want to have some photos around, because I think it's just nice to have a bit of history."

A number of tenancies have been signed already - prices range from £135 to £175 per week. Terms of 51 or 44 weeks are available.

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"The central location is definitely bringing quite a few people in, especially because it's new as well," Alicia says.

Students, it transpires, are particularly tempted when it dawns on them that they will be the first to sleep on a fresh mattress.

"You'd be surprised, it's a big selling point," says Alicia.

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