Scores of flats and artists' studios to be created in £26.5m new phase of redevelopment at Park Hill flats in Sheffield

Owner Urban Splash wants to redevelop the empty block on Duke Street, in the next stage of one of Britain’s biggest regeneration projects.

It says the scheme would create 95 homes, including 19 affordable, 11 ‘shell units’ for S1 Artspace to fit-out as live/work and heritage flats and a further 29,000 sq ft of ‘shell space’ for S1 Artspace to fit-out as artist studios, workspace and community/ learning use, plus car parking and external landscaping.

For ‘Phase 4’ Urban Splash is set to team up with Places for People again, the same developer as for Phases 1 and 2.

It has applied for a £5.617m grant from the Brownfield Housing Fund administered by the Mayoral Combined Authority. A decision is due in March.

Urban Splash says work could begin in 2023 and complete in late 2024.

The Duke Street block has all the features that made Park Hill famous, including the super-wide landings that had room for milk floats. Still visible are white-painted front door steps left by proud occupiers long gone.

Inside, you can still see 60 years of decorating trends, including polystyrene, wallpaper and artex.

S1 Artspace was based at the Scottish Queen on South Street for three years before moving into former garages in the centre of the complex in 2018.

It is working with Urban Splash and Places for People, plus other partners, to convert part of the Duke Street block into a major new art gallery and artists’ studios called Park Hill Art Space, providing a ‘nationally significant’ arts and cultural centre for Sheffield.

Park Hill is a complex of four buildings which had 998 flats that opened in 1961. The last resident left less than 10 years ago.

It was Grade II listed in 1998 and is the largest listed structure in Europe. Urban Splash bought it from Sheffield City Council in 2004.

It is being redeveloped in phases.

Phase 1, closest to the city centre, features bright orange and yellow panels. It has 260 flats and businesses on the ground and lowers floors, on South Street.

Phase 2 is the adjoining block. It also faces the city centre but has retained the original brick. It will provide a further 195 flats, 170 are sold under offer Urban Splash says.

Phase 3 is a separate block to the rear with room 356 for students, which opened in 2020.

Phase 4 is also separate and faces Duke Street. It was home to the Link pub, one of four in the complex.

The development will finally be complete with a revamp of space in the same block as Phase 2, but near Talbot Street.

In celebrating 60 years of Park Hill in June last year, council leader Terry Fox said: “Park Hill is one of Sheffield’s most iconic and talked about areas, rich in local history, telling the stories of Sheffield’s past while housing the promise of its future.

"Sixty years after being built, the area is once again a thriving, active community but now has the added vibrancy of regular cultural events, a contemporary café overlooking the city, independent businesses, and is the home of S1 Artspace.”

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