£32m Sheffield city centre office conversion delayed for months for safety checks
In December last year a House of Lords Committee warned of "unacceptable" delays at the regulator
Work on the £32m conversion of a Sheffield office block is set to restart after months of delays over safety.
Builders are set to return to the former Balance office block on Pinfold Street, which is being turned into 173 flats.
Rebranded “The Fold” it is set to have a gym, residents’ lounge, co-working space, podium garden and private dining suite.
In March, Zensudo Apartments said it was waiting for approval from the Building Safety Regulator after submitting plans in October.
Chief executive Nigel Rawlings this month confirmed they were down to one last query and expected to finally receive the green light before the end of September.
The Building Safety Regulator was set up following the Grenfell disaster to monitor safety standards on high-rise buildings.
In December last year a House of Lords Committee warned of "unacceptable" delays at the BSR due to approval processes.
The BSR said there had been major improvements over the last year.
A spokesperson said: “Data which is published monthly clearly shows the major improvements that have been delivered over the last year with approval rates increasing significantly and application times for new submissions having been reduced.
“The approval rate in the latest data sits at 86 per cent compared with 39 per cent in August last year, with overall determination times having reduced by around a third.
“However, assessment times vary depending on the complexity of individual projects and the quality and completeness of the information submitted to support an application.”
The BSR received a building control application for The Balance on November 20,2025, they added.
“This is a complex project involving the conversion of an existing office building into residential accommodation.
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“During the assessment process, BSR has sought further information from the applicant where additional evidence has been required to demonstrate compliance with the building regulations.
“BSR has worked constructively with the developer throughout the process, including extending assessment periods to allow further information to be provided.
“We recognise that projects involving existing buildings can present complex regulatory and technical challenges.
“Our role is to ensure that higher-risk building work meets the standards required by law before approval is granted.”