Hopes Highcliffe Club in Sheffield will 'remain community asset' prove short lived with housing plan announced
An historic former Sheffield social club that residents hoped would “remain a community asset” could now be bulldozed to make way for houses.
Over 90 years of history came to an end in mid-2024 with the closure and sale of Highcliffe Club, in Highcliffe Drive, Greystones.
Residents waited with baited breath to see if developers would swoop in, but “breathed a sigh of relief” in January 2026 when the club reopened as a ladies-only gym.
But it now seems likely the turn of events was only a stay of execution.
Planning permission has been submitted to knock down Highcliffe Club and build five houses across the plot where the club currently stands and its back garden.
The plans, submitted on behalf of ‘Ruth Property Pension Fund,’ formerly applied to build nine flats initally before the scheme was changed.
Ruth Property Pension Fund lists a Heather Stevenson as director, who is registered to Lincoln but also runs a Sheffield clothing company named One Hundred Stars Trading and the Within Reason gift store on Devonshire Street.
Neighbours in Highcliffe Drive are likely to receive letters about the scheme next week.
The Star reached out to the owner of the Bar-Belles gym currently based in the club, Ben Dalton, for comment.
One resident contacted The Star to say: “This is not good news after all the work of trying to keep this as a community place.”
Highcliffe Club closed in 2024 despite an effort by some members to “save” the club.
However, a majority vote in March that year ultimately saw it shut, sold, and the proceeds split equally between everyone who had been a member for more than seven years.