After school arts club looks to find new home in former Sheffield coach house

The Kids Art Academy submitted an application to the council to turn offices on 8 Stretton Road, Sharrow, into a studio where children aged between four and 14 can do art and other creative learning activities.

The Kids Art Academy previously ran from Hunters Bar Infants and Juniors Schools for around 12 years and for the past four years it has operated from a separate venue on Ecclesall Road.

The business – which would have between two and four members of staff looking after between 16 to 18 children – would primarily offer an after school club from the site but may also provide activities during school holidays.

The proposed opening hours are between 3pm and 6pm during term times and between 8.15am and 6.15pm during holidays.

The site is currently vacant but was occupied by architects and a window installation company who were using it as offices.

There was a total of 84 separate representations made on the plans from members of the public and opinion was divided.

Of the total number of comments on the proposals, 43 were objections and 41 were in support.

A council officer said the majority of objections were from local residents living within walking distance of the site and supporters lived much further away including as far as Leeds, Louth, Nottingham, Rawmarsh and Holmesfield.

Concerns raised by objectors related to parking, road safety, noise and disturbance, air pollution and privacy.

Those in support said it would provide a valuable service for the community and would not result in much negative impact.

The council’s planning and highways committee will get the final say at a meeting on Tuesday, September 7.

Ahead of that, council officers recommended it be refused.

In a report summary of the plans, they said: “The proposal would undoubtedly provide a very useful service, however, in view of the circumstances of the site and the building constraints, officers consider that this would not be the right location for the use being proposed, and the benefits of the use do not outweigh the harm identified. Therefore, it is recommended that planning permission be refused.”