Banner Cross Hall: Bosses admit school plan for historic Sheffield landmark building will harm setting
Bosses admit that plans to convert a historic Georgian landmark building into a school will harm its Sheffield setting.
The former Henry Boot construction headquarters, at Banner Cross Hall on Ecclesall Road, Sheffield, is lined up to become a school for youngsters with special needs.
But a planning application drawn up for the plans to create what would be called Hallamshire School, admits that some harm will be caused to the setting - because there will have to be a big fence built around the building.
However, a document drawn up by Planning Design Practice Ltd, for the Nexus Multi-Academy Trust, which plans to use the site, said the damage would be outweighed by the benefit of having the school.
The document has been sent to Sheffield Council as part of the planning application, which seeks to change the use of the building and erect a fence, for safeguarding reasons.
They said: “Whilst it is appreciated that there is a low degree of harm to the setting of the listed buildings amounting from the proposed fencing, it is viewed that there are clear public benefits which exist which outweigh this.
“In this respect, the proposed change of use would provide much needed special educational needs (SEN) within Sheffield.
“In doing so, the proposals would then also secure the active use of a prominent heritage asset within the area into the future. This breadth of the public benefit is therefore two-fold, whereby it will provide a much-needed community use whilst also securing the maintenance of a Grade II listed heritage asset.”
The document also includes artists’ impressions of the sort of fence that will encircle Banner Cross Hall under the plans, which will be 1.8m high.
It also goes into more details of the project, revealing that the school would have a capacity of around 56 students.
There are to be approximately 35 to 40 staff who would use the existing 31 parking spaces that are at the site.
Pupils would be expected to arrive by minibus or taxi.
The school would cater for children with learning difficulties and special educational needs.
Banner Cross Hall dates back to 1821, and was originally owned by a wealthy family, before it was bought by construction firm Henry Boot in the 1930s, who used it as their base until 2023.