Plans to turn historic Sheffield building into dementia friendly activity centre and café move one step closer

A final bid was submitted to the National Heritage Lottery Fund to restore the derelict Grade II-listed Old Coach House in Hillsborough Park.

They asked for £581,500 of funding towards the £967,000 project and were already given £49,700 from the charity in December 2018 to develop the plans to this stage.

Steve Chu, chief executive of Age UK Sheffield, said: "We have worked extremely hard over the past year to bring the project to this stage.

"I am confident we have put forward an excellent business plan, a wide range of exciting activities and, most important of all, a fully-costed proposal to save this historic building from collapse.

"Local people have been extremely supportive of the project, and I really hope we can deliver it for ourselves and the entire local community."

The NLHF are due to make a decision by summer and, if successful, building work will start before the end of the year.

Since the last bit of funding, a potting shed was added to the plans and the charity hopes to use this for a range of activities including gardening, woodwork, upcycling and other crafts.

Planning applications for the Old Coach House and the potting shed have been submitted to the council for approval.

Coun Mary Lea, cabinet member for culture, parks and lesiure, said: "I’m really pleased to see Age UK move forward to the final stages of funding and planning for this project, which will not only provide vital café and toilet facilities at one of our city’s most beautiful and popular parks, but will help thousands of people across the city, as well as their carers and friends.

“So many lives are affected by dementia and we know how important it is to find alternative ways to help people, such as through social interaction, artistic expression, practical craft and connection to nature and the outdoors.

"This development addresses all of that, as well as benefiting many local communities and allowing us to protect and bring new life in to one of Sheffield’s beautiful historic buildings.”