Protest at decision to go ahead with closure of Sheffield College Peaks Campus

Concerns over the closure of a Sheffield College campus were raised by city councillors worried about the impact on the area and the future of courses for students with special educational needs.

Sheffield College confirmed the closure of its Peaks Campus in Crystal Peaks last week, following a consultation process, and said students won't be welcomed back to the campus in September.

The decision has been met by protests from students and people living in the area, as well as ward councillors in Beighton and Mosborough.

Sheffield South East MP Clive Betts urged the college to rethink the closure when it was first announced and urged the council and college to have a meeting to discuss the issues and the future of the building.

Beighton LibDem councillor Kurtis Crossland raised the issue at a meeting of Sheffield City Council’s economic development and skills policy committee yesterday (June 15).

Coun Crossland said: “People in my ward are really worried about education and the long-term economic impact of the closure of Sheffield College’s Peaks Campus. It’s the only post-16 education facility in the area and it already sends out wrong messages.

“Consultation is non-existent – it’s already been decided that they would be closing it when they opened the consultation.”

He asked if there had been any work done to assess what the economic impact of the decision would be and how it might affect the career prospects of people in the south-east of the city.

Coun Brian Holmshaw (Green Party) said: “The closure will affect certain specialist functions within that college for the whole of Sheffield College – for instance, it is by far the best centre for special educational needs within Sheffield. The other sites are incredibly noisy and not very suitable for the various needs within that.

“How are Sheffield College going to deal with that?”

Coun Minesh Parekh (Labour) also voiced concerns about the decision, as well as the future of the building and what uses it could be put to.

Councillors agreed that committee chair Coun Martin Smith and education, children and families policy committee chair Coun Dawn Dale should write a joint letter to the college, voicing their concerns.

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