School plan to restore Sheffield listed building scrapped over “prohibitive” cost
Proposals to renovate a historic building in a Sheffield park as a special school have halted over the “prohibitive” restoration cost.
Meersbrook Park Users Trust (MPUT) expressed deep disappointment at Sheffield City Council’s decision about listed Georgian building Meersbrook Hall.
They want the council to find a new purpose for the building and halt its further deterioration.
Council director of integrated commissioning Joe Horobin told the MPUT in a letter: “As you are aware, an initial feasibility study was undertaken of the hall to ascertain likely costs of renovation and adaptation to accommodate a special school for the city.
“This was really to understand whether there was any possibility it could be suitable rather than any further commitment from the possible provider or the council.
Budget
“As I think you had gathered when I spoke to you at the start of the summer, the costs of the works required were very high and would consume most of the capital budget for the city’s schools and is felt to be prohibitive, even if we were to share costs with the provider.
“We are constantly working to identify possible suitable sites to accommodate education provision that is needed in the city, or to relocate provision that is in buildings that are hard to maintain or less suited to current need.
“It is disappointing therefore that this option isn’t viable but we continue to identify alternative sites to meet need.
"The council has been reviewing its approach to community asset management and the potential for some community buildings to be transferred into community ownership.
“The Community Buildings policy, which is due to be approved by the end of year, will be in line with the council’s commitments set out in the recently approved Communities Strategy and is likely to recommend that community organisations looking to take on a council-owned community building submit a comprehensive business plan that describes how they will be able to manage the building and optimise its use for the community.”
MPUT trustee Andy Kershaw responded: “The fact that the hall is not going to be brought back into productive use is deeply disappointing to us, especially since those of us who visit the park on a daily basis can see the deterioration of this historic and much-loved building which is facing yet another winter without essential repairs and maintenance.
“We are therefore back to square one in trying to identify a suitable use and purpose for this magnificent building. We restate our opposition to private sale or any move which would effectively take the hall out of council ownership on behalf of the people of Sheffield.
Options
“MPUT has merged with the friends of Meersbrook Hall and we’d like to understand whether there is support for a new specific MPUT Meersbrook Hall Working Group to continue working on trying to identify options for the future of the hall in partnership with the council.”
MPUT asks anyone interested in becoming involved or attending a meeting in person or online to email [email protected].
The grade II-listed 18th-century hall was built as a grand family home before the estate was bought by the Sheffield Corporation – now the city council – and turned into Meersbrook Park in 1887.
The hall housed the Ruskin Museum from 1890 to 1953 and then became council’s parks and recreation department offices.
Community organisation Heeley Trust moved into the building in 2016 and planned to work alongside the Friends of Meersbrook Hall to raise the money to restore it.
However, their community facilities scheme never progressed and the building is now closed.