Former working men’s club in Sheffield could still be demolished for new retirement homes

The applicant, Housing 21 & Westshield Ltd, has re-submitted a plan to demolish the existing – and out-of-use – Woodseats Working Men’s Club at The Dale to build a five-storey block with 55 new affordable homes.

The development would be made up of 13 two-bed flats and 42 one-bed flats.

The proposed site layout has been designed “to encourage and maximise social interaction both between the apartments within the site itself and with the surrounding neighbourhood”.

After being refused permission by planners in October for a similar scheme, developers are back with a revised plan

Before that, outline planning permission to build a five-storey block with 20 new flats and six dwelling houses on the site was approved in 2020. Consultants say the revised scheme is improved by moving the proposed building further into the site, further from the neighbouring care home on the south eastern boundary and further away from The Dale.

The working men’s club had been in business for more than 90 years – however, it has been vacant since the end of 2020 as a result of the Covid pandemic.

The proposal has received one objection, to date.

A resident off Woodseats Road said: “This proposal will have a detrimental effect on the wildlife of the area, particularly the birds which, having completed the annual survey has already shown a gradual decline in numbers, something that this will only exacerbate.

“There is currently another application in progress for removal of trees, no less than 200 metres away which will also have the same effect should it be accepted.

“This woodland has gradually been reduced in size.”

Plans show the building would have red brick and ashlar local stone walls, a grey single-ply membrane roof, with grey window and door frames.

A decision on the application labelled 23/04023/FUL in the planning portal will have to be made by March 21.