Huge new Sheffield city centre tower block to get go-ahead

The applicants – CJS7 Ltd (trading as Oppidan Life) and SFGE Properties Ltd – submitted their proposal back in July 2022 to demolish the existing building on High Street and build a new 40-storey residential tower with a ground-floor commercial unit in its place.

The co-living residential tower would be made up of 428 co-living units, including one four-bed cluster, 37 five-bed clusters, 37 six-bed clusters, one seven-bed cluster, one 10-bed cluster, and seven studios.

Private units will come with their own kitchen, bathroom, storage, workspace and where possible, a balcony. Shared units on each floor will have a large family room including a kitchen and dining area, TV/gaming room, work and study room, guest toilets, storage and a unit kept for overnight guests.

Residents will also be able to use, at no additional cost, workspaces, cycle stores, private meeting and dining rooms, cinema/presentation rooms, gym, bar and lounges, and roof terraces will be incorporated “wherever possible”.

The developer has also agreed to a contribution of £75,000 to the South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive for new and improved facilities at the Castle Square tram stop.

In 2020, a similar plan was approved. Then, the plan was to create a 39-storey tower with 206 apartments.

The new application for ‘Kings Tower’ has received seven objections from residents, an objection from City ward councillor, Cllr Ruth Mersereau (Green Party) and the Sheffield Conservation Advisory Group.

Objectors have issues with the design, impact on natural daylight, congestion and the increase in people in the area.

Cllr Mersereau said “there is no value of another student block in the city centre, as there is already an oversupply”.

An officer report concluded: “The proposal accords with the aims of the City Centre Strategic Vision, which demonstrates that a high density, residential-led, mixed-use development is appropriate and the area is ideally situated for a major landmark proposal to act as a catalyst to regeneration, especially given its public transport links and gateway location.”

The development – if approved – will have to start no later than the expiration of three years from the date of the decision.

The proposal, which can be found under 22/02691/FUL in the planning portal, is recommended for approval.

Sheffield City Council’s planning committee will discuss the application next Tuesday (January 9) at the town hall.