Landmark Sheffield pub devastated by 2007 floods 'could be converted into house'

The old Middlewood Tavern on Middlewood Road could be converted into a house with another detached house built in the grounds.

The pub closed for a long time following the devastating floods of 2007 when the road towards Oughtibridge collapsed. It was cut off from passing trade, never recovered and closed shortly after reopening.

It stood derelict and vandalised for years with rubble piled in the former car park.

In 2016 planning permission was granted to create a new pub and restaurant but no work took place.

After complaints about it looking an eyesore, the council served a notice in July 2018 telling the owner to remove all graffiti and building waste.

But it took months of complaints from councillors to planning officers until the site was cleared and fenced in March 2019.

Architect Jeff Sowerby says there were discussions about building 14 apartments but planners said the scale of it would damage the green belt.

In a planning application, he says the current scheme is much smaller. “Some faith was lost in the idea of re-opening the pub prior to the coronavirus outbreak, but the pandemic has shown the hospitality industry to be extremely vulnerable, and the idea of re-opening the pub has been dropped in favour of residential development.

“The area proposed to be built upon is very much a brownfield site that is in a very unfortunate state and currently a sad sight, with its unused, semi-derelict building and the bare, ugly land adjacent.

“The transformation of this derelict site into something tidy and attractive would be of great benefit to this corner of the green belt.

“The proposal is a very modest one that would transform the site from how it is now to a tidy, attractive, green space.

“Very few proposals could viably regenerate this locality, and we believe the green belt would be enhanced by our proposal.”

Planning officers are considering the application which can be viewed here

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