Plan to convert house into new pre-school nursery in Stocksbridge refused
A proposal to convert a house into a new pre-school nursery in Stocksbridge has been refused.
The plan included the conversion of an end of terrace house on Smith Road but Sheffield City Council’s planning officers have decided against it on a number of grounds, including its impact on the neighbours, the harm on the character of the area, parking and loss of biodiversity.
The applicant wanted to create a pre-school nursery to cater for children from birth to four years old as, according to a design and access statement submitted, “at present there are no nurseries within the Garden Village area of Stocksbridge”.
For further reason, the applicant added: “Also, from September 2025, additional Government funding is being made available for working parents with children aged nine months and up, to receive 30 hours of nursery provision.
“As a result, the demand for nursery places will increase. Stocksbridge is also undergoing an expansion in the provision of houses with planning applications being recently approved.”
The proposal was to have a maximum of 22 children split between the ground floor and the first floor, along with four staff members.
A two-storey side extension and a single-storey rear extension were also planned “in order to cater for the proposed number of children”.
Despite all this, seven letters of objection submitted by people living close to the property were received.
They raised issues with the development, including access, inadequate space for 22 children, traffic and parking.