Plans unveiled for major new apartment complex for older people in Sheffield

Sheffield Council wants to create the older persons independent living development on vacant land between Birley Moor Avenue and Birley Lane. The site used to have 139 prefab homes which were demolished in 2018.

The new development would include five blocks of apartments with a total of 123 one and two bedroom apartments.

Another block would have 18 one bed apartments for people with complex needs who need extra support to live independently. A community hall and cafe is also planned.

Peak Architects, who have designed the scheme, says the aim is to knit together the existing Birley Moor estate as well as the Weaklands and Frenchville estates.

They say in the application: “This overarching brief looks to redevelop the former Newstead estate to create a sustainable high-quality residential development within an area of five hectares.

“The intergenerational scheme addresses the provision of older persons’ independent living accommodation whilst also providing general needs housing of which 10 per cent of the properties should be wheelchair adapted housing.”

The architects say that because older people stay indoors more, the apartments have been designed to get maximum natural light but there will also be communal meeting areas.

Sheffield has a significant shortfall in specialist housing for older people – research in 2015 found a shortfall of 4,511 units which is larger than most comparable cities in the UK.

The council’s older people’s independent living strategy says: “This shortfall will have nearly doubled by 2034. Research by the University of Sheffield suggests that affordable choices for downsizing and lifestyle moves for older age groups are limited.

“Existing specialist housing in the city is of a limited range, predominantly provided by the social sector, and it is unevenly distributed, with private provision largely concentrated in a small number of neighbourhoods in the south west of the city.

“This uneven distribution is likely to be contributing to the spatial nature of inequality in the city.”

Planning officers are currently considering the application which can be viewed here

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