Council call in lawyers over unauthorised changes to once loved former Sheffield pub

The former Royal Standard, on St Mary’s Road, near Highfield, Sheffield, closed as a pub several years ago. It had once been a popular matchday venue for Sheffield United fans.

The building then opened last year as a takeaway restaurant, under the name Harlem House, with major changes to how it looking, included a painted frontage illuminated sign, and a huge mural on one side depicted Harlem, New York.

However, Sheffield Council is now taking action after it emerged that the work had been done without planning permission.

Now, the authority has turned down a retrospective planning application for the changes, and says it is authorising its Planning Enforcement Team of Development Services to take any appropriate action, including instructing the Director of Legal and Governance to take legal action, to reverse changes.

A council report stated: “The building’s history and character, even with the previous alterations was always clear. This has now been severely diminished. The applicant has undertaken these works without gaining the advice of the LPA (Local Planning Authority) through the recommended pre-application process. “

It raises concern over a string of changes to the building, including changes to the windows and the entrance, and an illuminated sign which was fixed to the front.

It also criticises the large mural on the site of the building, depicting scenes from New York.

Its decision notice adds: “The Local Planning Authority consider that the impact of the works, principally the introduction of inappropriate windows and works to the entrance including the loss of historic fabric have a detrimental impact on the character and architectural and cultural heritage of the building which is a non-designated heritage asset.

“No clear justification for alterations has been put forward. The building could have been brought back into use in a manner that respected the character and history of the building. It is considered that the proposal is unacceptable and harms the character of the building itself and the immediate locality.”

Pubs pressure group Sheffield & District Campaign for Real Ale said: “Sheffield & District CAMRA welcome this planning decision.

“The current owners of the building have made many unauthorised alterations to this 19th century public house. We welcome the comments from the Planning Officers regarding the preservation of the heritage and historic aspects of the building and look forward to future developments with interest.

“We also hope that this decision will bring an end to large-scale retrospective planning applications.“

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It is the latest retrospective planning application to have been sent in for unauthorised changes to former Sheffield pubs.

One of the highest profile incidents involving pubs and planning permission came when The Royal Oak, Mosborough, was reduced to rubble in May 2021, only for it to emerge that the owner had failed to get the go-ahead to knock it down at the time.

And Sheffield Council recently confirmed it was lining up a legal notice to be served over what was once The Queen’s Head pub, in High Green, over unauthorised alterations.

The Harlem House has been approached for comment.