School plan gets green light at historic Sheffield barracks site
Former officers’ mess set to be changed under school plans to bring building back into use
Part of Sheffield’s historic Hillsborough Barracks site looks set to be converted into a school.
Sheffield Council has backed plans which would see former offices in Hillsborough Barracks on Langsett Road, near the Morrisons supermarket, become a special school for Kingfisher Academy for approximately 40 pupils and eight members of staff.
It would bring new use to the gatehouse building of the Grade II-listed former Officers’ Mess, which was most recently used as offices.
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It will involve making changes inside to the grade II listed building, in a section which was once the Officers’ Mess and regimental Institute.
It forms the central section of a range of three storey stone faced buildings that occupy a prominent position off Langsett Road.
Council officers said in a report recommending that the scheme was approved: “Although the conversion would result in some less-than-substantial harm to the significance of the Grade II listed building through internal alterations, officers consider this harm to be outweighed by the substantial public benefit of securing the restoration, reuse and long-term preservation of the heritage asset.”
They also stated that the school would provide specialist education for pupils with medical and mental health needs, initially accommodating around 40 students with capacity to increase to 60.
They added the council’s Education and Childcare Commissioning Team supported the proposal, and had said there was a need for additional specialist educational provision.
Some concerns had initially been raised over traffic, but the council officers said they had been addressed. The school’s attendance patterns would avoid traditional peak-time congestion, and adequate parking and cycle parking could be provided.
A design and access statement submitted for the school had described the plans.
It states: “The principal design objective has been to secure the long-term viable use of a historically significant building whilst providing a high-quality specialist educational environment.
“The proposal adopts a ‘minimum intervention’ approach whereby the existing structure is retained and adapted through sensitive internal alterations.
“Existing architectural features are preserved wherever practicable, and alterations have been carefully designed to minimise intervention within the historic fabric.”
Plans also explain how the academy would use local sport halls, parks and community facilities for outdoor recreation, making use of existing infrastructure while removing the need to change the layout of the building.
Internally, the school would include classrooms, a sensory learning space, art studio, textiles room and food preparation areas, with plans adding that these facilities have been “carefully designed to retain significant historic features wherever possible” while still meeting the needs’ of pupils.
Developers hope that the plans will help deliver much-needed places for young people with additional learning needs, while fitting into the surrounding area alongside shops, businesses and housing.
“The proposal has been developed in response to an identified educational need within Sheffield,” the design statement continues.
“The requirement for additional specialist educational accommodation has arisen at the request of Sheffield City Council, reflecting increasing demand for specialist placements and the need to expand local educational capacity.
“The development will assist the local authority in meeting its statutory responsibilities under Section 19 of the Education Act 1996, which requires suitable education to be provided for children who are unable to attend school because of illness or other medical reasons.
“Consequently, the proposal will deliver significant public benefits by increasing the availability of specialist educational provision within the city whilst enabling pupils to receive education in an environment specifically designed to meet their individual needs.”