Sheffield superlab: Green light to build huge £86m Sheffield University laboratories at Upper Hanover Street
A huge £86m superlaboratory looks set to be built next to the Sheffield ring road, but there are conditions attached to the scheme.
The plans to build what will be called The Central Teaching Laboratories on a site next to the ring road on Upper Hanover Street has been approved by Sheffield Council.
But the authority has told the University of Sheffield that it must meet a string of conditions before work starts building the facility, and has now issued a full planning permission notice.
The list of conditions that must be met includes work to protect trees, to protect the ring road, and to improve the pavements nearby.
It also orders that a new park must be in place for the public to use withing six months of the labs opening.
The road improvements will see the widening of the Upper Hanover Street footway, the removal of what ws described as existing ‘street clutter’ from the corner of Upper Hanover Street and Hounsfield Road. and work around moving the bus stops, with council officials saying they they have to improve the footway around the site, ensure adequate access arrangements and provide for better bus facilities.
They have also been told to get approval from Supertram to confirm that it will harm their tracks, cables or stops, and to look at the archaeology of the site.
London-based Twelve Architects has designed the five-storey Central Teaching Laboratories building, with south facing windows angled down to minimise heat from the sun.
It would stand on Upper Hanover Street, overlooking the university tram stop to the front and The Harley pub to the rear..
The firm is also responsible for The Diamond, the university’s engineering faculty building on Broad Lane.
The new building is expected to be used by 1,188 people at any one time, comprised of 1,106 students and 82 staff.
In November 2024, the university had said it was shelving the project for 12 months because of funding issues. The Star has contacted the University to ask when it expected to start work.
The proposals include the creation of a ‘pocket park’ next to nearby Favell Road.
Ecclesall ward Green Coun Peter Gilbert had objected to the scheme because it would see trees that are currented at the site chopped down.
He said: “I support the University in its mission to continue improving its facilities, however I do not support its choice to chop down mature air pollution absorbing trees along a busy ring road.”