‘Wonderful’ independent charity Support Dogs’ vision for vacant warehouse near Sheffield Wednesday ground

Planning officers at Sheffield City Council have received the plans from Support Dogs, a charity dedicated to increasing independence and quality of life for people with various medical conditions, to convert Elsworth House on Herries Road South into offices and more.

The site is made up of a modern, vacant, large, detached warehouse/ industrial unit extending to approximately 2600 sq.m – with car parking too.

A planning document published on the portal said Support Dogs is currently under offer to purchase the premises and the building would provide them with “sufficient office space for administrative and fundraising staff with meetings rooms and a reception, storage for fundraising items for retail (purchased through the website), space for training for both clients and dogs, a base for the training team and space to help with fundraising”.

The report added that currently 20 dogs per year are trained and Support Dogs’ five-year plan is to increase this to around 50 dogs a year – and the dogs live with volunteers before they are ready to live with their clients.

The applicant said the existing warehouse area would be used as a dog training/welfare area.

The proposal has received five public comments to date and all of them were in support of it.

Supporters described the charity as “wonderful” and “amazing” and they added that Support Dogs offers “life-changing support” to its clients.

Officers have until September 3 to make a decision on planning application 24/02021/FUL.