Busy section of London Road to stay closed as no date set for reopening
Part of the road has been closed since April, when the frontage of buildings on London Road partially collapsed
A busy section of London Road is set to remain closed with no confirmed date for reopening following the partial collapse of buildings on the Sheffield street.
The closure affects the far left lane of London Road at the junction which turns right into Queens Road, or continues straight on towards Bramall Lane.
The road is an important route into Sheffield city centre, linking with Chesterfield Road and serving communities including Heeley and Woodseats.
It is also used by people travelling to and from nearby schools, including Lowfield Community Primary School, while the route towards Bramall Lane makes it particularly significant on Sheffield United match days.
Part of the road has been closed since April, when the frontage of buildings at 450 and 452 London Road partially collapsed.
There is currently no confirmed timescale for the road to reopen.
Although plans to repair the collapsed buildings have been completed, work has not yet begun.
The building owners are understood to be awaiting the outcome of contractor tenders before reconstruction can start.
There is currently no confirmed timescale for either the start or completion of the work.
The council’s Dangerous Structures Team has remained involved since the collapse, working with emergency services and the building owners to make the site safe.
Exclusion zones around the affected buildings and the highway remain in place as a public safety measure.
Following the collapse, the owners arranged temporary stabilisation works through appointed contractors to reduce the immediate risk posed by the damaged structures while longer-term plans were developed.
The owners’ structural engineer has now completed designs for reconstructing the affected parts of the buildings.
The council has requested that the reconstruction is carried out as soon as practicable, but said responsibility for procuring, scheduling and carrying out the rebuilding work rests with the building owners.
The council said the affected section of London Road will only reopen once reconstruction work is complete and the buildings and surrounding area are deemed safe for occupation and public use.
Sheffield tattoo artist Paula, who was based at Modelajna Tattoo, was affected by the collapse and she was forced to move her business to a new location.
She said at the time that her “heart is truly breaking” for tenants who lost access to their businesses and homes.
The council said its Dangerous Structures Team will continue to monitor the site, maintain appropriate public safety measures and liaise with the owners and their professional advisers as work progresses.