Sheffield Wilko store vows to stay open despite demolition plans

Last month councillors unanimously approved plans to revamp Hillsborough Shopping Precinct with new shops and dozens of affordable apartments.

The outline plans focus on the site of the former Old Blue Ball pub next to the arcade of shops bordering Bradfield Road, Middlewood Road and Proctor Place.

As part of the planning application, developers said Wilko would be demolished to make way for 77 social housing apartments.

But Wilko says it has no plans to close its Hillsborough store any time soon.

Kevin Richards, head of north division at Wilkos, said: 'We would like to reassure customers that we have no intention of closing our Hillsborough store and are talking to the landlord to discuss their plans for the redevelopment and how Wilko will fit into these going forward

'We look forward to serving our hard working families in Hillsborough for a long time to come.'

Developers were given permission to partially demolish the shopping centre closest to Bradfield Road and create a five storey building with ground floor shops and 'genuinely affordable' apartments.

The building partially replaces a section of the current shopping centre, including Wilko, and fills in the gap up to Lloyds Bank.

Indicative plans show the apartments would be made up of 36 one-bed, 39 two-bed, and 2 three-bed.

The existing shopping centre currently has 96 rooftop parking spaces. These would be reconfigured to 88 spaces '“ 30 for the apartments and 58 for shoppers, accessed from Proctor Place.

Councillors approved the development in principle. Details such access, appearance, landscaping, layout and scale will be considered at a later date.