Sheffield Hallam University: Concerns historic Collegiate Campus could be demolished by 'greedy developer'

Hallamshire Historic Buildings is worried Collegiate Crescent, part of Sheffield Hallam University, could be allowed to decay before being ‘held to ransom’ to force demolition.

It comes as the university plans to ‘move away’ from the site following the launch of its £140m City Campus in September.

In a post titled ‘Is the Collegiate Campus safe without SHU?’, HHB states that as well as seven listed buildings, the campus is in Broomhall Conservation Area and also has several properties that though not listed are of ‘townscape merit’.

It adds: “This should ensure that no historic buildings are threatened – but will it?

“The Council’s draft Local Plan shows the area as a university zone and identifies it as suitable for student accommodation.

“Both uses look out of date, and the pressure for new housing sites makes the campus a major potential windfall.

“In the hands of a thoughtful developer who understands the value of heritage, this could be a great opportunity to give the area and its historic buildings a new life and identity.

“Sadly, Sheffield also has experienced greedy, neglectful developers who think nothing of letting buildings decay, holding them to ransom in the hope of being allowed to demolish them.

“It wouldn’t be the first such threat. Collegiate Hall, the fine former headmaster’s house of 1837, is listed, but demolition of its equally fine Edwardian wings was proposed in the early 2000s.

“Demolition of the 1836 Collegiate School, part of the campus Main Building, was considered as early as the 1970s.

“Demolition plans from around 2014 included Southbourne, the 1819 villa on Clarkehouse Road.

“Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas enjoy statutory protection, but in Sheffield this seems to count for less than it should.

“The recent permission to demolish most of Clifford School on Psalter Lane, a major heritage asset in a Conservation Area, to create just four houses shows that no building can be considered safe.

“We at Hallamshire Historic Buildings are very concerned about the fate of the Collegiate buildings and will be monitoring developments carefully.”

Listed buildings on Collegiate Campus include the imposing Collegiate Hall, which fronts on to Ecclesall Road, the Main Building and numbers 32, 34, 36, 38 and 40 - large Victorian and Edwardian villas surrounded by green space - all on Collegiate Crescent.

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It also features the Southbourne and Whitehouse buildings which front on to Clarkehouse Road and are of ‘townscape merit’. Broomhall Conservation Area also lists 'important open space', much of which is in Collegiate Campus.

The university says there are “no exact timescales” for its move.

Sheffield City Council is under pressure to build houses as part of the Local Plan, a blueprint for development up to 2039.

It has put forward proposals for 25,572 homes on brownfield sites and estimates a further 7,675 dwellings will be built on plots expected to become available in coming years, the majority of which will be brownfield.

But it is not enough to meet a shortfall identified by government inspectors, who want 38,012 new homes by 2039.

It has led to the authority drawing up controversial plans for 3,529 houses, 130 acres for business, three schools and two graveyards on 14 green belt sites.

Sheffield Hallam University was approached for comment.