Check out the new hotel arriving beside rail station

Proposals for the top quality 200-bedroom hotel on Pond Street have been agreed by councillors on the City Centre, South and East Planning Board.

The hotel will replace the current ugly brown brick Nelson Mandella building - formerly the students’ union for Sheffield Hallam University - which greets visitors when they emerge from the train station.

It has been earmarked for demolition “imminently”.

The exact design of the hotel is yet to be finalised and a hotel operator has yet to be chosen. The scheme - currently with the working title 1 Sheaf Square - will also include 70,000 sq ft of ‘grade A’ office space.

Councillor Alan Law, chair of the board, said: "This will bring new life and animation to grace the popular station square.

“Outline planning consent was granted for the architects' illustrative scheme demonstrating the high design quality essential for this key site in the city.

“The substantial office element brings forward further top quality space boosting the city economy."

Developers CTP St James, the people behind the St Paul’s Place development next to the Peace Gardens, are buying the site from regional development agency Yorkshire Forward for an undisclosed sum.

Director David Topham said: “This is a tremendously exciting development, situated in the heart of Sheffield city centre.

“It is extremely well served by the road network and by public transport and we are confident it will fulfil an increasing demand for high quality offices as well as providing the city with a new hotel.”

Fellow director Robert Firth added: “This is an exhilarating time to be in Sheffield.”