Empty industrial units to be replaced by 50 new houses in Sheffield

They'll go on the site of the Classic Cutlery Emmanuel Works

Almost 50 new homes - a mix of apartments and houses - will be built in Sheffield city centre following the demolition of vacant industrial buildings.
Author: Roland Sebestyen, Local Democracy Reporting ServicePublished 1st Nov 2024
Last updated 1st Nov 2024

Almost 50 new homes – a mix of flats and houses – will be built in Sheffield city centre following the demolition of empty industrial buildings.

Planning officers at Sheffield City Council have decided to give the green light to a developer to create 48 homes on the site of Classic Cutlery Emmanuel Works on Copper Street in the city centre.

As a design and access document noted, the site – located within the Furnace Hill Conservation Area, which was established due to the area’s significance within Sheffield’s metal trades and, in particular, cutlery production – is occupied by several light industrial buildings along Copper Street and Trinity Street.

The plan is to demolish the existing buildings (the three former works and warehouse buildings) and build six blocks with 34 flats and 14 houses with a commercial unit also included.

The developer said: “The massing of the scheme has been designed to complement and accentuate the topography of the area.

“In accordance with the guidelines set out in the Sheffield Urban Design Guide, buildings should aim to complement the unique landscape of Sheffield, and in some places, taller buildings should be positioned at higher points to accentuate the hills.

“The proposed scheme places a four-five storey apartment building at the top of the site, in line with its neighbour.

“The rows of housing step up to this block along the topography of the hill, maintaining and accentuating the gradient of the land.

“The apartment block at the top of the site gently steps up along Furnace Hill to accentuate the crest of the hill alongside the five-storey building opposite. Many larger buildings of between seven and 10 storeys are being built and proposed slightly further up the hill along Scotland Street.

“This proposed massing will therefore integrate the lowrise areas of Copper and Trinity Streets with the denser buildings of Scotland Street.”

The proposal included a few car parking spots and 50 cycle parking spaces, as well.