FLATS ON FLAT STREET

The saga of the old Post Office in Fitzalan Square has been going on for a long time and it’s hard to believe that it actually closed way back in 1999. Its closure and consequent loss of foot fall in the area has contributed to the run down feeling of what was once one of the nicest public squares in Sheffield. Edward VII must be silently weeping away, up there on his pedestal. However, all is not lost and the King may yet smile again when a planned multi million pound major restoration scheme for the Square is approved and finally takes place. More of this at a later date and no doubt in a much larger article.

Meanwhile Sheffield Hallam University has set the ball rolling and their scheme for its Institute of Arts in the old Post Office building is to be much applauded and they have done a superb job. Go and take a look. I wrote an article back in 2013 when it was destined to be yet another restaurant but fortunately this didn’t come to pass. The rest of the site on Flat Street has had many ideas thrown at it, from a copper clad 9 storey hotel to a 22 storey glass tower. I then described this as Sheffield’s very own Shard but fortunately it never happened and the only ones to lose out were the window cleaning contractors!

It now looks like approval has finally been given for yet another scheme and this time not quite as ambitious. The tower will be only (!) 16 storeys high and an adjacent block 10 storeys high. This is a big improvement as the previous scheme would have overpowered Roxys when viewing it from Tudor Square and even the vistas from Parkhill Flats would have been affected.

I wrote in 2013 that a student flat was deemed to be worth £50k and that has presumably increased by now, and with 241 student beds scheduled for here – you work it out.

London based Langland Estates will be developing the site and the University will not be involved. All those art students will therefore have the perfect commute and won’t even need a bike!