HHB committee members were pleased to have the opportunity to attend the consultation event held on 23rd and 24th September 2026 regarding the proposed disposal of parts of the Collegiate Campus. The event offered some clarity on SHU’s intentions and provided at least some assurance.
See the presentation boards displayed at the consultation event.
In May 2025 Sheffield Hallam University began moving staff and students out of Collegiate Campus, which prompted much speculation about their intentions. Little information was made public, and even the extent of the disposal was unclear. The possibility of complete sell-off and the university essentially washing its hands of the consequences seemed very real at the time. The campus lies in the Broomhall Conservation Area, with several of the affected buildings on Historic England’s National Heritage List and several unlisted buildings of historic importance. Fears arose that speculative developers, encouraged by the Government’s dash for housing and national planning policies that often override local concerns, might wish to expunge the historic character of this “brownfield” site.
The clarification that only part of the campus is to be disposed of and that the university will still occupy many existing buildings, some historic, is important. We accept that they have no interest in allowing a developer to trash the environment in which they will be neighbours, nor in antagonising residents. The explicit acknowledgement of the protected status of the Conservation Area and Listed Buildings is welcome. The stated priorities including maintaining the open, parkland feel and mature trees; securing the future of the heritage buildings; formalising key walking routes; and ensuring future sports provision all set the appropriate tone. It was also clear that sale would not necessarily be to the highest bidder, but rather to a buyer prepared to share these priorities.
While we appreciate this clarity and intent, it is obvious that once the areas have been disposed of – one around Woodville Hall, the other extending from (but not including) the Heart of the Campus to Clarkehouse Road – they are no longer in the university’s control. If they want to make good on their promises they have to find a way, for example via a covenant, to bind any future owner. It remains to be seen if or how this can be done.
Also needing careful scrutiny will be:
- Whether a developer will consult meaningfully with the public and heritage groups before designing plans;
- How they “explore a high-quality residential conversion” of the unlisted buildings Southbourne and the White House;
- The potential cluster of 5-10 “high-quality” townhouses replacing temporary buildings on Park Lane;
- The suggested replacement of “less sympathetic extensions” of historic villas with “higher-quality alternatives”;
- A possible east wing added to Woodville Hall;
- The treatment of the unlisted Nursery (or Woodville Lodge) at 17 Broomhall Road, Parkholme at 30 Collegiate Crescent and the historic outbuilding attached to The Mews.
This initial consultation represents a good start, but we would ask that both the university and any purchaser of a significant proportion of the property continue to consult, in particular with the heritage sector. The ideal forum for this would be the Sheffield Conservation Advisory Group, which was created by Sheffield City Council and advises them on planning and development matters affecting the historic environment. It brings together local and national amenity societies with a great deal of expertise. Consultation with SCAG is best before any planning application has been submitted or proposals are firmly defined. Changes suggested to mature plans are rarely welcomed or acted on by developers. HHB would ask that this consultation is amongst the conditions that the university seeks to impose on any significant purchaser.