The first phase of Sheffield’s £300m ‘zero carbon’ community wins planning

The Leeds-based developer’s in-house design team submitted its first full planning application for the phased mixed-use scheme last summer. The overall masterplan will redevelop Attercliffe Waterside, a 93,000m² of brownfield land straddling the Sheffield and Tinsley Canal, securing 1,000 homes.

The first phase, worth around £100m, will create 362 homes and convert six existing buildings into a music venue and art studios with bars and a bakery.

The phase includes demolishing some existing buildings on the site, converting others and creating new buildings of up to 14 storeys, as well as a pedestrian bridge.

Sheffield City Council’s highways and planning committee unanimously backed the masterplan on Tuesday afternoon (July 9).

A councilor described the scheme as “a key plank for the regeneration of Sheffield’s east end”, which will finally bring together Canalside Attercliffe, heritage and amenities after it was first discussed around 40 years ago.

Source: Google

Attercliffe Waterside – Spartan Works

The council’s planning officers concluded that the main benefit of the proposal would be its “substantial contribution to the town’s housing stock with a diverse mix of unit types”.

They said the scheme would also bring “substantial benefits in rejuvenating a derelict and underused area of ​​Attercliffe with attractively designed buildings, achieving a net biodiversity gain through new landscaping and providing substantial housing growth in a sustainable location , with reduced dependence on the private car”. .

According to the planning report, Phase 1a will “celebrate and build on” the industrial character of the site by retaining and reusing the existing buildings adjacent to Spartan Works, while Phase 1b “seeks to create a new greener landscape” for the site.

Officers described the proposed lightweight canal bridge as a “crucial aspect of the proposal, increasing pedestrian accessibility for potential residents”.

They said the scheme’s design was “refined following prolonged discussions with the local planning authority during the pre-application phase” and only required a few changes after the full application was submitted.

The scheme was approved subject to an S106 agreement, which includes a £59,600 contribution towards bus station improvements and £30,000 towards road resurfacing deliveries.

The wider Attercliffe Waterside project is worth around £300m, according to Citu, which signed a development agreement with landowner Sheffield City Council in May 2023.

It is set to become one of the UK’s largest zero-carbon communities, offering creative workspaces, an art venue and retail space, as well as housing.

The new homes are a mix of houses and apartments, with architectural design led by Citu’s in-house design team. They will be built with low-carbon materials, using the developer’s flexible housing system, previously questioned by AJ.

Source: CITU

Approach to the bridge from the towpath and canal park – sketch

Citu previously said site work on the commercial elements of the scheme would begin this autumn, with completion expected in 2024, while work on the housing would begin in 2025.

Speaking after the planning application was submitted last year, Citu founder Chris Thompson said the company intended to “kick-start the regeneration of Sheffield’s East End” by attracting “independent, creative and spirited businesses” to the “blighted and underused” part ” of the city. .

He added: “Underlying this is our ambition to establish a low-carbon community that will enable future generations to live more sustainable lifestyles.”

Citu has previously completed low-carbon neighborhoods in Sheffield’s Kelham Island and a climate innovation district south of Leeds city centre.