Chaucer Family Social Club in Sheffield to be converted into new flats

A former family social club in Sheffield will be turned into new flats following a decision made by the council’s planning committee.

Members of the Sheffield City Council’s planning and highways committee decided to give the green light to a developer to convert the former Chaucer Family Social Club on Chaucer Close in Sheffield into seven flats.

As the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) reported, the building has had a “chequered” history which included the closing and reopening of it numerous times before the business eventually went after Covid.

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The proposal to turn the Chaucer Family Social Club into new flats received 12 objections from people living close by.

A new proposal to convert a permanently closed social club in Sheffield into flats has met with strong opposition in the community.A new proposal to convert a permanently closed social club in Sheffield into flats has met with strong opposition in the community.
A new proposal to convert a permanently closed social club in Sheffield into flats has met with strong opposition in the community.

One resident opposed “due to ongoing anti-social behaviour, drug dealing, prostitution and excessive vehicles which are already obstructions to essential services” and the 17 flats that had already been granted in the church next to the building.

Other residents – including one who couldn’t say how “vehemently” they opposed the plans – raised issues with the loss of green space, parking, traffic, noise, disruption and safety, among others.

At the planning meeting, the owner and developer of the site told the members that crime in the area had gone down and added that there was “a great need for affordable rentals”.

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Among the comments made at the meeting, members asked the planning officers about how many trees were getting felled in part of the development and were told that two would be lost (while new trees are being planted) during the works being carried out.

Coun Mark Whittaker said the church next to the building had been “very tastefully” redeveloped and it “looks smart, in good-conditioned, unlike this building that’s in front of it that we’re talking about now”.

He said he thought it would be a good thing for this building to be “brought up to a standard” that doesn’t reflect badly on the church.

Coun Brian Holmshaw said this was an area of “relatively low density” and the benefit of the new residents will be obvious.

All members voted in favour of the application.

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