Land owned by Sheffield Council in Kelham Island being sold off to the developer of adjoining plot

Disposal of the area of freehold land on Cotton Mill Row was agreed by members of the council’s finance committee. It will be sold to the developer “to facilitate the development of both sites for a high-density, residential-led, mixed-use scheme”, a report to the committee said.

“The land occupies a unique corner position providing potential for a landmarkdevelopment on the Inner Relief Road to compliment the West Bar development opposite and industrial heritage of the Kelham Island Conservation Area,” the report added.

“However, the land is limited in size (approximately 0.17 acres), and fulldevelopment potential cannot be achieved if sold in isolation.”

The developer, R S Sabkha Construction and Development Ltd, is seeking permission to demolish commercial and manufacturing buildings at 180 Shalesmoor and replace them with a six-storey building containing 121 flats and a ground-floor commercial unit.

The council bought the adjoining land in 2006. Both plots are earmarked for housing in the draft Local Plan, which sets out what types of development the council will allow in different areas of the city.

Council planning officers quoted in a report to the committee said: “The two sites collectively form the proposed housing allocation site ref. KN09 inthe draft Sheffield Plan. The housing allocation presents the opportunity to bring forward a cohesive scheme that both addresses the Inner Relief Road and relates positively to the existing Cotton Mill development to the west, providing a positive edge to the Kelham Island Industrial Conservation Area.”