Long battle over homes set to end

Hundreds of people objected to a scheme originally submitted three

years ago to demolish Sheffield University's Tapton halls of residence and build houses and flats on the land.

Those plans were rejected by Sheffield Council planners. The company behind the development, Miller Homes Yorkshire, took the case to a planning appeal but failed.

A planning inspector said he was happy with most aspects, but felt 12 plots of the 109-home development would harm the appearance of the surrounding conservation area.

Since then, Miller Homes has redrawn its blueprint, removing the 12 townhouses which caused concern to the planning inspector, replacing them with four large semi-detached homes.

In its first form, the development attracted hundreds of objections, and the rethink has not calmed anger among local residents, who have also strongly opposed the new scheme.

They have enlisted the support of Deputy Prime Minister and local MP Nick Clegg and Sheffield Council leader Paul Scriven, who represents the Broomhill ward where the site is located.

A decision was supposed to be taken in mid-June, but members of Sheffield's city centre, south and east planning and highways committee deferred it to undertake a site visit.

The application site includes the former seven-storey Tapton halls of residence as well as stone buildings behind the halls and Sheffield University's walled Experimental Garden.

While the halls of residence would be pulled down, The Lodge, Coach House and Haddow House in the grounds would remain, two of them being converted into flats, and one remaining as a house. The garden would also be unaltered.

Those leading the protests include Sheffield Conservation Advisory Group and the Broomhill Action and Neighbourhood Group (BANG) which said the area "deserves a better standard of development".

The conservation advisory group has severely criticised both schemes saying they demonstrate a "misunderstanding of Victorian architecture and inappropriate use of detailing."

BANG has also proposed that the southern part of the site, which the group has called Broomhill's Secret Garden, should he handed over to the community as an open space.

Both the university, which owns the site, and Miller Homes hope an end could finally be brought to the wrangling at next Monday's meeting.

Speaking after planners decided to visit the site, Howard Mee, Miller Homes' land and planning director said: "We welcome the opportunity for the new planning committee members to visit the site.

"They will see for themselves the glass houses and buildings which are to be taken down and the number of trees and specimen plants which are to be retained and preserved.

"They will also be able to see the arboretum and the area which will provide a valuable open space available to the public of Broomhill along with the existing quality buildings which are also to be retained as part of the scheme."

A university spokesman said staff were confident councillors would

approve the scheme after the site visit – which would allow the institution to dispose of the site.

The planning committee meeting is at Sheffield Town Hall at 2pm and is open to the public.