Sabkha advances second Cotton Mill phase in Sheffield
At the eastern edge of Kelham Island, the developer wants to build 128 apartments in two blocks, directly across the ring road from the £300m West Bar project.
RS Sabkha Construction and Developments is the applicant for the project, working with planner Urbana and Chetwynd Architects.
The professional team also includes heritage advisor Pegasus, Smith Marston, Arbtech and Envirocheck.
As set out in the design & access statement, the 180 Shalesmoor site, immediately south of the Central Quay student quarters, is currently occupied by vacant workshops in a collection of one- and two-storey buildings in various states of disrepair.
The scheme’s promoters say “there is an opportunity to redevelop the site in a manner that is more in keeping with the higher density developments and emerging proposals coming forward in the immediate vicinity, providing significantly more benefits to Kelham Island and the surrounding area”.
On the table is a proposal for two blocks, providing a combined 128 homes, of up to seven storeys, putting them in line with neighbouring buildings.
According to the project team, “there has been careful consideration when working up the massing of both building A and building B. The proposal has been designed to sit comfortably within its context of the site: Building A is level in height with Central Quay which is directly opposite the site on the Corporation Street junction. Building B will then step down a storey to the west.
“The massing of the scheme takes into account the newly constructed buildings at West Bar Square to the east, the closest buildings of this scheme will be two residential buildings that reach 15 and 19 floors”.
Development at West Bar is indeed well under way, with the three phase one buildings now all topped out.
Describing its plans as “modest” in comparison, the DAS continues “the proposal transitions comfortably with the buildings along Cotton Mill Row which sit at four storeys high, leading onto two and three storey buildings further west”.
The DAS talks about development of the site with a modern project as linking the regeneration that has gone on across Kelham Idland in recent years, with the area becoming a popular residential and leisure destination, to the West Bar scheme that is now on site across the inner ring road.
Sabkha’s plans have now been validated on Sheffield City Council’s planning portal, and can be viewed with the reference 24/01140/FUL.