Residents were shocked to receive a letter on Tuesday about new demolitions despite receiving no announcement on a timeline for already proposed housing plans.
Sally Pedley, chairperson of the Gleadless Valley Tenants and Residents Association, told us that communication hasn’t been great. She wasn’t aware of any action around the sites until being sent the letter by a resident, let alone any demolitions.
The 2 sites that have been proposed for demolition are former residential homes Paddock Hill and Castelayn. No news has been given on when work might begin on the housing work already identified in the Gleadless Valley Masterplan.
The Gleadless Valley Masterplan has been an ongoing process since 2017, and focuses on regenerating the area through shared and green spaces, housing, employment and skills and services and facilities.
Mrs Pedley said: “I had three young mums come to our general meeting and one of them asked, well, what’s happening with my home? I don’t want to spend over 600 pound on carpets to get a letter the week after telling me you’re going to demolish it. People just don’t know what to do.”
Councillor for Gleadless Valley, Paul Turpin said: “It’s been a long, slow and arduous process, 6 years in and and all we have is a booklet”
He explained that inflation in the construction industry has sent prices wild and that there isn’t enough money in the initial budget to deliver what was intended.
These recent proposals are taking advantage of a fund to develop brownfield sites and there is a desire to use them to get the masterplan off the ground.
He told us that there is a strong desire to have council housing on the site but it might end up being social housing provided by a housing association due to the council’s budget situation.
Cllr Turpin said: “A lot of time has been spent coming up with this really detailed plan that now is really up in the air so there’s a lot of talk about prioritising what can be done first.”
Sheffield Wire has reached out to the council for comment.
For more information from the Gleadless Valley Regeneration team visit: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1274820053224440
