As part of our ongoing search for a pilot project site, we recently explored a property being sold by the University of Sheffield. Located on Glossop Road in the city centre, the building is currently used as offices, but presented an exciting opportunity to upgrade the building’s performance and transform it into housing and workspace.

With input from London CLT and the Community Land Trust Network, SCLT used development appraisal tools alongside our in-house architectural expertise to model how the site might allow for fifteen 1-3 bed homes, shared communal spaces, and workspaces on the ground floor.

Following this we applied for site, and pre-development funding; approached housing associations working in the area to discuss partnering; and put an offer in, which was accepted. Unfortunately, due to funding uncertainty and timescales, the building was sold to others.

The process has however allowed us to develop our expertise, and ask a number of new questions around tenure and allocation, which we hope to explore further in a workshop with members.