One of Sheffield’s most historic buildings is set to be turned into a drive-thru Starbucks after a planning officer provisionally approved the plans.
Carbrook Hall in Attercliffe was initially owned by the Blunt family in 1176 until the Lord of Ecclesall, Tom Bright, acquired it in the late 16th century just after it was re-built. A descendent of the family, John Bright, allowed the property to be used for parliamentary forces when Sheffield Castle was under seige in 1644
In 1855, the hall was used as a public house and despite having numerous owners since, remained a popular boozer until it closed permanently in 2017.
A planning officer’s report has approved the plans before the proposals are heard before a committee next week. The report said: “The scheme will bring an important Grade II-listed building, which has been subject to deterioration and vandalism, back into a viable use thereby sustaining its future. The use will secure public access to the historic ground floor rooms and it will be accessible by the local community which is an objective of listing it as an asset of community value.
“The building will be restored with repairs to stonework, windows, ceilings and roofs being undertaken. The special character of the interior spaces will be preserved. Unsympathetic modern extensions will be removed and replaced with a simple contemporary extension which will be smaller and a significant improvement over the existing extensions revealing more of the listed building.”
The new proposals, submitted by DLP Planning on behalf of the owner West Street Leisure, have been submitted to the council. The historic parts of the building will be retained and restored. A report on the proposals stated: “The plans will not significantly harm the significance of the building and would provide a viable use for the building of public benefit.”
A drive-through Starbucks is planned for the bottom floor, with the first floor of the building to be used as a training room.
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