After years of neglect, the Old Town Hall in Castlegate could finally be re-imagined after plans were submitted for the Grade II-listed to be renovated into apartments, a hotel and a ground floor marketplace.
The former cell block rooms at the Old Town Hall would be converted into 12 ‘pod’ hotel rooms and the upper floors would be converted into apartments with access to communal roof terraces.
The proposed plans for the ‘souk’ – traditionally a Middle-Eastern and North African marketplace – would involve knocking in the walls of the lower floors, but not before urgent repairs are made to the building.
Charles Dunn, associate at Urbana Town Planning, which drew up the plans on behalf of the new owners Aestrom OTH, said: “We are delighted to have submitted this planning application on behalf of our client Aestrom OTH. The Old Town Hall is one of Sheffield city centre’s most important heritage buildings and everyone involved in this project understands that we have a responsibility to take care of this much-loved asset and reverse its recent decline.
“The plan for the building is to create 12 high quality serviced apartments on the upper floors, with a boutique marketplace of characterful commercial spaces at the ground and lower ground floor, which could be used as cafés, bars, shops or work spaces. The former cells will be converted to create 12 pod hotel rooms, which, when open, will surely provide one of the most unique places to stay in the city centre.”
To view the plans, search ’19/03052/FUL’ on Sheffield Council’s planning portal.
