Hoardings have been erected and preparatory work is under way as the University of Sheffield moves to clear a site close to the ring road for a new Central Teaching Laboratories building intended to modernise practical teaching across science, health and related subjects.
Landmark building to be removed
Among the structures earmarked for demolition is a well-known former bank branch on Hounsfield Road — latterly used as a Sainsbury’s Local — which sits near the university tram stop at Upper Hannover Street and Glossop Road. The building has not functioned as a bank since 2011 and ceased trading as a Sainsbury’s Local around six years ago.
The initial phase will include the closure of a university car park to allow the removal of a number of disused buildings and the installation, or "energisation", of a new electricity sub-station to serve the development. The university has stressed that Hounsfield Road will remain passable through the works.
Sustainability, records and reclamation
University statements emphasise that the properties in question have been held for many years but are no longer suitable for modern requirements. Project managers say sustainability considerations will be applied during demolition, with efforts made to salvage materials such as stone, setts and other reusable elements for potential reuse across the campus. A photographic record has also been taken to form part of a historic building survey.
“The University has owned these buildings for many years, but they are no longer suitable for modern use and are not needed for future activity. Sustainability will be considered throughout the demolition process and where possible, materials such as stone, setts and other reusable elements will be reclaimed for potential future use elsewhere on campus.”
Construction of the new laboratory complex is scheduled to begin in the new year. The university says the scheme is being developed to provide future cohorts of students with access to modern, flexible and high-quality practical teaching facilities that consolidate teaching currently delivered across several older campus buildings.
What is changing, and why it matters
The project has both practical and symbolic implications. Practically, a consolidated laboratory building aims to improve teaching efficiency and ensure that facilities meet contemporary standards for laboratory safety, equipment and pedagogy. Symbolically, the removal of familiar street-front buildings will alter a recognisable city-centre landmark and prompt local interest in how the university balances campus renewal with heritage conservation.
Local observers should note the university's intention to reuse materials where feasible and the existence of a photographic historic record, measures that seek to mitigate the loss of built fabric. Nonetheless, demolition of a once-familiar commercial frontage will be a visible change for residents and commuters around the ring road and tram interchange.
- Site: Hounsfield Road, near Upper Hannover Street and Glossop Road
- Immediate works: Hoardings erected; car park closure; demolition of disused buildings; energisation of a new sub-station
- Timeline: Preparatory work now; construction due to start in the new year
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Buildings to be removed | Former HSBC branch (later Sainsbury’s Local) and other disused university-owned properties |
| Sustainability approach | Reclamation of materials where possible; photographic historic survey undertaken |
| Purpose of new building | Centralise and modernise practical teaching for science, health and related subjects |
As the university prepares to consolidate practical teaching in a single, contemporary space, the project will be watched by national higher education observers interested in how institutions upgrade ageing estate while addressing sustainability and community impact. For students, staff and local residents, the coming months will see a familiar streetscene transformed to make way for what the university describes as the next generation of teaching facilities.
Work on the new Central Teaching Laboratories forms part of a broader trend in UK universities to invest in specialist teaching infrastructure, reflecting evolving pedagogic needs in laboratory-based disciplines and the practical demands of research-led education.
