Moorfoot: Sheffield City Council urged to flatten building and re-establish link with London Road

By David Walsh
Published 21st Mar 2023, 06:20 BST
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Star readers are clear about what should happen to the giant Moorfoot city council office.

They also think it's ugly, unsuitable for conversion, riddled with rats and the city centre has enough flats. Scores commented on a story about the city council moving staff out by the end of June. A decision on its future has not been made.

Luke Ashmore wrote: “It needs to be taken down. It's completely unfit to turn into housing. Joining London Road with The Moor would be much better use of the space, removing a giant obstacle that has cut off the lower end of the city centre would surely help with the regeneration of London Road area. It should never have been built there in the first place.”

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Paul Bramall: “Who else but the council would get planning permission to build something in the middle of the road?”

Before Moorfoot was built, traffic came from The Moor, across St Mary's Gate and on to London Road, as our photo from February 1978 shows.Before Moorfoot was built, traffic came from The Moor, across St Mary's Gate and on to London Road, as our photo from February 1978 shows.
Before Moorfoot was built, traffic came from The Moor, across St Mary's Gate and on to London Road, as our photo from February 1978 shows.

Neil Whitehouse: “No more flats. If you can't find an appropriate use for it demolish it.”

Katherine Mitchell agreed: “Sheffield city centre doesn't need yet more flats...SHOPS, it needs shops, to bring people into it.”

Andrew Brewster: “University accommodation written all over it.”

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Gavin Mark: “It will be converted into student accommodation. With a Tesco Extra on the ground level.”

Sheffield City Council plans to turn the bottom of The Moor into a residential zone and its office block, which dominates the area, could be 700 flats.Sheffield City Council plans to turn the bottom of The Moor into a residential zone and its office block, which dominates the area, could be 700 flats.
Sheffield City Council plans to turn the bottom of The Moor into a residential zone and its office block, which dominates the area, could be 700 flats.

Mark Stevenson: “Make a perfect hospital would that.”

Natalie Atkin: “Knowing when it was built it will probably have something nasty in the building itself. I've been in and it feels very like a dungeon, loads of corridors, the whole building is very claustrophobic.”

@Indyclone77: “It'll need significant work, ceilings barely accommodate anyone over 6ft on most floors.”

Dave @DRH_7: “It was riddled with mice when I worked there 15 years ago, needs levelling!”

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A 1970s scene showing a derelict area at the bottom of the Moor and a roundabout at the junction of St Mary's Gate and London Road. In the background, Cemetery Road heads straight up the hill.A 1970s scene showing a derelict area at the bottom of the Moor and a roundabout at the junction of St Mary's Gate and London Road. In the background, Cemetery Road heads straight up the hill.
A 1970s scene showing a derelict area at the bottom of the Moor and a roundabout at the junction of St Mary's Gate and London Road. In the background, Cemetery Road heads straight up the hill.

Feezy @owl_s6: “Hope they sort out the infestations. It’s grim in there.”

Deborah McCormack: “Used to work there but wouldn't want to live there. By the time the civil service left it was a rat infested hole, couldn't believe (yeah, I could!) that the council bought it.”

Jim P. Hewitt: “Had my first proper job after uni there. The toilets stunk, it had rats and it was freezing in winter and boiling in summer. But I loved it.”

Sandra Waterhouse: “So many happy memories of working here. And the parties!! So many people in the area have worked here.”

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Darren Padley: “Started my first job there in 1982 when it was Manpower Services Commission. There was a gym, snooker and pool room, squash court, the infamous bar, conference suite, executive suite and built-in car park. Very much a building ahead of its time.”

Sheffield City Council plans to turn the bottom of The Moor into a residential zone and its office block, which dominates the area, could be turned into 700 flats. The authority wants an extra 20,000 'homes' in the city centre to create vitality and vibrancy. The ambition has already triggered investment.

Sheffield Liberal Democrats have urged the council to ‘crack on’ with leaving Moorfoot. Moving out would save the council £2.5m-a-year on energy and maintenance and create about 700 flats. Council offices such as Moorfoot have been used less since the Covid-19 pandemic. Staff working in the building will be moved to offices in the Town Hall and Howden House.