The Sportsman Darnall: Plans to convert former Sheffield pub into a 19-bed property sparks complaints

The Sportsman on Darnall Road in Darnall closed around a year ago and the pub has been empty since. But plans have been submitted to convert the building into a new 19-bed HMO with a single-storey side extension and associated works.

The planning application states that while the ground floor was a pub, the first and second floors had already been used as a nine-bedroom HMO, providing bed and breakfast accommodation. A HMO is a property rented out by at least three people who are not from a single household but share facilities like the bathroom and kitchen.

The application, submitted to Sheffield Council by a Mr G Salmons, states that the planned HMO would be ‘sui generis’ – a legal term meaning ‘of its own kind or class’ – and some residents are concerned by the lack of detail about who might be living there.

There have been 18 objections filed with the council, with no one writing in support of the plans. One person wrote that ‘nobody has informed ANY local homeowners who the housing is for and the people it is aimed at’. They added: “I live the closest to the property and not once has anyone spoken to us about the type of people we will have next to us.” They also voiced concerns about the size of the accommodation, saying the number of rooms and people living there meant it would be too ‘cramped’.

Other complainants voiced concerns that the plans could affect property prices, that a large HMO was unsuitable for an ‘already crowded neighbourhood’, that there was a lack of car parking provided and that there was ‘potential for anti-social behaviour’ given the number of tenants and the proximity to a park where many children play.

One resident who contacted The Star but asked not to be named said the pub car park had previously become a ‘focal point’ for drug dealing when the pub was shut during lockdown. She described the pub's closure as a ‘massive loss’ to the community as it had been a popular watering hole, with events including bingo, karaoke and other live entertainment.

Planning documents state that the occupants of 18 surrounding properties have been notified about the plans, but one resident said many people who could be affected had not been informed.

The Star has attempted to contact Space Studio Ltd, which is listed as the agent for the applicant.