News: Initial Repair Works Commence on Site

26 February 2025

S1 Artspace Commences Initial Works on Grade II Heritage Premises with Pinnacle Conservation

Yorkshire-based heritage specialists Pinnacle Conservation have commenced initial repair works on S1 Artpace’s new Grade II listed premises on Haymarket in Sheffield city centre. This important first step will ensure the building remains watertight and structurally sound while detailed designs for its full restoration are developed.

Following a competitive tender process in November 2024, Pinnacle Conservation was appointed to undertake these essential works, which is being project managed by Sheffield-based quantity surveying firm Rider Levett Bucknall. The works focus on addressing water ingress, making the building safe, and removing redundant 1960s additions, including false ceilings and partitions. It also includes the removal of asbestos, ensuring the site is ready for its next stage of redevelopment.

Commenting on the project, Andy Hare, Construction Manager at Pinnacle Conservation, said: “Preserving our built heritage is incredibly important, and we have been fortunate to work on some of Yorkshire’s most significant historic buildings, including York Theatre Royal, Wentworth Woodhouse, and Castle Howard. We are delighted to be working on the restoration of the former Yorkshire Bank on Haymarket and contributing to the wider regeneration of the Castlegate area.”

Louise Hutchinson, Strategic Director for the project, added: “Over recent years, the building has suffered from deterioration due to prolonged water ingress. As a Grade II listed heritage site in Sheffield city centre, we felt it was essential to undertake immediate repairs to prevent further damage while we continue to develop the design and secure funding for its full restoration.”

Works commenced in February 2025 and are expected to be complete by late spring. Once these initial repairs are undertaken, S1 Artspace will open part of the ground floor to the public, inviting visitors to view and provide feedback on the project’s initial designs as part of a wider public consultation process.

Cllr Ben Miskell, Chair of the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee at Sheffield City Council, commented: “We’re really excited about the improvements in Castlegate as part of our wider transformation of the city centre. With Harmony Works securing £8.2 million from The Heritage Lottery Fund and Arts Council England to transform Canada House, alongside the significant progress at the Castle site—the birthplace of our city. The initial works starting at the former Yorkshire Bank mark another exciting step in regenerating Castlegate and expanding Sheffield’s cultural and heritage offer.”

S1 Artspace’s new home will play a key role in the broader cultural regeneration of Castlegate, complementing nearby cultural and heritage projects. Further details on the next stages of the project and public consultation events will be shared in the coming months.