Music hub plans submitted for listed building

Plans have been lodged for the redevelopment of a historic building in Sheffield city centre to create a new music hub.Sheffield Music Academy has submitted full planning and listed building applications to Sheffield City Council for the conversion of the grade II*-listed Canada House on Commercial Street.The building was constructed in 1875 for the Sheffield United Gas Company and continued to be used as offices by the gas board until 1972.It was converted into a nightclub and pub in the 1980s.The council served an urgent works notice to effect repairs to the building’s owner in 1996, and ownership was subsequently secured by English Partnerships, the government’s regeneration agency.It was most recently used as a head office by owner Panache Lingerie, with a Chinese buffet on the ground floor.The proposed ‘Harmony Works’ development, from Sheffield Music Academy and Sheffield Music Hub, aims to create a home for music education in the region.Planning permission is sought for the refurbishment, change of use and extension of the building.The proposed development would include a performance space for an audience of 300, two rehearsal rooms accommodating 80 musicians, 15 smaller ensemble rehearsal rooms, 20 individual practice rooms and a substantial instrument store.A design and access statement submitted with the plans said the project aims to “bring together the city’s two main deliverers of music education with their partners in one more accessible place” and “strengthen existing and build new partnerships with like-minded organisations”.It is also expected to “create jobs during project delivery and post-project operation” and “bring back into civic use a listed building in the heart of Castlegate and contribute to the regeneration of Castlegate as a thriving cultural quarter”.The design was developed by Live Projects, an initiative at the School of Architecture at the University of Sheffield.The project team also includes Evans Vettori Architects, Creative Heritage, Arup, Hepworth Acoustics, Ridge and Alan Wood & Partners.Sheffield Music Hub is a partnership of education and music organisations, led by Sheffield City Council, which provides music education to 176 schools and 80,000 children across the city. SMA is one of 15 Centres for Advanced Music Training in the UK, funded by the Department for Education’s Music & Dance Scheme.