The community surrounding Birley Moor Crescent are worried about plans surrounding the new development of flats where The Frecheville pub once was.
In 2021, the pub was demolished and Labour Councillor Karen McGowan told YorkshireLive that the members of the local community and council were not properly informed that the pub was being knocked down.
A planning application for the site states that there will be a “three-storey building comprising 11 apartments with an ancillary car park providing 17 spaces, a bin store, private amenity space and associated landscaping works.”
Although the pub closed its doors for business in 2010, many in the community feel as though they have been treated unfairly.
An anonymous source who lives in the area said: “This hasn’t been thought through properly nor have existing residents been thought of.”
They also added that the residents already living there struggle to find “safe and secure” parking spaces and are concerned that this new development of flats will lead to higher volumes of traffic leading to damage to property and vehicles.
The anonymous source stated: “They just want to make more money and forget the existing residents that have already paid in to the area.”
In the comments of the planning application on the Sheffield City Council website, the Sheffield branch of CAMRA, The Campaign for Real Ale, compared the situation to a similar one in London concerning The Carlton Tavern, suggesting that Sheffield City Council should rebuild the pub as Westminster Council did when The Carlton was demolished unlawfully.
Other residents left comments that were more concerned with the problems the new flats would bring.
A resident of Birley Moor Avenue voiced concern about noise and car pollution claiming “the roads will become car parks.”
Privacy for the surrounding houses seemed to be a big issue for current residents as one homeowner on Birley Moor Crescent admitted they will be “on full view” to the flats when in their front garden and compared it to “being in a goldfish bowl not only in my property but also the garden area.’
Another resident from Birley Moor Crescent said they weren’t “adverse to improving the site” but felt as though residents privacy was “ill considered.”
