Mosborough Co-op: Controversial near-finished supermarket in Yorkshire village set to be rebuilt

A planned new Central Co-op store in Mosborough on the outskirts of Sheffield has stood empty for months after council officials deemed in January there had been “unlawful” changes to the design of the building with an “unacceptable reduction in design quality” compared to what was agreed at the planning stage.

The council has now issued an enforcement notice ordering the developer to either demolish the building entirely or rebuild it in accordance with the proposals originally given planning permission. The company has until May 24 to appeal before a nine-month deadline for making the changes begins.

Developer Bar 24 Ltd has now confirmed to The Yorkshire Post it intends to submit a new planning application “shortly” for the site to address the council’s concerns.

A spokesperson said: “The building is being changed and altered following the concerns raised by the council.”

Bar 24 Ltd did not respond to a further question about whether the intended changes will entail the existing structure being fully knocked down or if they are based on modifying the current building.

A spokesperson for Sheffield Council said it is possible the enforcement notice could be withdrawn depending on the progress of a new planning application and the existing issues then being resolved.

“Officers from Sheffield City Council have been working with the applicant with a view to addressing the issues laid out in the enforcement notice and they will continue to do so.

“If a planning application is submitted that is later approved, and the requirements of the enforcement notice are thereafter complied with, the notice would no longer be relevant and would be withdrawn.”

A spokesperson for Central Co-op said: “With regard to the Mosborough site development, it is our understanding that there is a conversation happening between the developer and planners, and we are unable to move forward until a resolution is found.”

The new shop had proved controversial even before this planning issue.

It stands on the site of the former Royal Oak pub, which was pulled down without planning permission three years ago.

The demolition happened months after toxic waste had been illegally dumped at the site, with chemicals contaminating a neighbouring house.

Bar 24 Ltd was subsequently given permission to build a new supermarket on the site, despite attempts to force the rebuilding of the pub.

The supermarket had been due to open early this year but a council inspection found the site did not match what had been agreed at planning.

The council report in January said changes to the original plans include the building being 6.5m tall rather than 5.1m which has had an “unacceptable” impact on a neighbouring property while the fascias have been constructed with lower-quality composite cladding instead of the weathered larch or cedar shown on the approved plans. The report also criticised the “poor workmanship” on the fascias and the unauthorised inclusion of a substation on the site.

The report also criticised the dropping of almost all eco-friendly measures that had been agreed.

It also listed 11 differences between drawings submitted with the planning application and what has actually been built.