The Energy Centre site is located on the south side of Bolsover Street adjacent to the University of Sheffield’s Chemistry Building. To the west, and raised above the application site, is the iconic Grade II* listed Arts Tower.

In May 2018, planning permission was initially obtained for a new Energy Centre. The early design incorporated four individual flues connected to an exhaust network to facilitate the combustion discharge produced from the Combined Heat and Power plant, boilers and generator within the Energy Centre. The flues ran vertically up the façade adjacent the Chemistry Building and exceeded the height of the building by 2 metres.

The project experienced a setback in December 2018, when an independent review concluded the flues needed to be extended to 45 meters in height to meet the new Environment Agency permit requirements. Concerns were raised by Historic England that four flues of this height would significantly impact the appearance of the Energy Centre, Chemistry Building and Grade II* listed Arts Tower and Library.

DLP Planning undertook an important role in liaising with Historic England to justify variations in design to ensure the development was ultimately deliverable. A new design for a single, self-supporting chimney was proposed, along with the introduction of a positive landscaping scheme to enhance the setting of the Grade II* listed buildings nearby. The proposals included removing parking to transform the Art’s Tower Court into a public space with upgraded pedestrian and cycling routes.

Historic England considered that the proposed enhancement works, and public benefit of the scheme outweighed the harm of the newly designed flue. Full planning permission was granted in support of the revised design.

The new Energy Centre is an important addition on to the University of Sheffields Western Bank campus. The Energy Centre provides an uninterrupted power supply to complex research experiments on campus but has taken advantage of the requirement to develop an innovative, high-quality building that has also enhanced the setting of the Arts Tower.