Worries over delays to Sheffield College Peaks Campus reopening plan

Coun Glynis Chapman, who represents Mosborough ward, raised the issue at Sheffield City Council’s finance committee yesterday (June 19). Sheffield College announced in December that it was going to reopen its Peaks Campus at Crystal Peaks as a specialist centre for young people who have high needs.

The campus, which the college closed in September 2023 despite local protests, is due to reopen in September. In the long term it will have capacity for around 300 high-needs Sheffield students aged 16 to 24.

The college said that courses will prepare students for adulthood, independence, employment and community participation.

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Protesters who opposed the campus closure said that it was a vital service for students with special needs and the only local further education centre in the area. Some courses were moved as far away as the Hillsborough campus.

A list of project updates in a report to the committee simply says: “Scheme delayed due to change in delivery mechanism as Academy Trust now want to carry out the feasibility.”

Worried

Coun Chapman said: “I know that we have spent £112,000 on a feasibility study at Peaks College to provide this SEND education.

“I have had an update otherwise at a LAC [local area committee] but now to see that everything’s been delayed while the academy trust now do a different feasibility study, I’m rather worried that they’re going to be coming to us for more money, and I hope that’s not going to be the case.

“We’ve already spent quite a bit of money updating the college to provide SEND education for 300 pupils and in this first year we’re only going to take in 50 new ones anyway, so I don’t know why they’re slowing everything down and doing another feasibility study themselves.”

Council finance manager Damian Watkinson responded: “Originally we as a council were going to carry out the refurbs but now the college are going to do that.”

He added: “I wouldn’t expect to se a larger request for funding but that would be managed by the [council] commissioning team and Sheffield College.”

Coun Chapman responded: “Watch this space, then.”