Former lunatic asylum to be developed into leisure complex

A former lunatic asylum may not sound like the most appealing of buildings to develop into a pub or restaurant, but a redevelopment opportunity in...

A former lunatic asylum may not sound like the most appealing of buildings to develop into a pub or restaurant, but a redevelopment opportunity in Sheffield is being marketed as exactly that.

Kingswood Ward, in the grounds of the former Middlewood Hospital in the city, is 7,000sq m of property on a 2.6-acre site.

The building, which was once a lunatic asylum, dates from 1878 and is thought to have been designed by architect Bernard Hartley, who was responsible for the rest of the hospital.

The rest of the former hospital site is being redeveloped by a number of house building companies so any leisure development on Kingswood Ward would have a solid customer base.

Nigel Tapp, associate director with Chesterton which is handling the sale, said: "Subject to the necessary consents, Kingswood Ward is an exciting opportunity for redevelopment for leisure uses. The building has a rather sombre history but nevertheless has great potential for conversion. Across the country many former hospital sites are being converted in innovative schemes and we hope this will be the case here."