Sheaf House, Sheffield

Sheaf House was a prominent nine-story tower located by Sheaf Square, adjacent to Sheffield railway station in the heart of Sheffield, South Yorkshire. Originally constructed as the Sheffield area headquarters for British Rail, Sheaf House was an important administrative building in the city.

The site of Sheaf House was previously occupied by the Pond Street Goods station, which was closed on 7 October 1961. After the closure, the land was cleared in 1963 to make way for the new office building. Sheaf House was completed in 1965 and was notable for its reinforced concrete frame, finished with contemporary metal and glass cladding, reflecting the modern architectural trends of the time. The building became the new workplace for 500 staff, who were relocated from the Midland Railway’s former offices at Norfolk House. It also consolidated line control offices from Rotherham Westgate and Victoria, establishing Sheaf House as British Rail's Sheffield Division headquarters.

Despite its initial importance, Sheaf House was eventually demolished in late 2005 as part of the redevelopment of Sheaf Square. The demolition was featured on Channel 4's television program "Demolition." Before its demolition, several refurbishment proposals had been considered, including plans to convert the building into a 180-bedroom hotel. However, none of these proposals came to fruition.

The current plans for the site, along with the adjacent Dyson House site, involve a futuristic mixed-use development designed by Make Architects, led by Ken Shuttleworth, known for designing the iconic Swiss Re (Gherkin) in London. This redevelopment is partially funded by EU regeneration grants and Yorkshire Forward and is part of the Heart of the City master plan aimed at revitalizing the area. The site now forms part of the E-campus development, situated on the former Sheaf Baths site opposite the railway station and adjacent to the Pond Street bus station.