Business school to open in city centre

The planned site in Balm Green

A business school with campuses in Croydon, Leicester and Birmingham, is to set up a base in Sheffield.

Fairfield School of Business will occupy a vacant floor of The Fountain Precinct building, at Balm Green near the City Hall.

Approving the plans, the city council was told there would be 150 students on site.

The school said it would also have about 30 full-time equivalent staff members.

Documents considered by Sheffield City Council's planning committee said: "The city centre site is said to represents a highly sustainable location with access to a range of frequent modes of public transport including buses, trams, and trains, expected to be the main transport option for users.

“The site is also easily accessible for cyclists with cycle racks provided on site.”

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the business school was founded in 2006 and specialises in business management, health and social care courses.

The new location in Sheffield would use the building's existing main entrance on Leopold Street.

The company's chief executive Mohammed Zaidi said: "Fairfield School of Business was a private higher education provider, and the need for additional educational premises was an essential priority”.

"The Sheffield campus is expected to provide the full-time equivalent of 30 staff," he added.

Teaching hours at the business will be between 08.30 and 21:00 Monday to Friday and 08:30 to 18:00 on Saturday.