Fourth Wall Building Consultancy, the award-winning Sheffield-based building firm, has this month unveiled
the completion of a major new development they carried out for local youth charity Chilypep, of which former Home Secretary David Blunkett is a Patron.
The £1 million project represents a significant investment in the future of young people and the wider community in the Parson Cross area of Sheffield, where Chilypep are based, reinforcing Fourth Wall’s commitment to delivering impactful, sustainable developments across the city. It has already earned recognition in the sector, receiving Highly Commended Sustainable Development at the Inside Media Yorkshire Property Industry Awards.
Fourth Wall worked closely with Chilypep to ensure the finished centre met the needs of their service users, whilst ensuring the development aligned with their ethical and environmentally friendly principles.
Instead of opting for a costly demolition and rebuild, Fourth Wall instead refurbished and extended Chilypep’s existing building, a former GP surgery. As well as leading to financial and time savings for the charity, this approach also created a 60% carbon saving.
Sustainability was a driving factor throughout this project. Beyond the refurbishment itself, the team incorporated an air-source heat pump, providing significant energy efficiency compared to traditional gas boilers, and installed solar panels to further reduce the building’s environmental impact.
The project was made possible with funding from the Youth Investment Fund. Fourth Wall worked closely with Chilypep to submit their successful funding bid, ensuring that the project met the fund’s rigorous standards.
For Joshua Weston MRICS, who is Co-Founder and Lead Director at Fourth Wall Building Consultancy, and who was named RICS Young Building Surveyor of the Year 2022, this
project was one of significant importance to him. Having been born and raised in Sheffield, Joshua wanted to ensure young people in the city were provided with the opportunities they deserved and had access to the vital services and support they needed.
Joshua Weston said: “Being a Sheffield-based company, and having lived here my whole life, this project was one I was particularly passionate about. As a company, we are always looking for our developments to contribute to the growth and wellbeing of our local communities. The transformation of the Chilypep centre has been really rewarding to be part of, and the immediate, positive impact that it’s had has filled the whole team with great pride.
The decision to focus on refurbishment and extension was a key element, with us wanting to ensure this was a truly sustainable and community-focused development. Our team particularly loved working with the young people and hearing their ideas to create a space for them to use and enjoy. From ensuring an accessible and inclusive design, to installing energy-efficient systems, this project was a true partnership reflective of both Fourth Wall and Chilypep’s values.
The completed centre stands as a testament to our commitment to creating spaces that respond to community needs. Beyond being a youth club, the centre now features a purpose-built IT suite, a sports hall, and accessible spaces for young people with special educational needs. Crucially, it also acts as a food bank, and offers counselling and career services, addressing a significant gap in the area’s community resources.
We understand that the heart of any successful community project lies in the people it serves. From the early design stages, we collaborated with the young people who would use the centre, incorporating their ideas and feedback into every aspect of the design. Their input helped guide everything from the initial demolition preparations to the final landscaping, ensuring the centre truly reflects their aspirations.
The project involved a complete transformation of the former building, formerly a residential house and then a GP surgery. The building’s interior was transformed to maximize accessibility and inclusivity. This included the addition of a new reception area, extensive accessibility upgrades throughout the building, and a restructuring of office spaces to maximize areas for young people and service users.”
Lesley Pollard, CEO of Chilypep, added, “The new youth and community centre has been a long-held goal, and we’d like to express deep thanks to Fourth Wall for their dedication and collaboration with this project. We are also really proud to have had the young people and the wider community we serve at the heart of this, inputting into the design and ensuring that the centre meets their needs. The centre offers crucial services and a place for them to grow, develop, and feel supported.”
