Transforming a Former GP Surgery into a Sustainable Community Hub

FTD were appointed to deliver the £1 million refurbishment and extension of the Chilypep Youth & Community Hub in Sheffield, transforming a former GP surgery into a modern, accessible and sustainable facility for young people and the wider community. Working in partnership with Fourth Wall Building Consultancy, the project was delivered over a 16-week programme under a JCT Design & Build contract. The completed development provides a range of flexible spaces designed around the needs of young people while significantly improving the capacity, accessibility and environmental performance of the existing building.​

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Project Overview

Client: Fourth Wall
Project: Chilypep Youth & Community Hub
Location: Sheffield
Sector: Community Youth
Project Value: £1,000,000
Form of Contract: JCT Design & Build
Programme Duration: 16 Weeks
Scope of Works: Refurbishment & Extension of Existing Community Facility

The Brief

The project involved transforming a former GP surgery into a purpose-built youth and community hub capable of supporting Chilypeps growing services across Sheffield and South Yorkshire. The new facility needed to provide flexible spaces for youth activities, wellbeing and counselling services, IT facilities, community use and sports provision while creating an inclusive and welcoming environment for everyone using the building. The project was supported through the Government-backed Youth Investment Fund, with local young people directly involved in shaping the development to ensure the finished facility reflected the needs of those who would ultimately use it.

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The Challenge​​

A key objective of the project was to maximise the potential of the existing building rather than demolishing it and starting again. This required the existing former GP surgery to be extensively refurbished and adapted while incorporating new extensions to increase the overall capacity and functionality of the facility. Sustainability was also central to the project, requiring careful consideration of the existing structure alongside the integration of modern renewable energy technologies and improvements to the buildings long-term energy performance.​

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Our Solution

FTD delivered a comprehensive refurbishment and extension programme, retaining and enhancing the existing structure while creating a modern internal environment designed specifically around Chilypeps requirements. The internal refurbishment created flexible youth spaces alongside dedicated wellbeing and counselling rooms, IT facilities, community areas and spaces suitable for sports and other activities. Extensions were constructed to increase the buildings usable space and provide the additional capacity required to support Chilypeps services. Accessibility improvements were incorporated throughout the development to ensure the completed building provided an inclusive and future-ready environment for young people and the wider community. Sustainability formed an important part of the construction strategy. By retaining and improving the existing building rather than demolishing and rebuilding it, the project achieved an estimated 60% reduction in embodied carbon. The environmental performance of the facility was further enhanced through the installation of solar panels and an air source heat pump, helping reduce energy consumption and support the long-term sustainability of the building.​

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Scope Of Works

• Refurbishment and extension of a former GP surgery

• Transformation into a modern youth and community facility

• Construction of new extensions to increase capacity

• Creation of flexible youth and activity spaces

• Wellbeing and counselling facilities

• IT and community facilities

• Sports provision

• Accessibility improvements throughout

• Retention and enhancement of the existing building

• Solar panel installation

• Air source heat pump installation

• Sustainable construction and energy-efficiency improvements

• Design & Build project delivery

• Project management and coordination

Project Highlights

•  £1 million refurbishment and extension

• 16-week construction programme

• JCT Design & Build contract

• Former GP surgery successfully repurposed

• Approximately 60% reduction in embodied carbon compared with demolition and rebuilding

• Renewable energy technologies incorporated

• Solar panels and air source heat pump installed

• Improved accessibility and inclusivity

• Flexible spaces for youth, education and community use

• Delivered in partnership with Fourth Wall Building Consultancy

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The Outcome

The completed Chilypep Youth & Community Hub has transformed an existing building into a modern, sustainable and welcoming facility that will support young people across Sheffield and South Yorkshire for years to come.

By retaining and enhancing the original structure, the project successfully combined sustainability with high-quality refurbishment, achieving an estimated 60% reduction in embodied carbon while creating significantly improved facilities for the local
community. Delivered within a 16-week programme, the project demonstrates FTD's ability to deliver substantial community refurbishment and Design & Build projects while combining construction expertise, sustainability, accessibility and high-quality workmanship to create facilities with a lasting positive impact.