£300m Sheffield city centre development set to support up to 8,000 new jobs

An official bolt tightening event has taken place to celebrate a major construction milestone in the first phase delivery of West Bar in Sheffield city centre.

West Bar is a £300m, award-winning development that is transforming a strategically important gateway site in Sheffield to provide one million sq ft of mixed-use space.

This includes 500,000 sq ft of new Grade A workspace, residential apartments, new high quality public realm, multi storey car parking, together with new retail and leisure uses. As well as providing much needed new housing, it will deliver the city’s largest office floorplates whilst supporting up to 8,000 new jobs.

Senior officials from project funder Legal & General visited the site to view progress on the steel frame superstructure for the first 100,000 sq ft office building, No.1 West Bar, which is expected to be completed by June 2024. Construction is also well underway for the two residential blocks to provide 368 build to rent apartments.

Urbo (West Bar) Ltd, a joint venture between Urbo Regeneration and Peveril Securities (the development arm of the Bowmer and Kirkland Group) secured £160m of funding from Legal & General in the largest single city centre investment deal Sheffield has ever seen.

It has awarded a £94m construction contract to Bowmer & Kirkland to deliver the first phase to include West Bar Square, which will be the heart of the commercial public realm area and Soho Yard which will serve the residential BTR apartments.

As part of the agreed deal between Legal & General and Urbo, a second 100,000 sq ft office building will be delivered to follow No.1 West Bar Square. A new 450 space multi-storey car park is also part of the first phase with around 300 cycle storage spaces and electric car charging points.

Gordon Aitchison, director of investment and development at Legal & General Investment Management Real Assets, commented: “It’s fantastic to see such momentum at Sheffield West Bar as we continue in partnership with Urbo, Sheffield City Council, and the local community.

“The delivery of West Bar will provide a vibrant new quarter for the centre of Sheffield; bringing much-needed new homes, jobs, and regeneration.

“With the need for investment in our UK towns and cities ever-increasing, Legal & General remains committed to using dynamic partnerships to spark regeneration and secure the economic prosperity of socially important schemes.”

Phil Doyle, director 5plus Architects, added: “5plus have been masterplanner and architect for the West Bar development since its inception in 2011.

“Large scale regeneration takes time and requires perseverance, in order that we collectively achieve a long term benefit for the City, rather than short term gains for just a part of it, in support for this endeavour Sheffield has itself invested heavily in the opportunity.

“We are proud of our continuing role in delivering this regionally significant mixed use project, and excited to be moving ever closer to the finished buildings and public spaces.”

By Matthew Neville – Senior Correspondent, Bdaily

• Add me on LinkedIn and Twitter to keep up to date
• And follow Bdaily on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn
• Submit press releases to editor@bdaily.co.uk for consideration.

Looking to promote your product/service to SME businesses in your region? Find out how Bdaily can help →