New mixed-use scheme for Sheffield city centre

Outline planning consent has been granted for Sheffield’s £175M mixed-use West Bar Square development, an ambitious regeneration scheme which will create up to 5,000 jobs.

Permission has been granted by the city council for delivery of a flexible master plan comprising up to 130,000m² of prominent city centre space with frontage to Sheffield’s inner relief road.

Local developers, Urbo Regeneration, can now continue to progress negotiations with potential occupiers and investors for the proposed offices, high quality apartment blocks, a four-star hotel, restaurants, and retail units to be constructed on the site.

The granting of outline planning consent for West Bar Square represents another significant step forward for both the scheme and regeneration of Sheffield’s Riverside Business District. The area is already home to some 3,500 jobs with employers such as the Home Office, Courts, Irwin Mitchell and other large occupiers.

Last year it was announced that Peveril Securities, the development arm of Bowmer & Kirkland Group, had been secured as the delivery partner for West Bar Square.

It is envisaged that more than half of the scheme will be steel-framed office space, providing jobs for up to 5,000 workers. It is anticipated that West Bar Square will deliver large floorplate modern office space, currently lacking within the Sheffield property market, with the aim of attracting further major private and public sector employers to Sheffield city centre.

Urbo Regeneration Managing Director Peter Swallow said: “The granting of outline planning consent represents another key milestone for the West Bar Square project and brings this ambitious scheme closer to delivery. Working in partnership with our delivery partner, Peveril Securities, I am confident we will be able to secure occupiers and investors and move forward with detailed planning applications for individual buildings in 2017.”