£300M steel-framed expansion of Sheffield’s Meadowhall shopping centre revealed

British Land, joint owner of the large Meadowhall shopping centre in Sheffield, has revealed plans for a new steel-framed leisure hall at the site.

The plans represent the single biggest investment in Meadowhall since it opened more than 25 years ago. At over £300M, the proposals are also one of the largest investments in the Sheffield City Region for a decade and will create over 1,000 jobs.

Comprising 30,600m² of space, the proposed leisure hall will add a range of dining and entertainment experiences not currently available at the centre.

These will include new restaurants, a state-of-the-art cinema, a new café court, gym, and other leisure space that could be used to offer everything from ten-pin bowling to indoor golf.

Housed under a large glazed roof, the steel-framed leisure hall will integrate with the existing centre to create a new multi-levelled, landscaped mall with high quality internal and external spaces for promotional and community uses. It has also been designed to accommodate large outdoor events including live music.

British Land Head of Retail and Leisure Charles Maudsley, said: “We are continuing to drive Meadowhall’s evolution to ensure it remains an outstanding place for modern consumer lifestyles. This significant step change in the scheme’s leisure provision will contribute to Sheffield’s continuation as a driving force behind the Northern Powerhouse. This is a very exciting time and we look forward to working with Sheffield City Council to help ensure Sheffield’s future success.”

A detailed planning application for the leisure hall will be submitted in late summer 2016, following extensive consultation with local stakeholders. If the proposals are approved, British Land hopes to start on site during 2018 and open the leisure hall to visitors in late 2020 or early 2021.