Association established to bolster Sheffield property

An artist's impression of New Era Square, the 'Chinatown' development in Sheffield, led by New Era Developments

Investors in Sheffield have established a Sheffield Property Association, the first of its kind to be founded outside of London.

The S-PA as it will be known, will focus on advocacy, research and networking in the built environment to help drive forward development and attract inward investment into the city and surrounding region.

Founding members include British Land, Urban Splash, and Scarborough Group International.

The association is modelled on the highly-regarded City Property Association and Westminster Property Association in the capital.

The proposed Â£300 million Meadowhall extension.

Property professionals behind the S-PA have been working with their counterparts from London to forge stronger links between the two cities.

The launch of the S-PA comes amidst a flurry of good news stories about the growth of Sheffield, with large amounts of in inward investment having been unveiled.

McLaren and Boeing have both announced they will be investing millions in the city’s Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District.

Meanwhile British Land has also unveiled plans for a £300m Leisure Hall at Meadowhall.

The nearby Olympic Legacy Park is rapidly becoming an internationally recognised Innovation District for health and wellbeing research and learning. And work has also commenced on a new landmark building in the city centre, which is to be occupied by HSBC and will form part of the Sheffield Retail Quarter.

A joint statement from the S-PA’s founders said: “We are delighted that Sheffield will be home to the first Property Association outside of London.

“The city is attracting more and more interest from investors. The city is undergoing a real transformation. The S-PA will work closely with the Council, City Region and other stakeholders to harness and accelerate that momentum.”

“The S-PA will not be another forum simply for discussion. We are committed to playing a positive and proactive role in the further growth of the city.”

Claire Barber, Head of Meadowhall for British Land, said: “We have a long history of investing in Sheffield and the wider city region through our joint ownership of Meadowhall, one of the strongest retail destinations in the UK.

“We recognise the value gained when the public and private sector work together, which is why we are very pleased to become one of the founding members of the Sheffield Property Association.”