'Fantastic' progress on Sheffield's £300m West Bar development hailed by project backer Legal & General

The overall development will eventually provide one million sq ft of space on brownfield land on the outskirts of Sheffield city centre, including 500,000 sq ft of new Grade A workspace, residential apartments, multi storey car parking, as well as retail and leisure facilities.

The Legal & General team have 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 £160 million of funding from Legal & General in the largest single city centre investment deal Sheffield has ever seen.

It has awarded a £94 million 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. Connectivity into the surrounding walking and cycling routes is incorporated to encourage more sustainable travel.

Gordon Aitchison, Director of Investment and Development at Legal & General Investment Management Real Assets, said: “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.”

Peter Swallow, Managing Director at Urbo, added: “We are delighted to reach this significant milestone at West Bar, a strategically important project that will heavily support job creation and economic growth for Sheffield City Region.

"It is incredible to witness how far Bowmer & Kirkland have progressed with three great structures already making a prominent stamp on the city skyline and even more exciting to realise that completion is just ten months away.”

The West Bar neighbourhood is prominently located on the Inner Ring Road between Sheffield’s Kelham Island, Cathedral and Castlegate Quarters.

No.1 West Bar Square will provide eight storeys of office space, as well as a roof terrace offering panoramic views across the city and retail accommodation at ground floor.

Surrounding public realm, West Bar Square will become a landscaped focal point of the project.