Innovation centre for Sheffield's Castle House gets the green light

A £3m funding deal between Sheffield City Council and regeneration company U+I has been completed, paving the way for the creation of a digital incubator to be opened at Castle House, the Grade II-listed 1960s former Co-op department store at Castlegate.

It is expected that the refurbishment of the building and the fit-out of new facility at Castle House will be complete and ready for occupation in early 2019.

U+I, which owns the building, has appointed Sheffield-based Kollider Projects as the delivery partner for the new facility, which will offer co-working facilities and a range of business support services.

Richard Upton, deputy chief executive of U+I said: “We are delighted to have completed this deal and look forward to working with our partners to creating an vibrant, collaborative and economically important destination at Castle House.”

Margot James MP, minister for digital and the creative industries, said: “This new tech hub will give Sheffield’s cutting-edge creative and digital businesses a fantastic space to collaborate and innovate.”

Sheffield City Council was granted more than £3m funding by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) in 2015 to establish a new facility providing work space, business incubation and other services for entrepreneurs and small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) who rely on digital technologies and their applications.

The majority of the funding will go into the Castle House venture.