Sheffield West Bar scheme will act as a ‘big piece of the jigsaw’ in city centre’s regeneration, say developers

The West Bar project represents the long-awaited redevelopment of a prominent seven-acre brownfield site on the Inner Ring Road between Sheffield’s Kelham Island, Cathedral and Castlegate Quarters.

Senior officials from Sheffield City Council, Urbo (West Bar) Ltd, and Legal and General, which are all stakeholders in the significant regeneration project, attended a ceremony held to mark the occasion on Thursday.

Speaking to The Yorkshire Post at the ceremony, Peter Swallow, managing director at Urbo, noted how the project will help to connect the city centre with the up and coming Kelham Island area of the Sheffield.

He said: “The project is a big piece of the jigsaw. Kelham has evolved and been regenerated over the last ten years, and has become a place which is very desirable and is very busy in an evening. This is a stepping stone which links the town centre to Kelham.

“Previously this area was a derelict industrial premises with a two metre high brick wall round it, so it was a place you didn't go. This scheme opens it all up.”

The event comes at a time when Sheffield city centre is undergoing a number of major changes.

Other projects include the £470m Heart of the City scheme, which has seen a number of major retail brands take space in the South side of the city centre. Sheffield’s Fargate is also set for major redevelopment after the city received £15.8m from the Future High Streets Fund.

The new West Bar development is set to comprise one million sq ft of mixed-use space including over 500,000 sq ft of office accommodation with amenities, public realm and hundreds of apartments. Developers also expect the project to create up to 8,000 new jobs when completed.

After many years in planning, the first phase was able to commence following a deal to secure £150 million funding from Legal & General. The agreement represents the largest private sector city centre investment deal that Sheffield has ever seen.

Kate Josephs, chief executive at Sheffield City Council, said :“Sheffield needs high quality, energy efficient office and commercial space so it’s great to see this development close to completion. West Bar is a prime example of what can be achieved through strong partnership between the public and private sector.”

Designed by architects 5plus with planning advice from Asteer Planning, No.1 West Bar Square acts as a gateway to West Bar. Featuring a contemporary, curved, curtain glass façade, it provides eight storeys of office floorplates up to 14,000 sq ft, a roof terrace and retail accommodation at ground floor. BNP Paribas Real Estate and Cushman & Wakefield have been appointed to market the space.

Soho Yard, another part of the project, offers 368 residential apartments within two buildings situated around a landscaped space and gardens with access via Plum Lane. The properties will be delivered and operated by Legal & General, and sits on the site of the famous Soho wheel, which powered grinding machinery near the River Don after the Industrial Revolution.