Plans lodged for £150m first phase of landmark city development

Reserved matters planning applications have been submitted for the delivery of the £150m first phase of Urbo’s West Bar development in Sheffield city centre, which is being funded by Legal & General.

These applications include a new 100,000 sq ft office building, ground floor retail and leisure space, and 368 Build to Rent residential apartments.

The applications represent a significant milestone for £300m mixed-use scheme and will deliver Grade A office accommodation in the city centre.

Once complete, the entire scheme is expected to create around 6,000 jobs as well as supporting Sheffield’s housing needs.

Urbo (West Bar) Ltd, a joint venture between Urbo Regeneration and Peveril Securities (the development arm of the Bowmer and Kirkland Group) has submitted the application for No 1 West Bar Square, which comprises eight storeys of large floorplate office accommodation with ground floor retail and leisure provision.

Designs have been brought forward by architects 5plus.

The plans for No 1 West Bar Square have been designed to reflect its status as a gateway to the wider West Bar regeneration project.

Accessible from Corporation Street, a contemporary curved exterior design to the building will create an inviting entrance to adjacent public realm and the development beyond.

With retail accommodation provided at ground floor, the upper levels will provide floorplates up to 14,000 sq ft and a roof terrace offering views across the city.

Urbo will also create West Bar Square, a landscaped focal point of the project.

Legal & General says it is committed to investing in Sheffield and to supporting its post-crisis growth ambitions.

Plans are now being drawn up for a second Legal & General-funded 100,000 sq ft office building, alongside a further application for a 450-space multi storey car park to serve West Bar.

Peter Swallow, managing director at Urbo, said: “We are pleased to be able to submit this application to kickstart our delivery plans for the first phase at West Bar which ultimately aims to deliver up to one million sq ft of vibrant new mixed-use space.

“No 1 West Bar Square will offer large footprint, modern office accommodation, currently lacking in Sheffield city centre, with capacity at West Bar to accommodate more than 6,000 new jobs.”

Ralph Jones, managing director at Peveril Securities, said: “Delivering West Bar, along with the commitment by Legal & General to invest £150m for the first phase, is testament to the strength of Sheffield as a considerable powerhouse in the North and an attractive place to live and work.”

Nigel Wilson, CEO of Legal & General, said: “We are in a unique position to support the UK economic recovery through inclusive capitalism, investing long-term, patient capital into real assets to help regenerate our cities at pace.

“We have invested billions of pounds in this way across the UK, working with Local Authorities in Cardiff, Salford, Newcastle and Birmingham, as well as central government bodies such as Homes England and world-leading universities.

“Our vision for West Bar is to deliver a much-needed new quarter for the centre of Sheffield, delivering on the city’s housing, jobs and regeneration needs.”

Urbo has been working with Sheffield City Council for several years to bring forward this regeneration scheme, which is on the Inner Ring Road between the Kelham Island district and Sheffield’s Cathedral and Castlegate Quarters.

West Bar was granted outline planning consent in 2017 and, in 2019, a Compulsory Purchase Order to complete assembly of site was confirmed.

Subject to reserved matters planning consent, Urbo expects to start on site later this year.