Councillors approve £150m first phase of major city regeneration

Full planning approval was granted today for delivery of the first significant phase of the new West Bar mixed use development, in Sheffield.

It means construction can start within the next few months, on completion of ongoing demolition work.

The reserved matters approval kickstarts regeneration of the seven-acre disused site to provide Grade A office accommodation – incorporating secondary retail/leisure uses – residential apartments, and public realm.

Scheme developer, Urbo (West Bar) Ltd, a joint venture between Urbo Regeneration and Peveril Securities (the development arm of the Bowmer and Kirkland Group) has already secured £150m funding to deliver the first phase from Legal & General.

It is the largest single private sector investment deal Sheffield has ever seen.

Ultimately the partnership plans to deliver a £300m mixed use destination that is expected to create around 6,000 to 8,000 jobs as well as supporting Sheffield’s housing needs.

Phase one includes the development of No 1 West Bar Square, a 100,000 sq ft office building with ground floor retail and leisure space.

It will also deliver Soho Yard, comprising 368 Build to Rent residential apartments.

On completion of the project as a whole, West Bar will provide about one acre of public realm and green space.

Designed by architects 5plus with planning advice from Asteer Planning, No.1 West Bar Square aims to be sustainable gateway building to the wider West Bar regeneration project.

Accessible from Corporation Street, it will be an eight-storey property with a curved exterior.

There will be retail accommodation at ground floor, while 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, which will provide amenity space to the occupiers of West Bar and the adjacent Riverside Business Park.

Soho Yard will offer 368 apartments within two buildings situated around a landscaped space and gardens.

The properties will be delivered and operated by Legal & General as part of its ‘Build to Rent – Homes for Life’ portfolio.

A separate planning application for a 450-space multi-storey car park which will also form part of Phase One and will be submitted shortly.

Phase two plans for West Bar include a second Legal & General-funded, 100,000 sq ft office building, with further phases ultimately providing one million sq ft of mixed-use accommodation, of which over 500,000 sq ft will be Grade A office space offering the largest floor plates in Sheffield city centre.

Peter Swallow, managing director at Urbo, said: “We’ve been working closely with Sheffield City Council and other key stakeholders for many years to bring forward this important regeneration scheme and we are delighted to secure full planning consent to be able to move forward with construction.

“No 1 West Bar Square delivers against evidenced demand for large footprint, high quality modern office accommodation that currently lacking in Sheffield city centre.”

Ralph Jones, managing director at Peveril Securities, said: “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.

“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 with up to one million sq ft of new mixed-use space along with fantastic public realm for all to enjoy.”

Ben Rodgers, head of regeneration at Legal & General, added: “Sheffield has been on a journey over the last 40 years, from industrial decline to steady growth, and now is looking to invest for the future and strengthen its position as a leading UK city.

“We are excited to be bringing this important scheme forward to meet this ambition and look forward to continuing to work with the council, Urbo and residents to deliver modern and fit-for-purpose office space which responses to local needs.”

Urbo is advised by BNP Paribas Real Estate.

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