£200m plans unveiled to transform long abandoned brewery site
Developer Capital&Centric wants to create a new neighbourhood at the long-abandoned Cannon Brewery, in Sheffield.
The business has exchanged contracts to acquire the site which was once home to Stones Brewery but has lain empty since shutting its doors in 1999.
An icon of the city’s brewing heritage the building is a Neepsend landmark. Opposite the Cutlery Works food hall, the 4.2 acre site has been billed as a potential catalyst for regeneration in the area.
William Stones began brewing in 1847 and in 1868 purchased the lease of Neepsend Brewery, renaming it Cannon Brewery.
Stones Bitter, which was popular with steelworkers in the area and became the UK’s best-selling bitter in the ’90s, was brewed on this site from 1948.
Capital&Centric says it is now working up ideas for the site, adding that could it accommodate “everything from new homes to food and drink to live music.”
The developer adds it anticipates the project could see around £200m invested in Sheffield.
Tim Heatley, co-founder of Capital&Centric, said: “It’s an absolutely incredible site with a really eclectic mix of buildings and a shed load of potential.
“It’s mad that it’s sat abandoned for over 20 years and we can’t wait to get our hands on it. We’re looking forward to working with Homes England and Sheffield City Council to deliver something pioneering.
“It’s honestly the most important site in Neepsend and Kelham if not the city. It’ll be a game changer, kick-starting wider regeneration of the area but it’s early days and we’re still working up ideas.
“It could easily take a few hundred homes, like our Manchester Kampus neighbourhood, but we’re also looking at things like a live music space, workspaces, recording and artist studios, mini cinema, café bars, a micro brewery and markets.
“Whatever we do the vision is for Neepsend to be Sheffield’s most exciting and vibrant district, full of people and with tons of stuff going on.”
The Manchester-based developer is currently restoring the Grade II listed Eyewitness Works and Ceylon Works on Milton Street in Sheffield’s Devonshire Quarter, creating 97 loft apartments and town houses, along with a 900 sq ft café-bar.
Eyewitness Works is part of Capital&Centric’s wider vision for Mester’s Village – a £200m masterplan with over 2,500 homes, makers spaces, café bars, delis and a school.
