£65m ‘Chinatown’ scheme in Sheffield appoints Bowmer & Kirkland

The £65m ‘Chinatown’ development in Sheffield is set to be built by Bowmer & Kirkland.

According to the Construction Enquirer, the Derbyshire-based firm has been awarded the contract to build the Chinese-backed high-rise, mixed-use scheme in the city centre.

New Era Development has tasked B&K to start work on the 21-storey mixed leisure, commercial and student halls development early next year.

Located near St Mary’s church on the site of the city’s largest Chinese supermarket, the New Era Square multi-block scheme also has potential to attract other Chinese traders as future tenants to create a Chinatown in Sheffield.

Around 695 student rooms will be built in the main tower and lower rise buildings with around 70,000 sq ft of retail and business incubator office space on the lower floors.

These buildings will be situated around a new pedestrianised plaza.

Phase one of the development includes the construction of what will be Sheffield’s tallest tower in a decade. Once this is completed, K H Oriental supermarket will relocate into the building allowing phase two to start for completion of the entire scheme by 2018.

Jerry Cheung of New Era UK, previously said: “The vision for Sheffield’s Chinatown began in 2005. The aim is to integrate the Chinese community rather than keeping the two separate.

“As well as providing leisure and residential facilities, the China Business Incubator within the development will become a hub for promoting international trade, focusing on opportunities for businesses to increase their presence in China and to bring more inward business from the Far East.

“We are very much looking forward to seeing our vision of this exciting project come to life once work begins.”