£300m Meadowhall leisure extension receives approval

Meadowhall has received a resolution to grant planning consent for the £300m extension that will see the introduction of a brand new Leisure Hall at the Sheffield shopping centre.

Councillors unanimously voted in favour of the 330,000 sq ft development, which will be integrated with the front of the existing centre to create a new multi-levelled, landscaped open space.

The multi-level extension, which will create 1,550 new jobs, is being housed under a glazed roof and will add new dining and entertainment options, as well as internal and external spaces for events and community use.

These include new restaurants, a brand new cinema to replace the existing cinema, a new café court, gym and additional leisure space. The plans also include a new open-air terrace that will allow visitors to dine outside.

The Leisure Hall will follow a £60m refurbishment that is transforming the look of the existing centre. This work will be completed during the autumn, and has directly benefited the local economy with 70% of the work commissioned from companies within 25 miles of the centre.

In anticipation of increasing customer interest in Meadowhall as a result of this refurbishment, 40 retailers have invested more than £34m in redesigning and refitting their existing stores.

These include All Saints, Hollister, House of Fraser and Hugo Boss with a further 30 currently underway.

In the 12 months to June 2017, all 61 occupiers with leases due to expire renewed their tenancies and eight of these retailers increased the size of their space within the centre in advance of the refurbishment’s completion.

30 new brands have also signed at Meadowhall over the last 18 months, with Flannels, Tag Heuer, Nespresso, Neal’s Yard and Godiva all joining the centre.

Charles Maudsley, head of retail, leisure and residential for British Land, said: “We are delighted with the Planning Committee’s decision and will now work with our partners and other stakeholders over the coming months on the detail of the Leisure Hall to ensure Meadowhall delivers the maximum benefits for customers, retailers and the wider Sheffield City Region.

“The refurbishment completing later this year, our continued leasing success, significant store investment by retailers and the Leisure Hall proposals are all significant steps in the centre’s continued evolution.”

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