South Yorkshire Pension Fund pots £80m for regional investment

Following the success of the SCR JESSICA Fund in the past five years, the South Yorkshire Pension Fund has allocated £80m for regional investment in South Yorkshire.

The fund has seen £40.5m invested into the Sheffield City region since 2013.

This funding line will support the ongoing economic growth of the region and will work alongside the SCR JESSICA Fund, increasing regional development funding for the South Yorkshire/ Sheffield City Region to over £120m.

CBRE’s Investment Advisory team, part of CBRE Capital Advisors, has been appointed to manage the fund and will originate and advise on all investments, expanding their existing remit managing the SCR Jessica fund.

Will Church, senior director at CBRE Capital Advisors, said: “We are delighted to have been appointed to manage The South Yorkshire Pension Fund’s regional investment allocation.

“This will complement our ongoing work with the SCR Jessica Fund and enable us to develop a strategic investment plan that will maximise socio-economic growth in the wider region.”

The two funds will operate independently from each other, with the South Yorkshire Pension Fund having complete autonomy over investment decisions.

However, opportunities to make strategic joint investments will be a focus and will enable investments into larger scale projects as well as into alternative sectors, including residential and leisure.

Councillor Sue Ellis, chair of the South Yorkshire Pensions Authority, added: “We are pleased to be working with CBRE to achieve financial returns for our scheme members while at the same time supporting delivery of investment in communities across South Yorkshire.

“This is an example of an area where we can achieve the commercial return we need to pay pensions at the same time as ensuring the delivery of schemes which will improve the long term prospects of the local economy.”