Green light for £300m Yorkshire development set to create 8,000 jobs

Full planning approval for a Yorkshire mixed use urban development was approved yesterday in a scheme that could create up to 8,000 jobs.

Permission to begin construction on the £150m first phase of Sheffield’s West Bar Scheme was granted yesterday, which will provide Grade A office accommodation and a public realm, while aiming to support Sheffield’s major housing needs.

Scheme developer Urbo (West Bar) Ltd, a joint venture between Urbo Regeneration and Peveril Securities has secured the £150m funding from Legal & General to deliver the first phase in the largest single private sector investment deal ever to take place in Sheffield.

Phase one includes the development of office building No. 1 West Bar Square, 368 built to rent residential apartments at Soho Yard, and an acre of public realm and green space. There will also be cycle storage spaces and connectivity into the city’s surrounding walking and cycling routes to promote multi-modal travel.

Phase two plans for West Bar include a second office building, with further phases providing 1m square feet of mixed use accommodation. The entire £300m development is expected to create between 6,000 and 8,000 jobs in total.

Ralph Jones, managing director at Peveril Securities, said: “West Bar is a 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.”

Peter Swallow, managing director at Urbo, said: “We have 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.”

The regeneration of Sheffield city centre is part of Legal & Generals plan to support a UK wide job creation agenda, reshape the urban landscape, and provide investment to help cities adapt, change and innovate – helping the city to grow in the aftermath of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Ben Rodgers, head of regeneration at Legal & General, said: “Creating vibrant towns and cities is key to Britain’s economic growth and prosperity. 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.”