Sheffield plans new retail quarter

Sheffield City Council has unveiled plans to transform the city centre into a “new, vibrant retail quarter” with a new 480 million pound retail-led scheme.

Designed by retail development specialist Leonard Design Architects, the 900,000 square foot scheme will be predominantly retail and leisure, but will also include over 200,000 square feet of residential and office space, is part of the council’s vision to create a modern retail scheme by 2019.

The plan is to provide an “attractive new shopping district” for Sheffield city centre, which it hopes will attract contemporary retailers to an enhanced, street-based city centre district, blending the existing unique and historic buildings with new retail and leisure units.

Contemporary fashion stores will be situated in units along Cross Burgess Street and Pinstone Street and prime fashion multiples will sit alongside an anchor store. It is hoped that the scheme will also benefit other shopping areas in the city centre, such as The Moor and Devonshire Quarter by encouraging more footfall and spend there.

Simon Green, Sheffield City Council’s executive director – place said: “These new plans provide an attractive new shopping district for Sheffield city centre. The design merges with Sheffield’s award winning public spaces and world renowned cultural assets – including City Hall, The Crucible and The Lyceum theatres – and links key retail pitches in the city centre from The Moor through to Fargate.

“This will complement the new shopping facilities and provide food and drink, office and residential space to extend the city centre’s attraction as an evening entertainment option. These are exciting plans that will help Sheffield meet the changing retail demands of the 21st century – a development that will be crucial to the city’s economic future.”

Sheffield City Council is currently talking to potential strategic development partners to help deliver the new scheme by 2019 and expects to announce a partner this autumn. Alongside the process to secure a new partner, Sheffield City Council is also planning to utilise funding that will be generated from the New Deal with Government for use to progress the scheme.

Image: Sheffield City Council