'300 new jobs and £60m private investment' in huge Sheffield civil service office move
The DWP wants the public barred from the ground floor - or the deal could be off
A huge office move by the civil service is set to create 300 jobs and ‘unlock’ £60m of private investment in Sheffield.
The DWP is set to create 300 roles when it relocates 2,000 employees into No1 West Bar Square, a Sheffield City Council planning document states.
It is also expected to attract business and be a catalyst for the construction of more offices nearby.
The deal, announced in March, was described as “the largest office transaction in the city for several years.”
It will see DWP staff from two sites in the city centre - Hartshead Square and Kings Court on Hanover Way - relocate to the regeneration project.
No1 West Bar Square, on Corporation Street, behind the Crown Court, was funded by pension giant Legal and General.
Sheffield City Council took a long lease in October 2024.
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The DWP deal was announced in March and workers are set to occupy all of the building by early 2028.
Now, Sheffield City Council has submitted a planning application to bar the public from the ground floor.
It wants a change of use from retail or food and drink to offices exclusively for the DWP.
A planning document states this will allow a ‘hard-security perimeter’ of the building - and warns that without it the deal may fall through.
It says: ‘Due to the nature of the prospective occupier, the site will be considered a high-value Government asset once occupied, with a degree of vulnerability of some staff, therefore the ability to secure the ground floor is essential’.
It goes on: ‘Without flexibility on the current permitted use, the building may no longer be suitable for the prospective occupier, creating a risk that they may withdraw their interest.
The document adds: ‘Occupation of No.1 West Bar is anticipated to unlock over £60 million of additional private investment in Sheffield… and is expected to enable further phases of the West Bar regeneration scheme’.
No1 West Bar Square is part of a £300m development which includes two blocks of flats called SoHo Yard.
Ultimately, a total of five office blocks and a multi-storey car park could be constructed, the masterplan shows.
Sheffield is home to more than 7,000 civil servants.
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