What the Heart of the City development will bring to the city centre

And the hope is that as well as attracting more people into the city centre, it will create a more eco-friendly and greener environment.

The scheme will add several new developments to the city centre including retail, office space, restaurants and cafes, and also living areas. It has been funded by Sheffield City Council which has employed Queensbury as its strategic development partner.

Sheffield council says it is aiming to drive economic growth back to the city centre with the scheme by attracting more visitors, creating jobs and encouraging a community of people living in the city centre.

It hopes the plans for the development will see more people living and visiting the city centre which will ensure it is busy both day and night. The aim is that by creating a new hotel in the city centre, as well as apartments and office space, more people will be in there all day long, which will boost business and the economy.

The scheme will also give people more reasons to be in the city, with more retail space, food halls, restaurants and cafes and live entertainment venues.

Another major factor of the scheme is the aim to improve the environment.

The Elshaw house development will be the city’s very first net zero carbon-ready building, making the city centre more eco-friendly and creating a more green city centre.

The aim of creating a more sustainable environment with the scheme is also portrayed in the plans for a new park in the city centre. Plans for Pound’s Park between Rockingham Street, Wellington Street and Carver Street was approved in July 2021 and will add more green space and areas for relaxation.

In addition to the park, the council also aims to reduce carbon emissions by pedestrianising more areas around the new development – which has so far proved controversial – encouraging more walking and cycling in the area.

Council leader councillor Terry Fox said the proposals for Pound’s Park demonstrated “the council’s commitment to helping to combat the climate emergency”.

"We received extremely positive feedback during the public consultation and would like to thank all those who took the time to comment.

“If approved, the park will raise the bar in terms of public realm in city centres. It would provide Sheffield city centre with another world class, attractive green space to further complement the Peace Gardens, Charter Square and the continuing Grey-to-Green scheme.”

The developers say they are aiming to maintain the heritage of the city centre, such as keeping the Victorian elements of the buildings, but also aiming to modernise the area in order to keep the feel of the traditional city centre whilst also developing and boosting the city centre.

Under the development, there will be many new buildings, one of which is already open, whilst some buildings will be repurposed.

Grosvenor House is already completed and open with global organisations CMS and HSBC opening offices there. The building is now also home to two retail stores, Monki and Weekday, as well as the Sheffield coffee chain Marmakukes.

In addition to Grosvenor House, high-end bar and restaurant The Furnace has also opened close by, and is surrounded by a small green area with plants and stone.

Dan Davies, director of Metis Real Estate Advisors said The Furnace was “a hugely positive addition to the city centre”.

"With Heart of the City we are only targeting national and independent brands of real quality and this latest opening reflects that vision,” he added.

"With major occupiers like HSBC, CMS and Radisson Blu on board, the scheme is really gaining momentum and we look forward to delivering more exciting brands soon.”

Radisson Blu on Pinstone Street is a 154-room hotel right in the core of the city centre and is set for completion in the summer of 2023. The development of the hotel, which is branded for its excellence, aims to bring more visitors to the city centre which will drive the economy from local businesses. It will also feature a rooftop bar which overlooks the town hall and peace gardens.

Alongside Radisson Blu on Pinstone Street, Isaac’s building and Burgess House, both set for completion in early 2022, will provide workspace and apartments in the aim of attracting more office workers into the city centre, as well as also featuring restaurant and retail space on the bottom floor. The buildings will mostly protect their Victorian appearance in order to protect the heritage of the area.

Elshaw House, close to Wellington Street, will be the city’s first net zero carbon-ready building and contributes hugely to the ambitions of a greener and more sustainable city centre. The building will provide 70,000 sq ft of office space and is expected to be completed by late 2022.

Kangaroo Works, while still part of the Heart of the City scheme, has been undertaken by American developers, Angelo Gordon, and so is no longer under the council’s development. The building is a large residential space with 364 apartments, bringing a whole new community to the city centre.

Cambridge Street collective is set to be one of the biggest social hotspots in the city. It will feature a food hall and restaurant space, as well as a rooftop bar. The building will be run by The Milestone Group who already run the popular Cutlery Works food hall and The Milestone Pub in Sheffield and they plan to feature some of the best independent food and drink companies in the city at Cambridge Street Collective. It is expected to be completed by late 2022.

Alongside Cambridge Street Collective on Cambridge Street, Bethel Chapel will become a live entertainment venue and Leah’s Yard will provide space for local retailers and workspace for local craftsmen, giving more space to local business in Sheffield.

In addition to the new developments, some more buildings in the city centre will be repurposed. Cubo, at 38 Carver Street, has been repurposed to create a more modern look and provide more space for office workers. It also features a rooftop bar named Alto accessible by stairs and a lift.

The Heart of the City development looks set to offer more workspace and drive more people into the city centre which will give a huge boost to the Sheffield economy. It is estimated that the development could bring in £3.7 billion of economic activity by 2030.

The phase by phase approach for the developments give the council more flexibility to adapt to market demands, but most of the construction is expected to be complete by 2023.