Sheffield Retail Quarter Phase 1
Phase 1 of Sheffield Retail Quarter will be defined by a landmark office building to be occupied by HSBC and a wider development that delivers a new mixed-used quarter in the heart of the city.
This phase will regenerate the area in between Charter Square, Cambridge Street and Pinstone Street. The development includes approximately 15,000 sq m of office space and 6,000 sq m of retail and restaurant space.
HSBC has signed as the anchor tenant on a 15-year lease, which commits a vitally important employer to the city centre. Main construction activity got underway in spring 2017 with completion of the building and new public realm due in the first half of 2019.
The Design
This will be a landmark development at the heart of the Sheffield Retail Quarter.
The strong architectural style has been designed to complement the existing cluster of high quality new offices in this part of the city centre and provide new retail and restaurant accommodation with high-quality public realm.
- This building has been designed to respond to a significant level change of around 6m across the site. It will be five or six storeys depending on which part of the site the building is viewed from. The south corner at the junction of Pinstone Street and Furnival Gate steps down by a storey to respond to it being at the lowest point of the site.
- The building has been carefully designed to respect the surrounding street patterns, as well as create strong links through and around the area to better connect existing parts of the city.
- The proportions and material choice will help the building relate to the scale of the surrounding buildings, particularly the existing buildings on Pinstone Street
This phase of development is being brought forward by Sheffield City Council in advance of the rest of the scheme. The Council recognises the importance of HSBC to the city and the catalyst that this development will provide to the delivery of the wider scheme.
Below is an indicative image of Phase 1 which shows what the building will look like once finished.
Ground-breaking Ceremony
Following the start of construction, on 9 May 2017, a ground-breaking ceremony for Phase 1 was held on site.
At the event, James Emmett, COO at HSBC Bank plc, said: “Sheffield is a key regional hub for our IT operations and we are delighted to be investing in a new home in the city to create a modern office environment for our people.
“Today’s ground-breaking ceremony marks the start of the construction of our new office in the Sheffield Retail Quarter and we look forward to continuing to work closely with Sheffield City Council (SCC) to deliver this.”
John Mothersole, Chief Executive of SCC, said: “This is a key moment in the delivery of Sheffield’s city centre regeneration and a major milestone in the delivery of the much-anticipated retail quarter. We welcome HSBC’s decision to make this location their new regional home, which demonstrates the continuing confidence from major international employers towards Sheffield.”
Charter Square Public Realm Improvements
Sheffield City Council is working to transform Charter Square into a new high-quality public space.
The works will include the removal of the old subway and roundabout to make way for the creation of new pedestrian and cycle routes. The works will help improve crossing access and personal safety around this area. There will be new bus stops, landscaping, outdoor seating, lighting and planted trees.