Sheffield City Council’s Strategy and Resources Committee meets next week to hear the latest update on the project to transform the former Cole Brothers building as part of the ongoing regeneration of the city centre, and to consider an agreement with Urban Splash over the lease.
Months of negotiations on the agreement have been taking place between Sheffield City Council and Urban Splash, which was announced in June as the preferred bidder to take on the building. Those negotiations have now concluded and the agreement for lease is expected to be signed in January 2024.
Once the agreement has been signed, the award-winning regeneration company will then be consulting with the people of Sheffield on their plans for the building and gathering thoughts and ideas.
The proposed Agreement with Urban Splash will result in the delivery of an exciting mixed-use scheme comprising flexible workspace and cafes/retail/leisure/cultural uses/event space which are all considered to be complementary uses to the rest of the Heart of the City project. Bringing this listed building back into active use will be hugely beneficial both for the wider city centre and the surrounding Heart of the City scheme.
Retaining much of the structure, whilst improving the thermal performance and energy efficiency of the building, should have a positive impact on climate change.
Leader of the Council Tom Hunt, Chair of the Strategy and Resources Committee, said: “The former Cole Brothers building is an important and much loved part of Sheffield City Centre. It’s great that we’re moving forward with Urban Splash to breathe new life back into the building. The exciting proposal from Urban Splash will add to the fantastic regeneration we’re seeing throughout the city centre in the Heart of the City development at West Bar and more.
“Sheffield is a city on the up. We are creating a city centre that will be a destination for people to come and relax, shop, eat, work, and drink.”
