Legal & General has formally handed over No.1 West Bar Square to Sheffield City Council, the first of a collection of modern, sustainable office spaces within the comprehensive £300m regeneration of West Bar.
When complete, the scheme will deliver office buildings totalling 500k sq. ft. of workspace that will support up to 6,000 jobs in a strategic location next to Sheffield city centre and the Kelham Island neighbourhood.
No.1 West Bar Square acts as an impressive and sustainable gateway to West Bar. There are eight storeys of columnless office floorplates up to 14,000 sq ft behind a contemporary, curved, curtain glass façade.
Andrew Kail, CEO Legal & General Institutional Retirement said: “This marks a key milestone in the transformation of Sheffield West Bar, where we aim to create a vibrant new community for people to live, work, and play. Bringing this previously derelict space back to life is an example of how we are using pension capital to drive positive change across the UK, investing in valuable infrastructure and urban regeneration.”
Ben Rodgers, Head of Regeneration, L&G Asset Management added: “We’re one step closer to delivering our vision for West Bar: to provide a much-needed new quarter for the centre of Sheffield, fulfilling our commitment to the city’s housing, jobs, and strategic regeneration.
“This important scheme will drive innovation, social impact, and economic growth, strengthening Sheffield’s position as a leading UK city. We’re delighted with progress made so far, and look forward to continuing our partnership with Urbo, Sheffield City Council, and the local West Bar community”.
Sheffield councillor Ben Miskell said: “This is a fantastic moment in the regeneration of Sheffield and marks the completion of a soon-to-be iconic building on the city’s skyline. Our vision for West Bar is an incredibly exciting one and will add to the appeal of the city centre being a place to live, work, and enjoy.
“Sheffield is transforming into a clean, green, and vibrant city, with many brilliant areas offering residents and visitors alike a whole host of things to do, see, love, and enjoy. The new West Bar community fits in perfectly with our vision for the city and, as it continues to grow, will draw more people, businesses, and visitors to it.”
Phase two plans for West Bar will start soon, and include a second Legal & General-funded, 100,000 sq. ft. office building, and a 450-space multi-storey car park. Further phases will ultimately provide a million sq ft of mixed-use accommodation, of which over 500,000 sq ft will be Grade A office space.