Construction is continuing at Sheffield’s West Bar development – with the first office building due to be completed in June 2024. 

The £300m city centre development will provide one million sq ft of mixed-use space. 

This includes 500,000 sq ft of Grade A workspace, residential apartments, a new public realm, multi storey car parking, together with new retail and leisure uses – supporting up to 8,000 new jobs.

Senior officials from project funder Legal & General recently visited the site to view progress on the steel frame superstructure for the first 100,000 sq ft office building, No.1 West Bar, due to be completed by June 2024. 

An official bolt tightening event was held to mark the site’s construction milestone. 

Construction is also well under way for the two residential blocks to provide 368 build-to-rent apartments.

Urbo (West Bar), a joint venture between Urbo Regeneration and Peveril Securities (the development arm of the Bowmer and Kirkland Group) secured £160m of funding from Legal & General for the city centre project.

It has awarded a £94m construction contract to Bowmer & Kirkland to deliver the first phase to include West Bar Square, which will be the heart of the commercial public realm area and Soho Yard which will serve the residential BTR apartments.

As part of the agreed deal between Legal & General and Urbo, a second 100,000 sq ft office building will be delivered to follow No.1 West Bar Square. 

A new 450 space multi-storey car park is also part of the first phase with around 300 cycle storage spaces and electric car charging points. 

Connectivity into the surrounding walking and cycling routes is incorporated to encourage more sustainable travel. 

Gordon Aitchison, director of investment and development at Legal & General Investment Management Real Assets, said: “It’s fantastic to see such momentum at Sheffield West Bar as we continue in partnership with Urbo, Sheffield City Council and the local community. 

“The delivery of West Bar will provide a vibrant new quarter for the centre of Sheffield; bringing much-needed new homes, jobs, and regeneration.

"With the need for investment in our UK towns and cities ever-increasing, Legal & General remains committed to using dynamic partnerships to spark regeneration and secure the economic prosperity of socially important schemes.”

Peter Swallow, managing director at Urbo, added: “We are delighted to reach this significant milestone at West Bar, a strategically important project that will heavily support job creation and economic growth for Sheffield City Region. 

"It is incredible to witness how far Bowmer & Kirkland have progressed with three great structures already making a prominent stamp on the city skyline and even more exciting to realise that completion is just 10 months away!”

The West Bar neighbourhood is prominently located on the Inner Ring Road between Sheffield’s Kelham Island, Cathedral and Castlegate Quarters.