Sheffield – a city on the up

It was standing room only at Estates Gazette’s Sheffield Question Time event this week, with an audience eager to feel the pulse of the Sheffield real estate market and get a steer as to where the market is headed.

Shoosmiths real estate partner, Kellie Hatton, had been invited to be a panellist at the event along with other leading figures in the Sheffield real estate market: John Mothersole - Chief Executive at Sheffield City Council, Kevin McCabe – Chairman at Scarborough Group International, David Topham - Chief Executive at CTP and Founding Member of the Sheffield Property Association and Max Mason - Head of Sales at 574.

Kellie and the panel provided a whole array of insights on topics ranging from regional devolution, flooding and Sheffield’s “USP”, provoking lively debate on what’s happening in the city and the range of exciting opportunities and challenges if offers, including:

• Investment into the city is on the rise with a number of new developments coming up, including the Heart of the City II project, which is transforming the city centre into a contemporary retail and leisure space, and the West Bar development (being financed by L&G) which will provide 700,000 square feet of office and residential development.
• Housing is an increasing issue for the city because prices are rising, and the geography of the city means that expanding to the west hits the green belt and wider Peak District.
• The city’s universities are genuinely world class. Linking them directly with industry and the wider business community is ensuring that we optimise these fabulous assets – the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre and the Olympic Legacy Park are fantastic examples of collaboration between the universities and applied research and business.

What came through loud and clear from the event is that Sheffield is very clearly a city on the up.