Source: Sheffield First for Investment Press Release 30/01/07
Sheffield City Council has given planning permission for a major new hotel and office complex to be built on the former Office World site at Furnival Square, in the city centre.
The development will include over 120,000 sq ft of Grade A office space in a 17 storey block, incorporating a health and fitness centre. An international hotel chain has also been secured for the other part of the scheme, which will comprise and a 250 bedroom, ‘3 Star Plus’ hotel.
This highly visible site will be developed by McAleer & Rushe Group, the leading Northern Irish construction and property development company, which has undertaken projects throughout Ireland and the UK and which specialises in office, hotel and mixed use projects.
The scheme is dependent on securing Objective 1 funding, and a start on site is anticipated in March, with the hotel opening in summer 2008 and the offices opening that autumn.
David Fletcher, interim marketing director at Creative Sheffield, is working with the developers to ensure the scheme’s success. He says: “This is excellent news on many fronts: the offices will accommodate over 800 jobs; the development will be a catalyst for further private sector investment on nearby sites; and the planners and architects, Urban Innovations, have ensured the very high standard of design demanded by such a prominent location.
”For a major developer such as McAleer & Rushe to invest in a gateway site such as this speaks volumes about the new, improved status of Sheffield city centre in the property sector.”
Stephen Surphlis, development director of McAleer & Rushe, added: "Sheffield presents a major opportunity in development terms, and this project will allow us to contribute to the renaissance of the city centre in a significant way.
”We will now focus on securing the support of Objective 1 and we propose making a start on site as soon as possible."