Development group to stage public consultation event as it welcomes moves on Sheffield City centre retail quarter

22nd April 2015

A development group which has outlined its plans for a £500m Sheffield city centre retail quarter has welcomed a decision by Sheffield City Council to seek a competitive dialogue.

The comments from Sheffield Retail Development Group (SRDG) come ahead of it hosting a public consultation meeting specifically to get the views of the public on the future of Sheffield City Centre. SRDG has proposed an exciting development which will have an anchor store and shops as well as offices, restaurants and bars in response to the City Council seeking to engage with a strategic development partner to help deliver the new retail quarter in the heart of the city. -We welcome the move by Sheffield City Council, said Group spokesman John Crowther, commenting on a notice published in the Official Journal of the European Union. -This notification indicates that the city council is moving forward quickly on the Retail Quarter. The council is seeking submissions of interest by May 11. -From this we should see a number of operators selected, probably up to a maximum of six, added Mr Crowther, a former chief executive of Vickers Defence Systems and well-known in Sheffield for his work with the Sheffield City Trust, where he was a non-executive director for four years. Meanwhile SRDG is pressing on with its consultation process. A public consultation meeting will be held at the Holiday Inn Royal Victoria on Tuesday, April 28 from 5pm to 7pm The group is seeking views on how the city centre could be transformed into a place that: Meets the current and future needs of visitors Provides a vibrant and sustainable experience Underpins economic growth Gives the centre a distinctive identity Adds to the already cultural wealth of the city Is accessible to all the citizens of Sheffield. Mr Crowther said: -The redevelopment of the centre of Sheffield is a once in a lifetime opportunity and the people of Sheffield deserve the very best sustainable solution that delivers for the vast majority of its stakeholders. To attend, register at www.sheffieldshines/consult.com a website specifically to get the views of the Sheffield public regarding the city centre. The proposals from SRDG made up of a group of Sheffield business people - are benefitting from the expertise from international organisations including architects and master planners Chapman Taylor, leading UK property consultants Central Retail and UK property and infrastructure advisors Capita. Mr Crowther, who confirmed that SRDG had been involved in informal discussions with Sheffield City Council for more than a year, said: -We have significant financial backing and the passion of a local team to see the transformation of the city centre with a 650,000 sq ft development on a five-acre site by the end of 2018 - a year head of the city council's proposed timescale. OJEU publishes around 2500 new notices every week - including invitations to tender, prior information notices, qualification systems and contract award notices.