The government’s Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has signed for 100,000 sq ft of workspace at Sheffield’s No.1 West Bar Square, marking the largest Grade A office deal in the city for over seven years.
West Bar, Sheffield
DWP will occupy the entire building, which is part of the wider West Bar development. The deal was secured BNP Paribas Real Estate, acting on behalf of Sheffield City Council.
No.1 West Bar Square is the first completed office as part of the £300m West Bar regeneration scheme, a mixed-use development located between Castlegate and Kelham Island.
The wider development will ultimately deliver over 1m sq ft of mixed-use space, including high-quality Grade A offices, 368 build-to-rent homes, and a further 550,000 sq ft of office accommodation in subsequent phases, alongside supporting infrastructure including a multi-storey car park.
The scheme is being delivered by Urbo Regeneration in partnership with Peveril Securities and is backed by Legal & General, which has committed £150m to the first phase. Legal & General is also set to fund a second 100,000 sq ft office building at the site.
Guy Cooke, senior director, agency & development at BNP Paribas Real Estate, said: “Securing a letting of this scale is a major statement for Sheffield’s office market and underlines the strength of demand for high-quality, well-located Grade A space. West Bar is one of the most important regeneration projects in the UK, and this deal demonstrates the confidence that major occupiers such as DWP have in the city’s long-term growth story.
“As lead letting agent, we are proud to have supported Sheffield City Council and the development partners in delivering this milestone transaction, which will act as a catalyst for further inward investment at West Bar.”
DWP’s relocation to West Bar further strengthens Sheffield’s position as a national hub for policy development. The city is already home to more than 7,000 civil servants and boasts the largest concentration of policy professionals outside London, with over 1,000 policymakers based in the Sheffield Policy Campus.
JLL acted on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.
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