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Thursday, January 24, 2024

Sheffield business parks on the up

Investor and commercial confidence in Sheffield is at an all time high, with investors and occupiers seeing particular potential in the city's regeneration hotspots.

One location in particular is Parkway Drive, strategically located off Sheffield Parkway and previously the home of the original wholesale market which has now been relocated.

The initial seeds of regeneration were sown with the development of The Quadrant Office Village, a Government-funded scheme created to attract private development to the area.

Subsequent developments have included Parkway 1 by Finnegans, where occupiers such as Costco, W H Smith and The Environment Agency are now represented.

The most recent addition to Parkway Drive is Acres Hill Business Park by leading Yorkshire developers AQH Micklegate Developments Ltd, which comprises four, two-storey, pavilion-style offices totalling some 15,854 sq.ft of grade A office space, designed to attract heavyweight companies.

Visitors to the new site immediately notice the quality of the offices, commenting on the pleasantly traditional design and look of the units, and the high quality of the internal finishes which include the Spanish-tiled reception, hardwood doors, brushed stainless steal staircase and contemporary entrance features.

Rob Darrington of Lambert Smith Hampton's Sheffield Office Space team said: "The arrival of the Quadrant Business Centre and other key companies was the catalyst needed to regenerate and further develop Parkway Drive. The area has since become a real magnet for investment and relocation and a great deal of interest has been shown in Acres Hill. It is already at 25 per cent occupancy and we have received many new enquiries for the remaining space.

"The appearance of developments like Acres Hill speaks volumes about the evolving business focus and reputation of Sheffield,"

Three of the four units at Acres Hill Business Park were built based on the evidence of growing interest from companies keen to be located and associated with existing winning businesses within close proximity to both the city centre and the M1 and motorway network.

The first of the four office units was pre-sold to a leading mechanical and engineering consultancy, Services Design Associates (SDA), which relocated to the site in December 2007.

Bob Manning of SDA said: "Since moving to Acres Hill Business Park the quality of the environment has allowed our profile to grow, win some major new business and retain and attract an excellent workforce."

Rupert Wyard of AQH Micklegate Developments Ltd added: "We are close to securing a number of additional lettings and are looking forward to fitting another piece of Sheffield's regeneration jigsaw into place."