Nine years after it was first suggested, Sheffield planners are expected to approve a £65m scheme to give the city its own Chinese commercial and social hub.
A consortium of six Chinese investors settled on Sheffield — and decided to build on a Chinatown concept originally unveiled by local businessman Jerry Cheung — after previously checking out London, Birmingham and Manchester for their first major financial commitment outside mainland China.
New Era Square, to be built adjacent to St Mary’s Gate and Bramall Lane, would include three separate buildings ranging in height from five to 21 storeys. Surrounding a new public plaza the mix of retail, restaurant and office space would be overlooked by student flats and residential apartments.
In its planning application New Era Development Ltd, the Sheffield-based company formed to steer the project through, says it hopes to create a “cosmopolitan, international, multi-cultural square which is available to all”.
The local area around St Mary’s Gate has already become a focal point for the Chinese community in Sheffield and the project has received support from the Chinese Consulate-General in Manchester. It’s claimed the development, being recommended for conditional approval by city officials, would create at least 400 jobs. Ground work could start in late spring with the scheme complete by the summer of 2016.
“We are very satisfied with the land purchase process and the planning application process,” commented investor Jian Fei Qin. “We are also very pleased that the Sheffield government, business community and education sector have given us their strong support.”
The New Era project comes nine years after Jerry Cheung started to work on the idea of a Sheffield Chinatown. Since then the scheme has evolved — it initially included a casino and hotel — and survived the recession to become something that goes far beyond a simple Chinatown district.
Cheung is now managing director of New Era Development. “There have been city council plans to redevelop the area under discussing for more than a decade,” he explained. “These latest proposals will contain the spirit of those plans, but with a more cosmopolitan feel incorporating all cultures, not just Chinese.
“This is a landmark project for an area of the city which will be transformed into a modern, cultural and enjoyable location for all. The investors from China are key business individuals and are very keen to promote and showcase the incubator we will create for their contacts in the Far East.
“New Era Square will offer a fantastic opportunity for any business looking to break into the Chinese market,” he added. “It will also provide businesses in China with a UK market entry through Sheffield.”
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