South Yorkshire is getting its first IKEA after planners approved plans for the £60m regeneration of a former Sheffield wire manufacturing site. It’s hoped the scheme will create at least 400 jobs.
The Swedish furniture giant — which each year sells £13bn worth of goods through its 349 stores in 43 countries — has yet to submit detailed plans for its latest outlet on the site of the old Tinsley Wire factory, but says it will consider the views of “local stakeholders and residents to ensure that our proposals meet the needs of both IKEA and the surrounding community”.
IKEA’s deputy property manager, Steve Pettyfer, added: “We are delighted that Sheffield City Council has supported our decision to come to Sheffield. It recognises the significant contribution an IKEA store will bring to the local economy and jobs market.”
First mooted two years ago, the prospect of the new store has always been welcomed by Sheffield Chamber of Commerce. “We recognised there would be significant traffic and highway issues to be dealt with, but felt that it was of vital economic importance to overcome them, rather than to be overcome by them,” said Tim Hale, chair of the chamber’s transport forum.
“There is so much happening in the Lower Don Valley area at the moment,” he added, “and this abundance of infrastructure and commercial developments in Sheffield is to be welcomed with open arms. “They are the shot in the arm the city has needed for years, and we applaud the council’s decision in granting IKEA approval.”
In a separate initiative, the organisers behind Sheffield’s Business Improvement District (BID) are inviting city centre retailers to suggest ways of increasing footfall and trade. A BID is a body established and run by the business community with the overall aim of enhancing an area’s business environment by delivering tangible results.
Sheffield’s BID is led by BID Champions which represents retail, leisure, education, independent businesses, the night time economy, public and office sectors within the city. If established, firms with a rateable value over and including £30,000 located within the city centre will donate a one per cent levy of their rateable value. That would raise around £800,000 of additional investment each year, or £4m over five years, to be spent on projects the businesses decide they need.
Sandra Barley is retail liaison manager for Moor and Sheffield BID Champion. “Should the Sheffield BID go through it will raise funds that will allow the city to invest in improvements, activities and events over and above core public services,” she explained.
“This is our chance to help shape activity that will promote and support business and leisure in the city. I am looking forward to hearing what the retailers of Sheffield think, but initial research has identified the areas most important to those who run retail outlets in the city, but over the coming months we want to expand on this work further,” added Barley.
Duka Nagy, who co-owns SMOKE restaurant in Sheffield’s St Paul’s Place, believes the Sheffield BID is an excellent move for the city. “It will give businesses like mine more control, because we will have our own budget to spend on improvements and activities,” he said, “I need to make sure that we are able to build on our initial success and I would like to ensure we have even more events and activities that draw people into the city centre.”
