The Future of Sheffield: A cutting edge city

It’s been dubbed “The Northern Capital of Cool”. Where are we talking about? Lovers of The Full Monty already know that we’re referring to Sheffield. This former industrial powerhouse and producer of world-renowned stainless steel, is now looking at a potentially stellar future in technology, innovation and life sciences. Just like steel, Sheffield is tough and resilient. It suffered setbacks in the 1980s when its traditional industry changed, but it has bounced back fighting. Now, for example, at Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Park, small-scale nuclear reactors are being produced, while huge global brands such as Rolls-Royce and McLaren are building their engine parts for Formula One high-performance sports cars there. Tom Hall, partner at Shoosmiths, says: “Sheffield is famous for making things very well. And just because things like steel have fallen by the wayside, we’re now taking on the next generation of elite, advanced engineering. The work that’s taking place at Sheffield university is real cutting-edge research.” University of Sheffield spin-out Opteran Technologies is at the forefront of this cutting-edge technology. The company is looking into furthering artificial intelligence technology using a rather surprising source. Professor James Marshall, chief scientific officer at Opteran, explains: “We’re reverse engineering insect brains to come up with a new approach for AI and autonomy for robots. But, more generally, Sheffield is really well-placed to be at the forefront of what people are calling Industry 4.0, the next industrial revolution, which really focuses on automation, smart cities, the internet of things, and robotics. It is something that the university and the city region as a whole are well-placed to lead.” Building on its roots Tech is a huge growth opportunity for the city and Sheffield City Council chief executive, Kate Josephs, who recently led the government’s Covid-19 taskforce, says the city’s future will be firmly rooted in its past: “What we’re doing in Sheffield is really special because it speaks to our heritage as well. So we’re not just building cookie-cutter office blocks. We’re building state of the art net-zero space.” Private sector players can see the potential in developing areas, such as life sciences. Scarborough Group is the preferred development partner at the Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park. Director Mark Jackson says: “Life sciences were becoming a big thing before the pandemic, but the pandemic has accelerated that in no uncertain terms, along with things like the 70th anniversary of the NHS. It’s a very clear growth area, so there is a lot of interest. Where there’s a lot of the economy to be had, it’s a good place to start for regeneration.” Scarborough Group is aiming to be on site next year. Jackson explains: “By then, we hope to get three new buildings under way – an innovation centre (what we call ‘move on’ space), and the Centre for Child Health Technology, which will be unique in the world.” Move on space relies on integrated transport that allows workers to easily travel to wherever they need to be. Sheffield was expecting to be connected to the eastern leg of HS2, but when the high-speed rail project was cancelled recently, the city took solace in the fact it will instead finally get the electrification of the existing to routes south to Derby, Nottingham, Leicester and London that has been promised for several decades. Scarborough Group’s Jackson is philosophical about the loss of the HS2 connection. “Everybody argued about HS2 from the first time it was mentioned. So there has always been uncertainty with it.” Investment in transport is an important cornerstone of the current government’s levelling up agenda for the north of England, but Shoosmiths partner Kellie Hatton believes the private sector can’t just sit back and wait for the region to be levelled up. She says: “It is something we have to do proactively by collaborating. Other regions have been a bit ahead of Sheffield. Manchester was ahead of us in the devolution deal. But Sheffield has now got its own devolution deal, and we are firing on all cylinders.” Spirit of steel Hatton notes: “Considering there has been a pandemic, we have had excellent private sector investment in the city down at West Bar. We’ve got Legal & General putting in £150m into a mixed-use scheme there. We saw Leeds and Manchester pushing ahead with build to rent, but Sheffield has caught up and now institutions are very happy to invest.” In post-pandemic times, cities with plenty of outdoor and open space – which Sheffield has in abundance – take on a new significance. What is clear talking to the city’s influencers and decision makers is that while Sheffield might not have shouted as loudly as other northern cities in recent times, it is entering 2022 having found its voice and it is positively shouting from the surrounding hillsides about the talent, energy and creativity that is attracting modern-day makers and doers. This is a generation which is promoting an entrepreneurial city, one with a spirit of steel. View the leaderboard of agents shifting the most space in Sheffield >> Photo: iStock