£4.1m to boost jobs, homes and ‘Knowledge Gateway’ in Sheffield

A multi-million-pound funding boost for Sheffield’s ‘Knowledge Gateway’ from the Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) is set to transform several prominent streets and spaces in Sheffield City Centre helping to create the setting for 2,863 new jobs and almost 500 new homes, growing the regional economy by an estimated £158 million (November 7th).The LEP is contributing £4.115m in infrastructure funding to transform a major corridor of the city centre running from Paternoster Row in the Cultural Industries Quarter via Pond Street and Pond Hill up to the historic Fitzalan Square.The work, in an area which has significant potential for growth, will bring the Knowledge Gateway up to the same high standard as the Sheffield city centre Gold and Steel Routes.Following the long-awaited renovation of the former head post office in Fitzalan Square as Sheffield Hallam University’s Sheffield Institute of Arts (SIA), Sheffield City Council announced plans earlier this year to upgrade the route from the Edwardian-era square along Pond Street to Paternoster Row and Brown Street, the focus of the Cultural Industries Quarter as well as improving connections to the city centre and station.The project aims to help unlock major development opportunities at areas along the route including the site of the former Nelson Mandela building, the former sorting office on Flat Street and the Digital Campus.Paternoster Row is the main street of the Cultural Industries Quarter, home to the Showroom, Workstation, Site Gallery, Yorkshire Artspace and Sheffield Hallam’s Student Union building, but it is also dominated by fast-moving buses and taxis with little pedestrian space.The work will support development on Sheffield Hallam city centre campus and increase the attractiveness of living and working in the Cultural Industries Quarter. It is due to start next May and will take about a year to complete.The Gateway improves the setting and links between key destinations including the Cultural Industries Quarter, the Digital Campus, and Sheffield Hallam University Central Campus supporting current investment by Hallam in the new Institute of Arts and by the Site Gallery in its new exhibition space. The work will support further development of Sheffield Hallam campus and increase the attractiveness of visiting, living and working in the Cultural Industries Quarter. It is due to start next May and will take about a year to complete.