C&C completes Sheffield acquisition

Developer Capital&Centric has started work on detailed designs for the transformation of the Cannon Brewery in Neepsend, which will feature more than 500 rental homes.

Capital&Centric, which submitted outline plans in 2023, has now completed the purchase of the site, the former homes of Stones bitter, but now derelict for 25 years.

Initial remediation and site investigations will now begin on site this spring.

The district is set to feature homes, new workplaces and spaces for independent shops, delis and café-bars.

Capital&Centric has held discussions with the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority and Sheffield City Council to make the blueprint a reality.

SYMCA has awarded an £11.67m grant for the project, while Homes England is supporting the wider development of Neepsend.

South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard, said: “Cannon Brewery, which takes its design cues from Neepsend’s historic identity, is an exciting opportunity to bring an under-developed brownfield site back to life.

“Through collaboration with Capital&Centric, we want to ensure that the plans being developed set a new high bar for regeneration across South Yorkshire. The ambition is not just for more and better homes, but for the whole development to attract investment, create spaces for new businesses to establish and further cement our well-deserved reputation as being a brilliant place to live.

“And I’m pleased to say we’re actively looking at other places across South Yorkshire where we can unlock more opportunities.”

Emerging plans for the site, which is split in to two triangles, were reported on by Place Yorkshire in summer 2023, with such features as a 20,000 sq ft workspace in the former brewhouse.

Broadly, the over-arching idea is to retain some of the most interesting buildings from the former brewery where possible.

The project will feature an urban park surrounding the existing water tower, as well as a new public square surrounded by shops and cafes, with spaces for pop-up events.

Cllr Tom Hunt, leader of Sheffield City Council, said: “The transformation of the former Cannon Brewery site is yet another exciting new development for Sheffield. We are working hard with our partners to drive up housebuilding and regenerate parts of our city.

“The combination of new homes, new workplaces, retail and leisure will help to turn Neepsend into a thriving new neighbourhood. Sheffield is a city on the up and this new development will further add to Sheffield’s appeal as a great place to live, work and enjoy yourself.”

C&C has already delivered Eyewitness Works in Sheffield’s Devonshire Quarter, with more projects on the horizon, it said.

Richard Spackman, development director at the business, said: “Cannon Brewery has stacks of potential and, by collaborating with the council and combined authority, we’re unlocking regeneration at a massive scale but in a considered way. There’s a real buzz about the future of Neepsend as the city’s next growth district, but everyone wants to see the neighbourhood designed in a way that Sheffield can be proud of.

“Sheffield is having a real moment and is successfully attracting more start-ups, investment and people that want to live here. We committed to securing about £200 million of investment into regeneration sites in the city a few years ago and we’re making good on that vision, with a brownfield-first approach to growing the city and a pipeline of projects in the works.

“With the Cannon Brewery site now fully acquired, we’ll be getting going with surveys and investigations that will underpin the detailed plans we aim to submit to Sheffield City Council later this year.”