Citu swoops for Sheffield’s John Banner building
The developer’s latest action in Attercliffe sees it pick up the 48,000 sq ft former department store, which remains home to 25 businesses.
The building is a short distance from the nearby Attercliffe Waterside regeneration project, for which Citu has a live planning application lodged.
Citu’s residential proposals for a 23-acre brownfield development covers land either side of the Sheffield and Tinsley Canal and aims to be on site in early 2024.
As for its new investment, the four-storey building was purpose-built in 1934 by retail entrepreneur John Banner on Attercliffe Road. The store was seen as a key Sheffield landmark, being a pioneer in the use of customer credit and in having an escalator.
Administrator Interpath Advisory brought the building to market in May this year.
Following World War II, the business was sold by the Banner family and in the 1980s the building was converted into upper floor offices and ground floor retail, as it remains today.
Still home to 25 businesses, the building will now benefit from significant investment to restore some of the former glory to the building fabric, as well as bringing it up to modern energy performance standards, Citu said.
Citu founder and co-director Chris Thompson said: “We are delighted to confirm the successful acquisition of the iconic John Banner building in Attercliffe. This strategic investment marks a significant step in our commitment to investment in this community.
“The John Banner building holds a significant place in the architectural landscape of the Attercliffe high street, and we are honoured to be entrusted with its stewardship. Our team is excited about the opportunities this acquisition presents, and we are dedicated to preserving the building’s historical significance while introducing modern, innovative elements that align with our vision for sustainable development.”
Original features will be preserved at the building, which was designed by local firm, Chapman and Jenkinson Architects, a practice that was also responsible for the Cutlery Forger’s factory at Owlerton and The Star and Central picture houses.
Thompson added: “This part of the city has been under-appreciated for so long, we wanted to prioritise the leisure and commercial elements that will bring new investment into the district as quickly as possible, and Banners is an integral part of that wider vision.”
Cllr Ben Miskell, chair of Sheffield City Council’s transport, regeneration and climate committee said: “This is another really positive step forward for the regeneration of Attercliffe and the wider East End of Sheffield. The Banners building is a local landmark, and it is great to see that an imaginative developer such as Citu has seen its potential.
“Their investment here, together with the major scheme they are bringing forward at Attercliffe Waterside, the work linked to the Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park and the substantial Levelling Up Fund projects, will transform the area into a fantastic place to work and live and is another perfect example of Sheffield being a city on the up.”
Attercliffe Waterside follows on from other Citu projects focused on creating sustainable communities on previously vacant or derelict brownfield land. These include the low-carbon residential neighbourhoods in Sheffield’s Kelham Island, and the Climate Innovation District in Leeds.
