The Park Hill redevelopment is an award-winning joint venture between Urban Splash and Places for People. Nicky Harries, senior commercial lettings manager on behalf of the joint venture, tells unLTD why the location and environment are proving to be ‘brilliant’ at attracting thriving businesses.
There are 5 Phases to the project and, so far, Phase 1 and Phase 3 are complete and occupied with Phase 2 on the imminent horizon this autumn.
More than 1,000 people currently live and work at Park Hill – soon to be joined by another 500 plus residents and workers, who will become part of this now established community.
Phase 1 includes 260 homes – of which 96 are affordable homes and 28 shared equity homes on the Government Help to Buy scheme. Ten contemporary workspaces are also occupied with creative and digital businesses including Warp Films, Kada Research, Human, and Airship. Plus, the first café at Park Hill, South Street Kitchen, has proved a great success with residents and the local community since it opened in March 2018. The local authority-run purpose-built Grace Owen Nursery, which has been based on site since 1963, relocated to its new premises in Phase 1 in 2016. The site of the old Scottish Queen pub, one of the four original pubs that were onsite at Park Hill, is now a 3,500 sq. ft commercial unit soon to be occupied by Nest furniture.
The Sheffield-based company is very familiar with Urban Splash, having furnished our showrooms on many of our projects over the years. This will be their second site and will see the 36-strong team establish a dedicated design destination within the space that also includes a basement and terraces to both sides. Plans are now underway to design and develop the space further working towards an autumn opening.
Phase 3 is unique student accommodation with the block being configured into four and eight- bed townhouses, two and four bed apartments and classic studios for 356 students. The development partner is the Alumno Group and Places for People have named it Béton House. A new double-fronted 1,890 sq ft convenience store, Park Hill Provisions, will be based on the site of the Parkway Tavern and due to open at the end of this month.
Phase 2 has 195 homes and 20,000 sq ft of mixed-use commercial space for a variety of offices as well as retail and leisure operators – and it is attracting attention from new homeowners and businesses.
In excess of 175 of the homes are now sold or under offer and include a limited number of homes as part of the Help to Buy scheme (an equity loan from the Government for up to 20 per cent of the cost of a property up to the value of £228K, requiring a five per cent cash deposit and a 75 per cent mortgage for the remaining amount. No fees are charged on the 20 per cent loan for the first five years).
More than half the commercial space has been secured or in advanced discussions. Stirling Prize-winning architects Mikhail Riches were appointed to undertake the new designs for this phase. The commercial space includes a premium site for a restaurant and bar operator overlooking the city and with an outside terrace.
We’ve been delighted with the response from businesses in the city so far, especially as it has been such a challenging time. It seems the range of independent businesses, including retail, leisure, and the creative sectors, have not let the pandemic affect their entrepreneurial enthusiasm and have, in fact, kept their businesses healthy.
Tim Bottrill who runs Colloco, a commercial property agent in the city, and has been involved in securing commercial tenants for Park Hill since the beginning, said: “We’ve done every commercial deal at Park Hill so far. Phase 1 was a harder sell due to a generational attitude to the place. However, 99 per cent of everyone who we’ve brought up to show the commercial premises and location with the amazing vistas of the city acknowledge what an impressive place it is.
“Now of course perceptions have shifted and for Phase 2 we are in a position where, out of 14 units, we have ten under offer or with serious interest.
“It’s been a real journey and a privilege to have been involved. Park Hill is a continuing process and an ongoing story. I feel a real affinity with the place and my work colleagues at Urban Splash, many of whom have been there from the beginning, too.
“Both the location and environment are just brilliant, and it is exciting to see the already thriving, but also growing, business hub emerging up there.”
Upcoming commercial tenants in Phase 2 include Glass Canvas, an award-winning agency with offices in London and Sheffield who provide architects, developers and interior designers with marketing CGIs, planning imagery, as well as animations, promotional films, and immersive content. Founded in 2001 by Andrew Goodeve, Glass Canvas opened the Sheffield office in 2017 and are looking forward to moving into Park Hill to celebrate the company’s 20th year.
“We love showing our office to out of town visitors.”
Businesses based at Park Hill tell us why it is a ‘great meeting space and convenient location’ for a ‘growing and diverse community’.
Warp Films have just launched their new film ‘Everybody’s Talking About Jamie’ with a pink carpet event in Tudor Square. Niall Shamma, chief operating officer – who at 17 had a job delivering pizzas to Park Hill – said: “We love showing our office to out of town visitors. Park Hill gets better all the time. When I come back from working away, I realise I’ve missed it. “It’s one of the best buildings built in Sheffield since the war so it’s really good it’s been saved.”
Rachel Cornish and Tim Jenkins, owners of South Street Kitchen, that has been open since 2018, said: “Opening the first café at Park Hill has been both exciting and challenging. We have built up a regular clientele who find it a great meeting space and convenient location and have loved being part of this growing and diverse community. It’s also been fantastic getting to know the residents.”
Owner and MD of Kada Research Karl Dalgleish said: “We love the office and location. We see it as an advantage to the team and to our clients. On a personal level I come into the office from time to time and occasionally bring my dog George in for company! It is a good place to take him for walks as the landscaped area is well kept and he feels at home here too.”
Experience a vivid virtual visit to Park Hill
Now anyone from around the world can visit Park Hill virtually and experience its past and present at the same time. Called ‘Space, Time and Streets in the Sky’, the virtual reality (VR) has real-life stories from people who have made the iconic location their home over the past 60 years.
The immersive experience was commissioned by XR Stories and created by the team at Human – the first business to move into Park Hill in 2013 – in collaboration with academics from the University of York. The research project explores whether it’s possible for an audience to experience the ‘personality’ of a location via the ‘spatial presence’ generated by VR and the audio stories of past and present residents.
Human creative director Nick Bax said: “Space, Time and Streets in the Sky exudes vivid memories and stories from Park Hill’s residents, providing an intimate insight into life at the Sheffield landmark over the past 60 years. As you hear their testimonies, and see slices of history within the current environment, Park Hill is transformed into a time machine in which community and pride brightly shine through.”
Featured in the VR is Cllr Pat Midgley who lived in the Park Hill area all her life. Pat was commemorated by Urban Splash and Places for People on the official 60th birthday of Park Hill in June by working with Sheffield City Council to rename Norwich Street at Park Hill, ‘Pat Midgley Lane’.
Watch here: https://youtu.be/Ju6Mbz16veA
Park Hill commercial enquiries: 0333 666 0000. Register details through the Urban Splash/Park Hill website to view homes through the online viewing platform.
