Pennine Five has opened up the former HSBC headquarters on Tenter Street, transforming the site into one of the UK’s largest business campuses as part of a major new renewal programme.
The campus, which spans five office blocks and will be home to 3,500 workers, hopes to breathe new life into a key area of the city that has long been overlooked. Pennine Five aims to drive future investment while also bringing a new sense of place and identity to the region, creating an inclusive and welcoming focal point for on-site businesses and the wider community.
At the core of Pennine Five’s design is a commitment to facilitating strong working relationships with the creation of substantial co-working facilities and resources, allowing businesses to maximise floor space most efficiently. Tenants can expect to access meeting rooms, event spaces and conference suites, encouraging productivity and collaboration. Communal areas, outdoor space and food and drink options also create natural opportunities for organisations to connect.
The campus can foster a vibrant ecosystem of collaboration, creativity and knowledge-sharing.
Developers RBH Properties are dedicated to making sustainable choices in renewing the campus, and Pennine Five hopes to become a blueprint for how regeneration can help lower carbon emissions today, not decades down the line. By transforming, rather than demolishing and rebuilding, the project has saved over 150,000 tonnes of concrete and steel, corresponding to over 170,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions.
“If we are to truly address the climate crisis, it is vital that property developers take bolder and braver decisions to renew, reuse and reinvent,” commented Jeremy Hughes, director of RBH Properties. “Only when this reinvention mindset is adopted can we move our towns and cities forward and create holistic, prosperous and sustainable city centres.”
The site is located at the heart of Sheffield Innovation Spine, a long-term economic strategy that seeks to connect innovation infrastructure and technology businesses in the city centre. The initiative is a collaborative effort between Sheffield Technology Parks, Sheffield City Council, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam University, and the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority.
“The University of Sheffield is generating many exciting spinouts and tech start-ups.” added Jeremy. “With our flexible floorplates and tenant agreements, the campus can foster a vibrant ecosystem of collaboration, creativity and knowledge-sharing.”
Phlux Technology is one such spinout company from the University of Sheffield that has chosen Pennine Five to set up its new headquarters. The fast-growing infrared sensor technology firm, founded in 2020, develops and commercialises breakthrough infrared sensor technology, revolutionising the performance of autonomous cars and advanced driver-assisted systems.
Ben White, Co-Founder and CEO of Phlux Technology, said: “The location of Pennine Five was ideal for us. The campus is just down the road from the University – with whom we will continue to work closely – while providing us with a beautiful space for Phlux’s employees to continue to innovate as we scale up.”
The demand for attractive and accessible outdoor public spaces in busy urban environments is greater than ever, and the campus’ stylish central plaza hopes to become a key destination in Sheffield City Centre. The outdoor space is just one way the project combines healthy wellbeing and work, with the buildings designed to maximise fresh air, natural light and frame far-reaching views of Europe’s greenest city.
“Ultimately, if we had taken the rebuild route, our new £1.5 million public plaza would never have existed. It is set to become a vibrant hub not only for the campus’ tenants, but for the surrounding residential properties and businesses to utilise as well,” Jeremy explained. “The revitalisation of Pennine Five’s unique architecture has created a real point of difference and brings life to this once-forgotten part of the city, acting as a catalyst for further inward investment in the area.”
With a dynamic mix of workspace and lease solutions, Pennine Five can flex to anticipate the needs of any commercial tenant. A company can mature from a one-person start-up to an international market leader – all on a single campus. The renewed site is quickly becoming a melting pot for firms of all sizes and sectors, a meeting point for knowledge-sharing, creative thinking and generating opportunities.
For more information on the campus and accommodation, head to penninefive.com.