Sheffield leaders, including Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park Chair, Dr Sherry Kothari, were front and centre at the UK’s largest real estate and investment event in Leeds last week, championing the city across dozens of panel sessions, showcases and debates. 

12,000 delegates from around the world attended the UK’s Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF) on 21-23 May.

Taking part in multiple events across the three-day programme, the Sheffield City Council leadership team demonstrated how it is confidently fronting decarbonisation and housing challenges, whilst delivering long-term transformative urban regeneration and world-leading innovation hubs.

UKREiiF provided an important platform for Sheffield to showcase its many fantastic development opportunities that are ripe for inward investment. This included the Council-led £470m Heart of the City scheme – home to statement city centre developments like Elshaw House – South Yorkshire’s first zero carbon-ready office, and Cambridge Street Collective – Europe’s largest purpose-built food hall, which opened to the public last Thursday.

There was also excitement about the major economic and community benefits of the sector leading Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District and Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park, which form part of the UK’s first Investment Zone, as well as the Council’s strong partnership with Homes England, which forms part of the Council’s plan to deliver 20,000 new homes in the central Sheffield area. Images of the first two neighbourhoods being developed with Homes England, based in Neepsend and Furnace Hill, were also unveiled at the conference.

Sheffield’s own packed-out showcase event was hosted at Leeds Royal Armouries on the first day of the conference, with Cllr Tom Hunt, Leader of Sheffield City Council, and Chief Executive Kate Josephs CB, delivering a powerful presentation that showcased the city’s growth plans through placemaking, innovation, sustainability and investment.

This was followed by an engaging panel discussion led by Louisa Harrison-Walker, CEO of Sheffield Chamber of Commerce, and featured key figures including Dr Sherry Kothari, Mike Palin, Interim Executive Director – Markets, Partners and Places at Homes England, and Pete Gladwell, Group Social Impact and Investment Director at Legal & General.

Cllr Tom Hunt, Leader of Sheffield City Council said: “Sheffield is a global, green and growing city. Our growth plan forecasts £3 billion of investment into the city, and it was great to showcase our city’s plans, our confidence and our opportunities for growth and investment at UKREiiF.

“Sheffield has a clear set of investment propositions and a track record of delivery. From our Heart of the City regeneration scheme to developing the UK’s first Investment Zone and our strong partnership with Homes England, we are setting out a long-term plan to grow the city’s economy.”

Discussing the week at UKREiiF, Kate Josephs CB added: “It has been a fantastic few days and there has been a real buzz about Sheffield at the event. The Council team, and our partners, have been out and about across many different events, sharing about our city, our incredible investment propositions and our vison for growth in Sheffield.”