Sheffield City Council to sell former John Lewis building
Sheffield City Council is selling a former John Lewis department store in the heart of the city.
The 200,000 square foot Barker’s Pool building forms a significant element of the council’s £470 million Heart of the City regeneration scheme which will provide active cultural, leisure, retail, residential and office uses to three sides of the property.
Originally opened in 1962 as a department store with an integrated car park, the property’s freehold is now owned by the council which acquired the lease from John Lewis in January 2022. The council said the five-storey building could be redeveloped or repurposed for a wide range of uses, subject to planning approval.
The building is being marketed by CBRE’s UK development advisory team.
Since the acquisition, the council has been busy securing the building and commissioning various surveys. Works to remove asbestos and strip out redundant plant and machinery are currently out to tender and will commence in the next few months, with anticipated completion in the spring of 2023.
CBRE is seeking expressions of interest by the end of June, with a second stage starting at the end of the summer. The council said it is seeking proposals that “add to the vibrancy and attraction of the widest possible number of visitors and local people into the city centre”.
Kate Martin, executive director at Sheffield City Council, added: “We know how important this property is to the people of Sheffield and this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reshape a key city centre location. The decision on how the property and location is reimagined and its future use will be carefully considered.
“Although removing the existing building is an option, we are keen to ensure we examine all the options on the table, so we can make a fully informed decision. We plan to make the most of this rare opportunity and develop something truly special for Sheffield.”
