Sheffield is a city with a reputation quite literally forged in steel.
In the years following the industrial revolution, the Steel City was the undisputed international leader in metallurgy technology.
As was the case with many of the UK’s industrial behemoths, Sheffield’s fortunes failed in the final half of the last century, but extensive redevelopment is helping recover the city’s shine while creating an exciting arena for property investment.
In fact, the city has far outpaced the broader Yorkshire and Humber region, achieving a stunning 60% gross value added (GVA) and 5% economic growth since the millennium.
These days, outlying districts like Hallam often feature high in the rankings for overall wealth outside London. A good portion of Hallam residents count themselves among the country’s top earners, with around 12% earning over £60,000.
Improvement is largely thanks to an impressive citywide regeneration scheme, which has seen dated social housing projects replaced and industrial areas developed for retail, leisure and business.
Hand in hand with these is a series of public arts schemes marking the city’s industrial legacy and transforming the city centre, including the Winter Gardens and Peace Gardens. Joining these is a collection of iconic sculptures and Hollywood-style Walk of Fame honouring famous Sheffield residents.
The UK business monitor now counts Sheffield among the UK’s ten best cities to locate a business, particularly for call centres and the service industry.
Businesses are drawn by a package of financial incentives to locate in the centre, as well as excellent links by rail and road to the rest of the UK. A direct link to London’s St Pancras station means that Sheffield is one of the few UK cities to boast direct rail connectivity to mainland Europe.
Why invest in Sheffield ?