Sheffield locals who’ve been watching the West Bar area slowly change over the years will now see something big: 368 brand new flats ready to rent. They’re the next piece of a huge plan to bring life, jobs, and homes back into the city centre. If you’ve ever wandered between Kelham Island and the Cathedral Quarter and thought, “What’s going on here?”, you’re not alone. Turns out, it’s all part of a £300 million project that’s transforming this part of the city.
Let’s break it down—what’s finished, what’s next, and why it matters whether you’re looking to rent, run a business, or just want Sheffield to have more cool places to live and work.
A new kind of city living has just opened its doors
The latest bit to be finished is Soho Yard—a new block of build-to-rent (BTR) homes, right in the middle of West Bar. It’s made up of two buildings with a total of 368 apartments. They’ve been built around landscaped gardens, which is a fancy way of saying there’s green space where you can chill outside without stepping into the street.
What kind of flats are we talking about?
- 1, 2 and 3-bedroom apartments
- Available right now (some are already snapped up)
- High-spec inside, with things like:
- Rooftop terraces
- A gym with a yoga studio
- A co-working space for people who work from home
- Meeting rooms, games rooms and even private dining spaces
- A 24-hour onsite team
- Pet-wash and bike-wash stations
It’s basically a ready-made mini neighbourhood for anyone who wants the perks of city living without the noise and mess. And yes, you can bring your dog.
Where’s all this happening?
If you’re not sure where West Bar is, picture the road that loops around the city—Sheffield’s Inner Ring Road. Now zoom in on the bit between Kelham Island and Castlegate. That’s where West Bar is quietly becoming one of the city’s newest hotspots.
Soho Yard itself sits on a site with some history too. Back in the day, the ‘Soho wheel’ powered grinders and machinery near the River Don, so the name’s a throwback to Sheffield’s industrial roots.
What else is part of the £300m West Bar development?
It’s not just flats. This project is big—£300 million big—and it’s being rolled out in phases. Soho Yard is just one of the first milestones. The wider plan includes:
- 500,000 sq ft of top-end office space
- New public squares and green space
- Shops and local amenities
- Multi-storey car parks with electric charging points
- Cycle storage for hundreds of bikes
One of the buildings already up and running is No.1 West Bar Square—a modern, glass-fronted office block that’s been designed to be super energy-efficient. It’s got eight floors, a roof terrace with views of the city, and even space for shops at ground level. This bit was actually finished last year and has helped set the tone for what’s to come.
Who’s making all this happen?
There’s a big team behind this transformation. The project is being delivered by Urbo (West Bar) Ltd, which is a mix of three companies: Urbo Regeneration, Peveril Securities, and Legal & General. L&G alone put £160 million into the first phase, so they’re not messing around.
The buildings themselves were built by Bowmer & Kirkland, and designed by the award-winning 5plus architects, with planning support from Asteer Planning.
The aim? To turn West Bar into a lively, modern part of town that people actually want to live and work in—not just pass through.
Why build-to-rent matters now
You’ve probably heard of renting, obviously. But build-to-rent (or BTR) is a bit different. Instead of properties being built and sold off to different landlords, whole blocks are developed specifically for long-term renters, and managed by one professional company. In this case, that’s Legal & General, who call it part of their “Homes for Life” portfolio.
Here’s why that matters:
- You get proper onsite support 24/7
- Rents are usually stable and more transparent
- The buildings are designed for community, not just squeezing in as many flats as possible
Adam Burney, who heads up BTR for L&G, said Soho Yard is all about “transforming the local area into a vibrant new community for people to live, work and play.” It’s a buzzphrase—but it seems like they’re walking the talk.
What’s next for West Bar?
The next phase has already been agreed. This will include:
- A second 100,000 sq ft office building
- A new 450-space car park
- 300 cycle storage spots
- Electric vehicle charging points
Bit by bit, it’s growing into a full-blown city neighbourhood, not just another bunch of flats and offices.
Ben Rodgers from L&G put it like this: they want West Bar to deliver “housing, green public spaces, and Grade-A offices” that will bring “economic growth” to Sheffield. Whether that’s your thing or not, it’s clearly a serious investment in the city’s future.
In summary: should you care?
If you’re looking to rent in Sheffield and want somewhere central, modern and full of extras, Soho Yard is worth checking out.
If you’re more into the business side of things—new offices, investment, regeneration—West Bar is shaping up to be one of the city’s most important projects in years.
And if you’re just happy to see parts of Sheffield getting some love again, this whole scheme is a good sign that the city’s not standing still.
Want to find out more or see inside the flats? Check out:
Would you live somewhere like Soho Yard if it ticked the right boxes?
