Meadowhall shopping centre to get new police station as expansion plans approved

The new plans for the shopping centre have seen a lot of opposition. Credit: PA Images

A police station, car showroom, leisure centre and indoor recreation centre will be added to Sheffield's Meadowhall shopping centre after expansion plans were approved.

Sheffield City Council's planning committee approved the owner's third version of plans submitted over the past four years.

The proposal has been scaled down twice and also contains provisions that the leisure centre will not begin construction until 2029 after concerns about the potential impact on Sheffield and Rotherham centres.

Rotherham Council was among the objectors because of fears investors may be drawn away from plans to build a hotel, cinema, restaurants and bars in Riverside Gardens.

An artist's impression of what the future Meadowhall could look like. Credit: British Land/LDRS

Jamie Whitfield, a director of retail investment firm NewRiver, which co-owns The Moor in Sheffield city centre, described Meadowhall as "dominant in the region", saying shops that operate both in the city and at Meadowhall have five times as many sales in the out-of-town centre.

He added: "This application seeks to greatly extend the customer experience and extend the dwell time which will further compound this dominance over Sheffield city centre."

Mr Whitfield also said this could undermine plans to regenerate Sheffield city centre.

Jamie Whitfield (left), a director of The Moor's part-owner NewRiver, spoke against the plans, saying they'd impact the city centre. Credit: LDRS

But David Bloy, from Meadowhall’s owner British Land, said was an important part of Sheffield’s economy and attraction.

He said over 94% of its 8,000 employees lived in the Sheffield city region, and it accounted for almost 20% of the city’s business rates.

He said: "However, Meadowhall is over 30 years old and is dominated by retail units. [It] needs investment, it needs to evolve and it needs to attract more leisure and food and beverage operators in order to widen the offer available and bring [it] up to modern standards."

David Bloy from Meadowhall's owner British Land said the centre needed investment to bring it up to modern standards. Credit: LDRS

Councillors voted six to three in favour of the plan.

Cllr Brian Holmshaw, who voted against, said: "Why do we want to damage Sheffield’s economy at this time or in the future? Rotherham is objecting to this, and if Rotherham can stand up for its town centre, why can’t Sheffield, too?"

Cllr Peter Price said: “I am saddened with some of these negative responses because Meadowhall is not just in competition with the city centre, it’s in competition with Manchester Trafford Centre and Leeds Arndale Centre.

He added: “The city centre is changing, just like Meadowhall is changing. Unless we keep up with this we’re going to lose out.”

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