A £300 million planning application for the next phase in Meadowhall shopping centre‘s expansion and refurbishment has just been submitted to Sheffield City Council.

The application, submitted by the centre‘s co-owner British Land, is for the Meadowhall Leisure Hall and forms part of a five-year vision to extend the leisure offer at the centre and grow the appeal of the Sheffield City Region.

If approved, the extension will follow a £60 million refurbishment which is underway and due to complete at the end of 2017. 

The plans comprise of a 330,000sq ft multi-level extension housed under a glazed roof with new restaurants, a new cinema to replace the existing cinema, a new café court, gym, and a new open-air terrace that will allow visitors to dine outside. 

The Leisure Hall will also be integrated with the front of the existing centre to create a new multi-levelled, landscaped open space.

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In addition, the plans feature improve accessibility and parking, including proposals for electronic signage to show car park space availability, electric car charging points, pedestrian walkways, cycle parking and a cycle lane.  

British Land said no parking spaces would be lost due to the creation of a new multi-storey car park and the Leisure Hall will also create 540 temporary jobs during its construction and up to 1400 jobs once complete.

Sustainability is also central to the proposals, with solar panels planned for the roof of the new cinema to reduce carbon emissions and will provide at least 10 per cent of the Leisure Hall‘s energy consumption. 

“The Leisure Hall will continue Meadowhall‘s evolution, creating a place with a bolder, broader and deeper leisure mix,” British Land head of retail Charles Maudsley said.

“The plans will provide a number of benefits to the entire Sheffield City Region and are complementary to other schemes coming forward which together ensure the region plays a central role in the Northern Powerhouse.” 

The planning submission follows extensive consultation by British Land with a wide range of stakeholders as well as public exhibitions which saw 93 per cent of respondents expressing support it.

Sheffield City Council is expected to make a decision in spring 2017.

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