Proving that commercially responsive design can create better retail places for communities.
Client St James Securities
Project Role Design, Retail Delivery
Scale 8.23 acres
Status Complete
St James Securities appointed us to support a competitive bid for the former Norton College site in Sheffield. Their ambition was clear: secure the site and deliver a high-quality retail scheme that balanced strong returns with long-term value.
The client identified a clear gap in local retail provision and saw the opportunity to better serve the surrounding community. We translated that ambition into a robust planning and commercial strategy that demonstrated viability, deliverability, and local benefit from the outset.
We structured the scheme around efficiency and flexibility, testing tenant requirements, servicing, and circulation early. By embedding value engineering into the concept design, we ensured cost and quality worked together. Every decision strengthened programme certainty while protecting the experience of the people who would use the space every day.
We also challenged the standard retail park model. A layered, durable material palette creates depth and identity. Along the main frontage, rain gardens and integrated seating replace sections of parking, creating space for people to pause, meet, and spend time comfortably.
The successful bid led to planning approval and a distinctive retail destination that supports commercial performance while improving everyday experience for the community it serves.
