CITU set to build over 1,000 sustainable homes on 23 acre brownfield site in Sheffield

Citu has major ambitions for the scheme to set new standards of sustainability for Yorkshire, building on its multi-award-winning treatment of previously vacant or derelict brownfield land which include low-carbon residential neighbourhoods in Kelham Island, and the Climate Innovation District to the south of Leeds city centre.

Jonathan Wilson, Managing Director of Citu said: “We have a long-term investment in Sheffield, creating award-winning new communities and employing dozens of local people here for more than a decade. It’s fitting that the city will be home to one of our most ambitious schemes to date. This site has a rich history and is looking to a new chapter that will be at the forefront of tackling the biggest crisis of our generation, the climate emergency.

We will use our 20 plus years of experience in sustainable placemaking to ensure we create a new neighbourhood that will work in harmony with the natural surroundings and exceptional beauty of this area, creating lasting impact for the community to thrive.”

Citu will submit planning for phase one of the scheme in the coming weeks, which will include over 400 new homes and the conversion of existing buildings to form extensive arts, leisure and workspace opportunities. The houses will be built using Citu’s ground-breaking timber-framed housing system, combining bold architecture with flexible designs, exceptional spaces and sustainable, low carbon materials to ensure the highest standards of energy efficiency.

The first phase will develop the heart of the district transforming existing buildings into

the new neighbourhood’s cultural centre with bars, an independent bakery and art studios. Extensive remediation works will now get underway, with new infrastructure installed before construction work commences on site in 2024.

The land at Attercliffe Waterside, which is owned by Sheffield Council, which recently acquired the interests of the Canal and River Trust and Norfolk Estates using funding from the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, was brought to market in 2019 and billed as ‘one of the most exciting development opportunities in the north of England’.

Sheffield City Councillor, Minesh Parekh said: “Meeting our city’s net-zero target means learning how to do things differently. This ambitious scheme is: delivering zero-carbon housing, building futureproofed neighbourhoods, transforming everyday life; moving us one step closer to where we need to be.”

Kate Martin, Executive Director of City Futures at Sheffield Council said: “The exchange of this development agreement is a great moment for this regeneration project and we look forward to working with Citu over the coming months and years as it now moves into delivery.

The transformational scheme will deliver much needed high-quality homes and jobs and build on the success and momentum of the Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park; £17m of Levelling Up Funding currently being invested in Attercliffe as well as the growing Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District.”

Leeds-based Citu was set up in 2004 by Chris Thompson, who continues to lead the business today with co-director Jonathan Wilson. Citu aims to tackle climate change through developing exemplar and innovative developments that help create a ripple effect in the industry and lead to more widespread adoption of sustainable methodologies. Always brownfield, urban, connected and embodying a sense of community, Citu has been developing a framework of what sustainable development looks like and believes the wider benefits around health and wellbeing, air quality, ecology, fuel poverty, economic development, connectivity and tackling the housing shortage, all mean that the net effect is a very positive one.

The Citu business has enjoyed significant growth since inception. Now with live projects valued at £500m and employing over 120 people.