Speaking on the back of the Sheffield Chamber  “How do we unlock the potential of Sheffield and it’s City Region summit”, Adrian Lunn, Head of our Sheffield office, said:

“Today’s event was a hugely valuable insight into the economic case for bringing HS2 to Sheffield city centre. The summit confirmed LSH’s belief that when HS2 comes, it must be to the heart of the city. And while this is a more costly option in the short term, the added value to the region in the long-term will be far greater.

As shown by LSH’s Northern Powerhouse report [issued last November] the region’s property market has been dominated by Manchester, but a major new transport link coming to the very centre of Sheffield could help ensure businesses, retailers and residents start to see Sheffield as a real alternative. Furthermore, with the proposed HS3 link planned for the city centre, it makes economic and logistical sense for these to be housed at a single location.

You only have to look at the benefits the overhauled New Street and new Grand Central shopping centre have brought to Birmingham to see that we cannot pass up the opportunity to bring new revenue, people and jobs and housing to Sheffield city centre. The benefits to the local economy and culture could be huge, and we hope that the government will reconsider its decision.”

LSH is headline sponsor of the Northern Powerhouse International Conference & Exhibition, which takes place on 25 and 26 February 2016, at Manchester Central, where the issue of transport infrastructure and connectivity across the region will be discussed.