Mace planning student flats in Sheffield

Mace’s development arm has snapped up a site in the middle of Sheffield which it wants to turn into student flats along with retail and housing.

The firm is planning to build 2,000 student bedrooms over the next three years across sites in Cardiff, Exeter and Oxford and its deal in the Steel City will see it build a further 550 bedrooms at a 2.5 acre site in Hoyle Street.

As well as student flats, the firm will add retail along with 150 homes which will either be sold or developed for the private rented sector.

David Grover (pictured), the boss of its development arm, said the work in the South Yorkshire city was part of its wider work across the region. “Mace is keenly aware that delivering sustainable growth in the UK’s northern cities is crucial to both the government’s emerging industrial strategy and our country’s wider economic success,” he added.

News of the deal comes as Mace’s construction arm completed work last week on a £240m retail scheme in Berkshire called Lexicon Bracknell.