SUMS MBA leads Sheffield’s new £65million ‘Chinatown’

— 08.01.16

by Simon Spode

Construction has begun on a new £65million Chinatown project on the edge of Sheffield City Centre.

The 86,100 sq ft mixed-use development will be situated near St Mary’s Gate and Bramall Lane and will feature shops, food and drink outlets, student flats and office space.

The New Era Square project is led by Jerry Cheung, managing director at New Era Development Ltd, who successfully completed his MBA in International Marketing in 1997.

Jerry said: “We have been working incredibly hard behind the scenes for many years to see our vision come to life.

“New Era Square is a landmark development for Sheffield, the region and the UK. It represents substantial investment for the city and is set to create a cosmopolitan, urban destination, including the new public square, to bring people from across the whole community together.”

The project is backed entirely by funding from China, and a party of key investors recently flew in for a traditional Chinese-style ceremony, where sand surrounding a plinth was turned over with shovels.

The ground floor, featuring retail units, will lead out to an open-air square for events. Offices, an exhibition hall and a ‘business incubator’ are scheduled for the first floor, whilst above there will be 700 student flats, for the growing number of international students coming to Sheffield. Hundreds of jobs are expected to be created once construction is completed.

The scheme has been designed by Sheffield architects Hadfield Cawkwell Davidson. (Images courtesy of HCD)

11.06.15

Why the Sheffield MBA? - Dr Andrew Simpson

01.06.14

Alumni profile: Joseph Karedan, MBA 2011

04.03.16

Campus Masterplan: we're transforming our public spaces