Meadowhall: Bosses sell huge plot to steel firm Forgemasters after 5,000 jobs plan stalls

Meadowhall has sold a huge plot of land after plans to create almost 5,000 jobs failed to take off.

British Land, co-owner of the megamall, sold 21 acres to the south of the centre to engineering firm Forgemasters.

The company obtained permission in 2019 for a hotel, warehouses, factories, offices and a car showroom, set to create up to 4,800 jobs in the ‘River Don District’ around Weedon Street.

Earlier this year it said it was still waiting for an occupier to come forward before starting work on warehouses.

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Now it has sold almost half to Forgemasters, which is spending £400m on expansion after being bought by the Ministry of Defence. No value for the purchase was disclosed.

The steelmaker says it will build a new machining line.

Gareth Barker, chief operating officer at Sheffield Forgemasters, said: “The main focus of the land acquisition is to enable development of a new machining facility, to house 17 highly advanced machining centres, which do not exist anywhere else in the UK.”

The site was previously used as a steel works, rivet and brass works, brick and tile works and railway land but has since been cleared ready for redevelopment.

British Land was approached for comment.