Sheffield Forgemasters has secured planning permission for the construction of a huge new building to house the UK’s largest open-die forging press.
The new 12,700 sq m structure will sit adjacent to the existing forge building, with the decision seen as a significant one for the regional and national economy. Located on Brightside Lane, as well as housing a new 13,000 tonne press, it will include offices and a water pumping station.
The building forms part of a recapitalisation programme by the Ministry of Defence, which will see up to £400 million invested in the site over ten years to upgrade the company’s defence-critical assets.
Read more: 30 new wagons heading to Drax as power giant turns to UK railfreight manufacturer
Gareth Barker, chief operating officer at Sheffield Forgemasters, said: “Securing planning permission for our new heavy forge line is a true landmark in the company’s history and will see work accelerate across the site as we move into 2023.
“In the early part of 2022, we undertook a major logistical exercise to ship the new press from Japan and place it in safe storage in the UK.
“The new facility will significantly improve our throughput of large, complex forgings and will enable us to push the envelope in terms of forging techniques and processes, as well as improving accuracy and reducing downtime.”
A target date of 2025 has been set for the completion of works and the new forging press to be in operation. It will replace the company’s existing 10,000 tonne press, which was installed in the Fifties and upgraded in the Eighties.
Two enabling developments have previously been approved covering temporary construction site access as well as the partial demolition of the existing forge building and erection of new heat shield walls.
Foregmasters employs more than 600 staff in the city, and was acquired by the Ministry of Defence in 2021.
The project team for the new forging line includes JLL, AEW Architects and Tetra Tech.Joanna Gabrilatsou, director of planning for JLL, said: “The planning process was complex and was only made possible through close collaboration with Sheffield City Council to provide a plan that both fits the needs of the business, but also protects jobs for local people. We are delighted to have obtained planning permission and are now getting underway with helping to deliver planning permission on the second phase of investment at Sheffield Forgemasters site.”
READ NEXT:
Liberty Steel reaches agreement over global debt restructuring following Greensill collapse
E.on and partners to explore green hydrogen plan for Sheffield's steel industry
£10m crane investment on its way to Port of Immingham
Thorpe Marsh power station site could become UK's largest energy storage site
£15b project pipeline should make the Humber region the world's beacon for Net Zero industry
