Dramatic rise in the number of people living in Sheffield city centre

Speaking at a business conference at Cutlers' Hall on Thursday, Edward Highfield, Sheffield City Council's director of city growth, said the city centre's residential population had risen from 6,000 to 30,000 over the last 10 years.

The conference, held by Built Environment Networking, saw more than 170 businesses gather to discuss the latest developments across the region, including the ongoing development of The Moor, Chinatown and other city centre developments.

Mr Highfield said: "Our investment pipeline is probably the healthiest it's ever been. There is an awful lot going off in the city."

Work is continuing on the £65 million Chinatown development and apartment blocks are also being built just off Tenter Street.

Coun Mazher Iqbal, the council's cabinet member of business and investment, said increasing the number of people living in the city centre was "very important" to the council.

He said: "It's good to see the number of people living in the city centre is on the rise but I hope we can double it.

"I have met a number of developers who are looking at developing homes for families in the city centre."

Coun Iqbal said planning officers had pre-application discussions - the initial phase that comes before a major application is lodged - for about 700 developments last year.

He said developers were increasingly keen to build homes for small families in the city centre.

"There is a really good mix in the city centre. We have got students, young professionals and now we have got families too," he said.

"For me, it's about ensuring we have enough office space, residential and the retail/leisure element too.

"The city centre is about people that come and visit it, visitors who come and see our attractions, people who work in the city centre and then those who live in the city centre.

"It's the same as any other neighbourhood - we have to get the mix right."

Cllr Iqbal said other schemes such as the recent introduction of free, high-speed Wi-Fi access in outdoor areas and public buildings in the city centre and the launch of the 1,000 dockless bikes "were all part of the plan".

"It's important that we provide the infrastructure to help people who live in the city centre," he added.

Major developments given the go-ahead in Sheffield in 2017 were Meadowhall's £300m 'leisure hall' expansion, the next phase of Park Hill flats' refurbishment and several large student accommodation blocks.

Outline consent was also granted for West Bar Square, a £250m scheme of offices, retail space, apartments and a hotel on land between the law courts and Kelham Island.

Sheffield Central MP Paul Blomfield said: "I think it's hugely important and very positive that we have more people choosing to live in the city centre.

"It means we have to rethink the modern city centre - balancing out the need to live, work, shop and indeed study and that's a radical change for the city centre compared to the one that I knew when I was kid in Sheffield."

Mr Blomfield said it was also important to recognise the "extraordinary" work done by the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University to increase the number of people living in the city centre.

"We have seen a shift towards new developments releasing family homes in some of the city's suburbs too, which is hugely positive," he added.

"One of the other issues still to address is Sheffield has a great daytime economy, a great night-time economy but we have got to build the twilight economy."