Mace Group

Information

Mace was appointed as programme manager on the city centre masterplan for client Sheffield One in 2003. Sheffield One was one of three pilot urban regeneration companies (URC's) alongside New East Manchester and Liverpool Vision.

The city centre masterplan was made up of seven key projects; the refurbishment of Sheffield train station square, a £500m new retail quarter, redevelopment of the Castlegate area including the outdoor market, refurbishment of the City Hall and the Barkers Pool environs, a new digital campus, the heart of the city project that included new high specification offices, a 30 storey residential building and a new integrated transport system. At its peak in 2008 the masterplan was valued at over £1bn.

The Mace role was to manage the overarching risks, actions and issues as well as maintain the key interfaces and report to the senior management team consisting of the project partners: Sheffield City Council, South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive, Yorkshire Forward and English Partnerships (now known as Homes and Communities Agency).

The value of the Mace role was summarised by Sir Michael Parkinson of the Institute of Urban Affairs: "By commissioning Mace to carry out programme management and independently scrutinise partners' project management functions on its behalf, Sheffield One ensured that different components of the regeneration programme were co-ordinated and rigorously managed to minimise problems and slippage. Mace helped to ensure co-ordination and communication, resolution of sticking points and contingency planning and senior managers appreciated Mace's frank and independent assessment as it avoided the possibility of the 'judge and jury' syndrome creeping in."

In 2008 the URC changed its focus to economic regeneration and thus became the UK's first city development company, Creative Sheffield. Mace was integral in managing this transformation.

Links

Creative Sheffield website
www.creativesheffield.co.uk/

Yorkshire Forward website
www.yorkshire-forward.com/

Homes and Communities website
www.homesandcommunities.co.uk/

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