Packaging company remain rooted in up and coming Sheffield neighbourhood

Wake Smith represented packaging suppliers WK West, prior to the sale of the company in June, on the sale of its three acre head office site on Cornish Street in Neepsend, adjacent to Kelham Island, identified as one of Sheffield’s most up-and-coming neighbourhoods.

The deal saw the sale of the site, home to WK West’s manufacturing and stock holding facility since the 1920s, for an undisclosed sum, ultimately for regeneration, but with a lease-back to the packaging firm.

Prior to the company sale, Wake Smith had acted for WK West for around 40 years with well-known commercial property director Neil Salter handling the sale and leaseback as the latest in a long line of legal transactions for the two established Sheffield firms.

Neil Salter said: “The site is in a prime location with the exciting emergence of Kelham Island and Neepsend listed as one of the UK’s most exciting places to live, work and play.

“We are seeing development spread along the river as the former industrial area becomes a trendy residential location, backed by the masterplan to bring more homes to the neighbourhood.

“Our role was involvement in agreeing drafting and settling the heads of terms, the contract and the leaseback. WK West were, and its former owners still are, long-serving clients with whom we have had an excellent relationship over the years, which highlights our approach and ethos to quality lifetime service and long standing commitment to our clients.”

Andy Fox, former owner and Managing Director said: “I’ve really valued our relationship with Wake Smith over the past 40 years or so and have always been impressed by the quality and practicality of the advice given by Wake Smith over that period and the fact that you always get sound advice from senior people like John Baddeley and Neil Salter.”

As part of the Local Plan, five Sheffield neighbourhoods will be transformed to encourage living in the city centre with the plans promising 20,000 new homes.

It will address several needs for city living including for jobs, leisure, open space, biodiversity and sustainable infrastructure with the five distinctive areas, covering 53 hectares, earmarked for the transformation being Neepsend, Furnace Hill, Moorfoot, Wicker Riverside and Castlegate.

Sheffield City Council wishes to use existing brownfield sites to enhance travel options whilst also protecting green belt land and aiming to reduce carbon emissions and improve air quality.

The Kelham and Neepsend area have contributed directly to the commercial and architectural character of Sheffield, influenced by the area's association with the prosperous steel, cutlery and silverware industries.

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