Kier Construction will build a new indoor market hall as part of a larger retail development for the Council and Scottish Widows Investment Property Partnership Trust.

Designed by retail specialists Leslie Jones Architects, the new 79,000 sq ft market building will cost in the region of £17.5m and comprise up to 200 indoor stalls.

It will replace the Castle Markets which are now seen as poorly located for customers and in a run-down state.

The new market will feature a spectacular glass canopied entrance on the Moor and a timber and glass roof covering a single trading floor with three entrances and strong through routes.

The building will incorporate low energy cooling and maximum recycling of waste.

At the same time the Council also revealed North Midland Construction is now preferred contractor for the full scale transformation of the public realm of the Upper Moor at a cost of £2.6m.

These works will be funded in their entirety by SWIPPT as part of the wider partnership with the Council for regeneration of The Moor.

The existing open market traders on the Upper Moor have agreed to move to the Lower Moor when work starts on the public realm in early summer.

Simon Green Sheffield City Council’s Executive Director for Place, said the announcement of the contractor was a significant milestone in the project.

”We are delighted to be announcing these two contracts. The tendering process has been robust and we were impressed with the quality of the bidders.”