Revised plans for the town centre

http://www.barnsley-chronicle.co.uk/advertising/mailshot/BetterBarnsley/103/Plan.pdf

 

Free parking is the most important thing, without it you can't compete with Meadowhall at all.

 

The cinema was always planned to go above the proposed units that will be constructed where the current multi-storey is. This hasn't changed much. The main changes I can see from the original council plans from 2014 are;

No pedestrian bridge to replace the level crossing (I'd guess that Network Rail refused to pay the 5 million required to construct what the council wanted - it wasn't just a bog standard bridge, 4m wide with ramp access from the market square. Network Rail must not be as desperate as they initially indicated to close the level crossing or the council wanted too much for free. Technically this isn't great news as closure of the crossing would have contributed to increased line speed and quicker journeys)

A new multi-storey car park accessed via ramps pretty much where the carpet world building once stood

A large retail unit has appeared in the corner that had been left open for access (this looks quite large and interestingly is in the same place the proposed Debenhams unit was in the 2011 plans)

The cinema appears to have increased from 8 screens

The three buildings that form phase 2 of the development now appear to be one large building. The original council plan for the buildings is below. Admittedly this isn't quite as detailed as the latest version



DS3, DS5 and DS6 are now all joined together creating the additional retail/restaurant units.

The council aren't providing any additional funding for the project. There's actually no guarantee phase 2 will go ahead. The council will only be funding the demolition of the buildings to clear the space, the construction of the new library and restaurant unit and the refurbishment and remodelling of the Metropolitan Centre. They've appointed a 3rd Party to find an investor who'll commit to phase 2 of the development if they can secure sufficient pre-let agreements with major retailers and leisure operators. If these are secured and a return on investment is guaranteed then phase 2 will go ahead. I'm also guessing these revised plans are due to input from the 3rd Party who have much more experience in this type of development.

It's a shame we now have to put up with the eyesore of that multi-storey carpark until 2017. They were due to start demolition in September but it's been moved back. The current meat and fish market will also be demolished at the same time.

 

Why are we pratting about with a great big market that no one visits? They're out of date and look scruffy as owt. Show some ambition Barnsley council and stop filling our town centre with scruffy shops and put me on festive cheap crap units.
Next step should be to start barring the scagheads and keep them away from proper people in the town.

 

So is the side boots, sports direct and Super drug gonna be renovated then in future? Seems daft not touching that side?

 

Considering thst one if the towns main sources of investment Europe is no longer an option how likely is the going happen

 

Are they leaving that new market looking like a corrugated farm barn. Looked awful last time I saw it.

 

That's only temporary while the redo the proper one

 

Nope. The council don't own that side and I think it would cost a fortune to buy.

 

Ok ta

 

I think the coop own the alhambra ....BMO RE..just manage it .

 

they are on about the new town layout not the new scoreboard matey.

 

It was sold to somebody else a ages ago and renamed 'the mall Alhambra's but was sold again a few years back to a London company who own a few other shopping centres

 

How do you upload a picture on here, l have the original plan so you can see the tweaks. I can only upload a link to a picture

 

F&C Reit are the landlords, they were putting in the investment for the cinema.

 

Have you visited the new Moor Market in Sheffield? Always seems busy and some great fresh produce. Half as good would be great.

 

That's the ones.

To upload a picture click on the icon that looks like an image at the top of the text editor (3rd from the right) and you should get an option for 'upload from computer)'

 

But why settle for half as good, there are areas in Leeds where the powers that be categorically refuse to allow crap shops that aren't befitting to the image they're going for, why don't we do the same. Don't come with this towns got no money mumbo jumbo, take a look around, there are nice estates being built everywhere you look. This all creates both council tax revenue and potential footfall to an inviting town centre. It still boils my piss that the old Leo's got turned into tatty shops which is the first impression that a lot of people get when coming into Barnsley from the motorway.

 

The latest plan, service road and bridge not given the go ahead, possibly linked


The original plan from two years ago


I gave up on trying to embed an image...

 

It's changed more times than Cheryl Cole changes husbands - originally the building that houses the indoor markets and shops on Cheapside was just going to be refurbished, now it looks like an entirely new building. Interesting that the new plans have a multi-storey car park, that was previously never in discussion although it is needed, getting parked on a Saturday is hard enough and town isn't even that busy.

I do think the council should just let the Alhambra folks press ahead with their cinema plan though, would provide a platform for some much needed regeneration at that end of the town as well as being a much more appealing and unique place to go to the cinema - on top of a tallish building with everything including parking under one roof? Instead the council seem to want a cinema at the centre of their plans - not really sure how a cinema across from a library and adjacent to a market really fits?


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