Council stays silent over cost of office deal

Around 900 staff are expected to move into the 96,000 sq ft office building, which was completed in July, early

next year.

Most employees are based at the Town Hall but staff from a number of smaller buildings across the town will also be relocated there.

Barnsley Council is remaining tight-lipped about the deal

for the building, which was developed by Quest Property and Landmark Development Projects.

The scheme, which cost 70m to develop, comprises offices, apartments, a hotel, bar and restaurant, a health centre and car park, all situated around a large central plaza.

The council will join office tenant Berneslai Homes within the building and existing occupiers Premier Inn, the NHS Health Centre and residents of the scheme's 188 apartments. Just over half of the apartments are currently occupied.

Jason Brook, chief executive of Quest Property, said: "We developed Gateway Plaza on a speculative basis and are incredibly proud to have successfully delivered this complex, ambitious scheme in one of the most challenging of economic climates."

Regeneration agency Remaking Barnsley is currently a third of the way through a strategic development framework which aims to create a thriving 21st-century market town through outlining projects and changes to progress the town over a 30-year timeframe.

However, in July, 1.2m of Yorkshire Forward funding was pulled from a project for "economic infrastructure works" which were supposed to improve connections in the town centre.

The "advanced public realm" project was proposed to "improve the appearance and connectivity between Barnsley town centre and the Gateway Plaza flats and shops scheme".

Chris Gilman, director of Landmark Development Projects, said: "Since work started on Gateway Plaza, the town has continued to evolve and the new amenities the scheme has delivered have served a genuine requirement within the transforming town."

He added: "We look forward to accommodating further residential tenants and retailers over the forthcoming weeks

and months."

Tim Cameron–Jones, investment director and head of DTZ's Leeds office, which advised Barnsley Council, added: "This represented an opportunity for the council to acquire very high quality offices at a sensible cost, together with the benefit of some investment income from existing tenants. DTZ were delighted to support the council in both the negotiations and technical due diligence."

Gateway Plaza represented itself in the deal with Gordons acting as legal adviser.