Green light for revised markets scheme

The original Barnsley Markets Project was drawn up in 2004, when Barnsley Council and soon-to-be defunct regional development agency Yorkshire Forward entered an agreement to move the idea forward.

A development partner, the 1249 Regeneration Partnership, was engaged to develop the site providing new shops, flats and an indoor and outdoor market, but by 2008 the entire £180m project had stalled after falling victim to the worldwide economic downturn.

Since then, Barnsley Council has been casting around for a way to restart the scheme and yesterday’s meeting heard the new plan would provide some of the original aspirations, including a new market.

A council spokesman said: “The development partnership has worked closely to revise the scheme and agree a new financial deal which is considered commercially viable to deliver the project by the end of 2015.

“The revised design is in keeping with the original design principles and is deliverable within the financial constraints of the scheme.

“It does not incorporate the previous residential element, but the other key components of the Barnsley Markets Project are primarily the same.

“Based on the current programme, the developer should begin construction in autumn 2012, completing in autumn 2015.

“A key condition to achieving this timescale is 1249 and the council fulfilling their obligations contained within the development agreement.

“For the council this means acquiring all third party land/rights, and the current Yorkshire Forward interest. With regards to 1249 it means raising the necessary finance from the funding market.”