Barnsley Council’s cabinet has today (March 5) approved £2.5m for three new ‘landmark’ Yorkshire Rose sculptures at the entrance to the Seam Digital Campus.

A report to the council’s cabinet outlined plans to design and install the sculptures, each standing between 12 and 15 meters tall. These Yorkshire Rose sculptures will feature integrated lighting and audio elements, creating an immersive experience for visitors. They are designed to serve as a visual gateway to the Seam Digital Campus, which is part of a wider £11.97 million regeneration effort to promote Barnsley as a hub for digital innovation.

The development will also include an urban park, spanning 4,700 square meters, with three distinct gardens — a biodiversity garden, a digital garden, and a town centre link — all aimed at enhancing the public space and supporting Barnsley’s growing digital sector.

Alongside the proposed sculptures, the report also highlights a contingency budget of £1 million to cover any unforeseen costs that may arise during the installation phase.

During today’s meeting, council leaders emphasised that the sculptures are a key part of a wider strategy to bring forward development on the Upper Seam area and to enhance the town’s identity.

Councillor Robin Franklin, cabinet member for regeneration and culture told the meeting: “The sculptures aim to transform the area into an iconic attraction, promote the town centre, and act as the catalyst for the next phase of the project, which will include the DMC [Digital Media Centre] three, and the national centre for digital technology.

“And hopefully, lever investment to attract a premium hotel, thus creating jobs and increasing spending in the town.”

Councillor Robert Frost added: “We need this to attract better digital jobs and businesses to that area. At the minute the entrance to the car park is very poor and very congested. It’ll much improve the area.”

The report acknowledged the potential risks of negative publicity due to the cost of the sculptures, and outlined a communications strategy which will focus on promoting the long-term advantages of the project, including how the sculptures will contribute to the regeneration efforts and attract both visitors and investment to the town.