Outline plans for £19.5m Pride in Place investment presented to Cabinet

An update on the first part of the Pride in Place programme, which will bring £19.5 million of Government funding to Barnsley over the next ten years, will be presented to Cabinet on Wednesday 4 March February. 

Barnsley was selected by the Government as one of the first 75 towns included in the programme, which was initially known as the Long-Term Plan for Towns. The scheme requires the funding be spent in the Barnsley Urban Area the town centre and some surrounding residential areas.

In line with government guidance, the Barnsley Town Board was set up to draw up a ten year vision and a series of long term investment plans. The board is chaired by local business leader Edward Naylor and includes representatives from the council, local businesses, cultural organisations and charities.

A ten-year vision and four-year investment plan have been submitted to Government, with projects that included community safety measures to support the evening and night-time economy, repurposing and revitalising vacant units on the high street, and improving connections between Oakwell and the town centre through art and culture interventions – which will be known as the Barnsley Way.

Cabinet members will be asked to formally accept the funding and to consent for the Towns Board to continue developing the long-term investment plans over the coming years, with further updates to Cabinet to follow.

While the Barnsley Urban Area was chosen by government as the area to receive the funds, the Town Board carried out local consultation with residents, communities, and businesses. They agreed to focus the Pride in Place investment programme on three locations within this area:

·         Barnsley town centre

·         Dearne Valley Park and the Barnsley Main heritage site

·         The Oakwell leisure and wellbeing district, which includes the Metrodome, Oakwell Stadium, and surrounding land

Masterplans for these areas for 2026-2030 are now in development, aligned to the Pride in Place Plan.

Edward Naylor, Chairperson of the Barnsley Town Board, said: 

On behalf of the Barnsley Town Board I’m delighted to say we’ve made a submission to the government's Pride in Place programme which has been shaped through consultation with residents, communities, and businesses.

Our vision centres on Barnsley being the Place of Possibilities, and that by 2040 we will have a green and vibrant Barnsley, where our people and communities are empowered to thrive. 

Our initial plan covers the first four years of the ten-year programme, and there will be two more investment plans to be delivered, with more opportunity for the community to have their input in the coming years.