Planning secured for next phase of £130m Barnsley town centre retail scheme

The second phase of The Glass Works, the 590,000 sq ft scheme to be built in Barnsley town centre, has received planning approval from Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council.

Phase two of the scheme, which is being brought forward by Queensberry and Turner and Townsend, will include the development of 100,000 sq ft of new retail space, over 25,000 sq ft of food and drink units and over 90,000 sq ft of leisure facilities.

Among the new leisure developments will be a 13 screen cinema operated by Cineworld and a bowling alley operated by Superbowl UK.

A 494 space multi storey car park will support the project.

Phase one of the scheme, which is currently under construction, incorporates a new library, entitled Library @ The Lightbox, and a new home for the 700-year old Barnsley Markets.

The news follows the announcement earlier this year that the council had committed a further £70m to fund the second phase of the scheme, bringing its total investment to £130m.

Cllr Roy Miller, cabinet spokesperson – place, Barnsley Council, said: “We are delighted to get the green light for this next stage of The Glass Work. The approval keeps everything nicely on track and within our projected timescales.

“Making Barnsley town centre a daytime and evening destination that families and friends can enjoy has long been a priority of the Council. We are extremely proud to now have the opportunity to deliver a modern and vibrant town centre, served by the cinema, bowling venue, new shops and popular restaurants.

“It is great news for the town and the scheme will also stimulate inward investment, economic growth and create better jobs here.”

Stuart Harris, commercial director and co-founder of Queensberry, added: “This is a major landmark for the scheme and we can now look forward to completing the great work that has already started.

“Phase 2 will create an outstanding new retail and leisure facility for Barnsley, and showcase an exciting destination in the heart of South Yorkshire that will serve all aspects of the community.

“The Glass Works has already attracted a lot of interest from nationally renowned retailers and restaurants and we look forward to announcing some new occupiers in the coming months.

“Before we began working in Barnsley, the comment we often heard was that the town centre didn’t have the right offer to keep people in town outside of work hours, particularly into the early evening. Changing that has always been one of our key goals and we look forward to making further announcements in the coming months.”

The Glass Works is located on a 3.8 hectare site around Cheapside and has been designed by IBI Group, which also provided planning advice. The scheme is scheduled for completion in May 2020.