Barnsley town centre to lose 500 parking spaces in new multi-storey car park plan

The Seam will be a mixed-use development of energy efficient housing, expansion space for the Digital Media Centre, multi-storey car park and a new active travel hub.

Seven plots between Eastgate, Regent Street and Eldon Street North have been earmarked to create the create the “urban village”.

In September, BMBC accepted £15.6m of government funding for the scheme, and agreed a further £18.9m of council cash.

A new report to the next cabinet meeting on April 6 states that the car park will “reduce the footprint of land occupied by BMBC car parks in the town centre.”

“Current occupancy of this car park is on average 500 users per day and whilst it is difficult to predict what a ‘return to normal’ would look like, given so manytown centre office workers now work from home or plan to do hybrid working,” adds the report.

“There is on average over 1400 empty spaces during the week including 800 shopper and 600 commuter spaces.

“Any loss of capacity at The Seam will be met through increased occupancy in other car parks.

“The temporary loss of blue badge parking in the car park during construction will be offset through increasing blue badge spaces in the immediate area.

The report also recommends that a further £4.68m is identified from a review of the existing capital programme, “in order to bridge the current budget ‘gap’ required to enable the delivery of Phase 1 of the Seam”.

A market feasibility study has also revealed a “strong market interest” for a hotel on the site, and “further market engagement with hotel providers is progressing, with a view to considering options in future phases.

“The Local Plan does not currently support this use and there would need to be evidence of market demand for this to be considered.”

The car park, public realm and active travel hub will form the first stage of the scheme, with the residential plans to follow.