Next phase of £130m project given green light
The Glass Works development scheme in Barnsley has received planning permission for the next phase of the 3.8 hectare project – which will see a 13-screen cinema and ten pin bowling alley constructed in town centre.
The £130m development scheme funded by Barnsley Council is set to transform the heart of the town centre.
Phase two of the project was granted permission yesterday and will include the 25 new retail units and ten family-friendly restaurants, which will frame a new public square and extend along a new shopping route.
This phase will also see the delivery of The Glass Works’ two key leisure anchors, Cineworld and Superbowl UK, who both signed 20-year leases earlier this year. Cineworld will provide a modern 13-screen multiplex cinema and Superbowl UK will offer ten pin bowling, Laser Quest and a crèche, providing a fun environment for all ages.
Work on this second phases will begin in Autumn 2018.
Construction has already started on the initial phase of the scheme, which includes the new state-of-the-art Library at the Lightbox and a contemporary transformation of the Metropolitan Centre, which will provide a brand-new home for the town’s famous markets.
The Library at the Lightbox and the revitalised markets are currently scheduled to open in 2018.
Barnsley Council and development managers Queensberry are working towards a completion date of 2020 for the entire scheme.
Councillor Roy Miller, of Barnsley Council, said: “We are delighted to get the green light for this next stage of The Glass Works. 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’s great news for the town and the scheme will also stimulate inward investment, economic growth and create better jobs here.”
Stuart Harris, commercial director of Queensberry, said: “This is a major landmark for the scheme and we can now look forward to completing the great work that has already started.
“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 with the signing of our anchor tenants, Cineworld and Superbowl UK, Barnsley residents will no longer need to travel further afield to find first-class leisure facilities.
The Glass Works scheme has been designed by IBI Group, who also provided planning advice. Queensberry and Turner and Townsend are acting as development managers.
