Consent sought for first phase of digital campus transformation
New plans to transform Barnsley’s digital business district into a sustainable urban village for the 21st century have been unveiled.
The Seam digital campus in Barnsley town centre – home to two Digital Media Centres and Barnsley College’s SciTech building – is established as a place where people set-up and grow tech businesses, explore new ideas, study and collaborate.
Latest plans for the site propose to add a range of accessible, inclusive and inspiring community facilities for the benefit of all.
These will include a travel hub for cyclists and walkers, a multi-storey car park with 40 electric vehicle charging points, new green public spaces and low-carbon housing development.
This first phase of development at The Seam digital business campus is part-funded by Future High Streets Fund. It follows the successful completion of the Glassworks retail and leisure development earlier this year.
Sir Stephen Houghton, leader of Barnsley Council, said: “It’s exciting to reach the planning permission stage of The Seam, Barnsley’s ambitious Digital Campus.
“Future High Street funding is helping us transform this site to bring forward the next phase of town centre development which will bring together people, learning, business and places to help grow more innovative, digital jobs and businesses.
“The current DMC hub for the digital industries has seen great success providing a home for businesses and entrepreneurs since its development nearly 15 years ago.
“DMC 02, which opened in the middle of the pandemic, has quickly grown and is now full and the new MakerLab is busy with people and businesses developing new digital products. Barnsley College’s SciTech Hub opened last year and is helping hundreds of students to develop the skills for digital jobs.
“The Seam builds on this great work already happening and this phase one development gives us an accessible and innovative urban village and digital cluster within the town centre where we can try new ideas and support positive change for Barnsley.”
The council has worked with design consultants Arcadis and BDP Architects to bring forward detailed plans for this first phase of development, which relates to the lower car park area of The Seam.
The planning application has now been submitted for the active travel hub, multi-storey car park and public areas. Pending planning approval, work is due to start in spring 2023 and complete towards the end of 2024.
An outline planning application has also been submitted for the low carbon housing on site. There will be a procurement exercise to appoint a housing developer to bring forward these plans.
Further development of facilities for businesses, residents and visitors will be brought forward on a phased basis at The Seam as funding becomes available.
