Planners set to approve ‘final jigsaw piece’ in town revival

Development company Dransfield Properties has submitted plans to build a two-storey development of shops, offices and cafes on land at St Mary’s Street in Penistone, which forms a gateway into the revamped town centre.

In recent years, the Barnsley-based firm has been behind a huge regeneration scheme in the town, which has included the creation of a new Tesco supermarket, fire and ambulance depots, council offices, a bowling green and a timber-framed market hall.

A total of 26 letters of support have been submitted in relation to the proposed scheme at St Mary’s Street, which has been recommended for approval by town planners when it goes before Barnsley Council’s planning board today.

However, others, including Penistone Town Council, are opposing the plans, saying the scheme would constitute “overdevelopment” of the site and the proposed access is “totally inappropriate.”

David Hale, development surveyor at Dransfield Properties, said: “This is the final piece of the jigsaw of the town centre regeneration in Penistone.

“We have consulted widely in the town to deliver an attractive development that will enhance this important site and bring new businesses and job opportunities.

“We have already had a good deal of interest from businesses in the area and, if the plans are approved by members today, we would hope to be on site in the early part of next year.”

Land for this latest development was originally earmarked for a block of sheltered flats, but these plans were turned down by Barnsley Council twice in 2007.

Councillors said the scale of the proposed three and four-storey apartments failed “to reflect the local architectural character” and would have appeared “dominant, discordant and materially harmful to the Penistone Conservation Area.”

However, town planners have now lent their support to Dransfield Properties’ new plans, which would include six ground-floor shops or cafes on the ground floor, with 21 “starter offices” above.

In the report set to go before today’s board meeting, the planning officials say: “The development has been designed to extend around the new roundabout to appear as various two-storey attached buildings with pitched roofs, which step up and down along the street.

“The proposed materials are coursed stone and render, and natural grey roof slate with design details and windows, which reflect the traditional buildings in Penistone town centre.

“A gable focal point is proposed on the roundabout with a feature clock.

“The proposed ground floor has the appearances of traditional shop fronts, with painted timber surrounds and signage, which would identify the uses within.”

Staff would be able to access a car park with 25 parking spaces off Back Lane, which comes off High Street.

Although this is the route used by pedestrians to both the market and the Tesco supermarket, town planners say Back Lane can accommodate the extra traffic as access to the car park will be “strictly controlled, and used by staff that for the most part will be arriving and departing outside of peak market times.”

Other opponents say the development “would do little to regenerate the town centre as a tourist attraction” and the shops “would take away business from existing businesses.”

However, those who have written to Barnsley Council backing the development say it will attract new business to Penistone town centre, will provide new jobs and will “regenerate the area and improve the site.”

Councillors will make a decision on the plans at Barnsley Central Library at 2pm today.