Caring for our borough and shaping its future
Following additional information provided for the planning application for the proposed gyratory at Penny Pie Park, Barnsley Civic Trust reiterated its objection to the planning application and stated that in our view the proposal does not provide an adequate solution to the present traffic-flow problem.
It does however cause increased noise and pollution by fumes close to existing housing as well as taking away much of the green space used by local people.
Barnsley Civic Trust has arranged its next social event on Tuesday 18 December: dining at One Momento in Peel Street. Book a place through Phyllis Barnes or Rebecca Battye.
Tom Lonsdale gave an interesting and informative talk on Design in Regeneration and the work of the Barnsley Design Panel; members of Barnsley Civic Trust were joined by others interested in the topic at a recent meeting. Tom, the chair of the Design Panel, covered a wide range of aspects of design and some of the major schemes in the town centre.
This talk is one of a series of talks promoted by Barnsley Civic Trust
The Barnsley Civic Trust Talk on Tuesday 27th November will tell us about the work of the independent Design Review Panel set up in Barnsley. It is made up of highly regarded designers, architects, landscape architects and artists and is completely independent of the Council.
Its role is to review the design of schemes referred to it by the Council and to give expert advice as to how they can improved. It has advised on all the major schemes in the town centre.
The presentation promises to be very enlightening and will be given by Tom Lonsdale who chairs the Barnsley Panel and who is a nationally esteemed designer and landscape architect.
Tuesday 27th November, 7.00pm
Masonic Hall, Cockerham Lane (just off Huddersfield Road).
All welcome
Barnsley Civic Trust has made a formal objection to the current proposals to construct a traffic gyratory system at the junction of Broadway, Dodworth Road and Pogmoor Road.
The planning application would see much of Penny Pie Park lost and a three-lane road encircling a substantial part of the remaining greenspace.
We are not convinced from the available evidence that the proposals would solve the existing traffic congestion.
In our view the perceived benefits do not outweigh the level of harm resulting from the proposals.
A decision on the planning application for the new ‘iconic’ foot bridge to replace the town centre railway crossing was made on Wednesday 24 October.
Jumble Lane crossing is due to be closed by Network Rail in March 2019 with a temporary bridge in place.
At a recent meeting of Barnsley Civic Trust, Sarah McHale from Barnsley Council told us that the new permanent bridge is designed by Renato Benedetti (Benadetti Architects) who also designed the new bridge in Castleford. The structure cost is estimated at £5m with £2m from Network Rail and £3m from BMBC.
The bridge will be ‘stunningly’ lit at night and the bridge deck is a 1.8 meter deep steel channel wide enough to cope with large flows on match days.
It has to be high enough for electrification and wide enough for platform extension in case these are planned in the future.
The main points raised at the Barnsley Civic Trust meeting were the nature of the deck and not being able to see out of it, the nature of fencing to the railway (Network Rail insisting on palisade), and the look of the canopy to the ‘funicular’ lift at either side of the bridge for people with disabilities and pushchairs etc.
The meeting, however, liked the bridge and thought that it has come a long way from its first incarnation.
Barnsley Civic Trust conveyed these views to the council and in addition we commented that it appears from the positioning of the ‘funicular lift’ on the opposite sides of the bridge at both ends that people in wheel chairs and cyclist will have to cross from one side of the bridge to the other, cutting across the route that everyone else will take. This can’t be right, can it?
A presentation on the design of the proposed new £5 million pedestrian bridge at the Jumble Lane railway crossing is taking place at a public meeting in September.
All are welcome on Monday 24th September at 7.00pm.
Hope House Church Hall, Blucher Street, Barnsley Town Centre,
Refreshments from 6.30pm.
The presentation will be given by Sarah McHale of Barnsley council. Sarah will describe how the design of the new bridge has developed. The bridge is part of the Barnsley Town Centre redevelopment and Sarah will inform us how the design developed following consultation and professional design review.
This is an open meeting open to everyone interested in this topic.
A short Annual General Meeting of Barnsley Civic Trust will precede the presentation on the design of the new railway crossing pedestrian bridge on Monday 24 September at Hope House Church, Blucher Street, Barnsley S70 2AP.
The date of the next BCT dining club meal is on Friday August 31st, 7.30pm, at The Garrison (Used to be Lucorum) on Hanson street opposite the Civic Hall. Contact Phyllis or Rebecca if you would like to join the group. 
Two interesting talks follow a short business session / annual general meeting.
Sharron Sutton will talk about the development of the Museums and Arts service in Barnsley, and Paul Bennett will talk about the development of the new Library, somewhat controversially called Library @ the Lightbox.
On Thursday 7 June at 6.30pm at the Hope House Church Hall on Blucher Street, S70 1AP
Refreshments available from 6.00pm.