THE last year has been an exciting one for the town with a large number of projects coming to fruition - but that doesn’t mean that 2025 is going to be a quiet one for Barnsley.
There’s still plenty to look forward to, whether it be Callum Simpson’s first British and Commonwealth super-middleweight title defence or the opening of the much-anticipated youth zone in the town centre, there’s a lot for locals to be involved with.
Chief reporter Jack Tolson previews the year ahead...
Youth Zone
The new town centre youth zone has shot up since the ground was officially broken in May.
The venue - which will include a four-court sports hall, a rooftop 3G outdoor kick-pitch, gym, boxing and martial arts room, a recording studio, dance studio, sensory room and mentoring kitchen - will be built off Schwäbisch Gmund Way.
The youth zone will be the first in Yorkshire and bosses behind the scheme say the facilities are ‘world class’.
It will be open to young people aged between eight and 19, and up to 25 for those with additional needs, seven days a week.
OnSide expect the facility to be open between 9am and 10pm on weekends and school holidays, and between 4pm and 10pm during term time.
The scheme is estimated to cost £9.2m to build, funded by a combination of public and private sector contributions.
Work is well underway and chief executive Mandy Carlson recently told the Chronicle they expect to receive the keys to the venue in May next year.
Then the fitout of the building will begin and a soft launch - where schools and community groups will use the venue - will take place towards the end of 2025.
A full opening is set for early 2026.
There’s no doubt this is something the town - and indeed the entirety of Yorkshire - will benefit from.
There’s certainly going to be some exciting times ahead for Barnsley’s young people.
The NAVE
A multi-million pound project which will see a hub created to nurture musical talent in Barnsley town centre is well underway - and it’s set to become a place where the world’s best musicians study.
The Northern Academy for Vocal Excellence (NAVE) will bring the council’s former Computer Centre on the corner of St Mary’s Place and Westgate - which was built in 1879 and was previously the town’s courthouse until 1970 when Barnsley Magistrates’ Court opened - back into use.
When complete, it will be home to the world-famous, 400-strong Barnsley Youth Choir whose leaders will also engage with other organisations to provide a hub for singing regionally and nationally.
The application includes refurbishing the site and the erection of a detached storage building at Westgate House.
Barnsley Youth Choir really are the jewel in the town’s crown and have really put Barnsley on the map in recent years.
They’re renowned for their style, skill and class worldwide - and this project will only enhance their ability.
It’s definitely something the whole town can get excited about.
The Seam
The first phase of a long-awaited regeneration of one part of the town centre is set to come to fruition next year.
The redevelopment of the lower Seam, off County Way, which is being delivered using Future High Streets and council funding, includes plans for a new urban park, comprising three separate high-quality natural gardens: the biodiversity garden, the digital garden and the town centre link.
Plans also include improved parking facilities for the remaining spaces that will serve visitors to the town centre and the Seam Digital Campus based on County Way.
The main attraction of the first phase of works will be three huge sculptures, known as the Yorkshire Roses, with the central sculpture standing at 15m tall and two smaller 12m sculptures standing high above the newly regenerated area.
The plans have been in the offing for some time, but late last year the council revealed detailed images of what the scheme will look like.
Work is set to begin in the summer of 2025 - and will revitalise what some say is a forgotten area of the town centre.
Health on the High Street
Plans to create a new health hub in the Alhambra Shopping Centre - which is expected to bring in 250,000 people a year - are moving forward at a strong pace.
Announced back in March, the venue will transform parts of the shopping centre to create convenient health services within the heart of the town centre.
Barnsley Council have been working alongside Barnsley Hospital, Barnsley Premier Leisure (BPL), South West/ Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SWYFT) and South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) to bring their services together.
It is expected that more than 100,000 visitors a year will use the hub instead of Barnsley Hospital, with BPL’s offer attracting a further 150,000 a year.
Detailed plans for the site have yet to be revealed, but with its convenient location and the rising numbers of patients at Barnsley Hospital - it’s bound to be a positive addition to the town centre.
You only have to look at the impact of the nearby CDC to see what it could do for Barnsley.
Work is set to speed up in 2025.
College Institute of Excellence
Yet another example of the town paving the way for the rest of the country in terms of the education sector, Barnsley College’s Institute of Excellence will be a great addition to the town centre.
The South Yorkshire Institute of Technology (SYIoT) - one of 21 IoTs nationally - will see one of its key facilities fully renovated to house the venue in the college’s University Centre on Church Street in Barnsley town centre.
The landmark art deco building - formerly Barnsley Mining and Technical College - will be sensitively transformed into a modern, facility to retain and enhance the classic architecture inside and out.
Funding for the project is a combination of Department for Education (DfE) regional investment, and college capital funds.
The college was also successful with a Salix decarbonisation capital bid for sustainability upgrades throughout the building.
When complete, the Church Street building will be one of the most sustainable properties on the college estate.
Work to enhance the building has already been completed, and there’s hopes that the project could be completed in 2025.
It’s certainly another bright spark for Barnsley.
It shows that once again the town is able to lead the way across the country and it’s yet another exciting addition of the ever-expanding facilities at Barnsley College.
Old Mill Lane widening scheme
This project was mentioned in last year’s preview of 2024 - and there’s certainly plenty that gone on since.
The application, submitted on behalf of South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE), seeks to widen Old Mill Lane and increase its current three lanes to five.
This would include a new bus lane, cycle paths, the relocation of a bus shelter, the removal of Asda’s recycling centre and Kaye Pepper’s memorial, who died on July 13, 1996.
The proposals, which were revealed three years ago, suggest the widening of the highway to include four lanes and a separate bus lane - five in total.
Work has been taking place throughout the year with a number of lane closures and, despite initial concerns from locals, it’s gone fairly smoothly.
It’s an intriguing scheme and once complete, it should ensure there’s no more bottlenecks going into the town centre.
Let’s hope that work escalates and the project finishes in 2025.
No elections
Unlike most years there will be no local elections held this year.
In 2024 we had a full set of local elections and even a general election which saw Barnsley’s three constituencies once again become a Labour stronghold after Marie Tidball won her seat from Conservative MP Miriam Cates in the Penistone and Stocksbridge constituency.
It’s going to be a lot quieter this year - but it’s just part of normal procedure.
Each ward in Barnsley has three councillors - there's 21 ward which means there’s currently 63 councillors sitting in the chamber.
This year there will be no elections but in 2026, as there is every four years, an all-out election will be held.
Residents won’t just be voting for one councillor in their ward - they’ll be voting for all three.
Callum Simpson
Barnsley boxing star Callum Simpson is scheduled to make the first defence of his British and Commonwealth super-middleweight titles on January 11 in Sheffield.
Defeating Steed Woodall would potentially set up an even bigger event at Oakwell in the summer than last year’s momentous win over Zak Chelli in which 7,000 spectators cheered him on to victory.
Callum is fighting on despite the tragic death of his sister Lily-Rae and has vowed to win more honours in tribute.
Barnsley FC
The Reds have been involved in two successive League One play-off campaigns but have ultimately fell short in both.
Darrell Clarke is now at the helm at Oakwell, and he’ll be hoping his side can at very least match the results of the previous two seasons under Michael Duff and Neill Collins.
Barnsley currently sit in sixth and have a strong chance of the play-offs, but there’s no doubt there’s some strong competition at the top end of the table.
Big spenders Birmingham City are fighting for the top two alongside ex-head coach Duff’s Huddersfield, with Wycombe Wanderers a surprise package this season.
Hollywood also has eyes on League One with Wrexham on a promotion charge yet again.
But Barnsley will need to focus on themselves and their own performances if they’re to reach a third successive play-off campaign.
Who knows, with any luck this time next year I’ll be writing about the Reds in the Championship.
Only time will tell...
