BARNSLEY Council’s planning board is set to approve plans for a new park in the town centre which will include the installation of three striking sculptures.

Councillors will meet on Tuesday to consider two related planning applications that could transform parts of the Lower Seam car park also known as the Courthouse car park on County Way.

The first proposal would see the southern section of the Lower Seam car park transformed into a public park, covering approximately 3,700 square metres, with two 12-metre-tall ‘Yorkshire Rose’ sculptures and a third standing at 15 metres.

To accommodate it, 181 existing parking spaces will be removed, but the reconfigured car park will provide 235 standard spaces, 12 accessible bays and 39 electric vehicle (EV) charging bays.

Each sculpture would be mounted on a concrete foundation and include lighting and acoustic elements.

A lighting display would occur once every hour between 4pm and 10pm, lasting around ten minutes, featuring sounding and lighting effects.

A report said that while the loss of parking spaces has raised some concerns, officers believe that sufficient parking capacity remains in the town centre to meet demand.

Construction will temporarily close additional spaces during the works, but these impacts are expected to be manageable, with a detailed construction traffic management plan in place to inform the public of any changes.

The report added: “This development will contribute towards the appearance and character of the public open space, making it a unique town centre destination which is distinctive in comparison to other public spaces.

“The development will attract visitors to the town centre as well as enhance views of the town centre landscape.”

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