Joint venture partners Sterling Capitol and Strata Homes have secured planning consent for the Barnsley West mixed-use development in South Yorkshire.
Known as MU1, the 122-hectare site, which is located off Higham Common Road close to Junction 37 of the M1, will house 1,700 homes, 1.2m sq ft of employment space for modern advanced manufacturing, storage and distribution, a strategic link road, a brand new primary school for up to 420 children, shops and community facilities.
Sir Bob Murray (pictured), founder and chairman of Sterling Capitol, said: “The decision to give the go-ahead to Barnsley West is welcome news. In the challenging economic times, this development will provide much-needed jobs and investment and will be a massive game changer for the town and the surrounding area. It’s a defining moment – the key to future prosperity.
“On a personal note, this means so much to me. I have a real affinity for the site, which lies on top of an open-cast coal mine. My father was a miner, and I built the Stadium of Light, the home of Sunderland AFC, on top of Monkwearmouth Colliery. It’s so important to breathe new life into sites with such illustrious histories.”
He continued: “Now that planning permission has been granted, we are completely focused on delivering a transformational flagship employment site which will drive the town and the borough’s renaissance. But this is about more than development – it’s about long-term investment, opportunity, and confidence in Barnsley. Barnsley West represents a major step forward in helping secure the area’s economic future, and we’re proud to be at the heart of it.
“I’d like to thank Barnsley Council, our partners and the local community for their support. We now look forward to getting on with the job and delivering a high-quality scheme that will benefit generations to come.”
Paul Beckett, CEO of Sterling Capitol, added: “I would like to emphasize that maintaining strong ties with the community is essential as we look to the future. We are committed to ensuring Barnsley West grows with the community and not apart from it. We are proud to be part of that community, delivering a flagship scheme for the region that everyone can be proud of.”
The professional team that supported the planning application included The Harris Partnership, Spawforths, Pegasus, JPG, RPP, Gillespies and Wardell Armstrong.
