Willmott Dixon has completed phase one of The Seam Digital Campus in Barnsley, a striking new urban park and public realm development that positions the town as a forward-thinking hub for creative innovation and digital technology.

The project, funded through a combination of Future High Streets Funding from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and Barnsley Council investment, saw Willmott Dixon transform the heart of the town centre with a 4,700 square metre urban park, three landmark Yorkshire Rose sculptures and high-quality landscaped gardens.

Barnsley – the UK’s first government-backed Tech Town, situated within the UK’s first Investment Zone – celebrated the opening with a spectacular evening event featuring performances from the Barnsley Youth Choir, Barnsley-based collective LIMIT ZERO and a light and sound display from the Yorkshire Roses by Artin Light.

The centrepiece of the development is the trio of Yorkshire Rose sculptures, designed by Tim Ward of Circling The Square and fabricated by Stage One. The central ‘Mater’ (Mother) Rose stands 15 metres tall, flanked by two 12-metre sculptures – ‘Pruna’ (Glowing Coal) and ‘Vitrum’ (Glass) – honouring the borough’s industrial heritage. The sculptures incorporate digital lighting and sound technology that will be used for future events and creative programming.

The wider public realm comprises three distinct landscaped gardens – a biodiversity garden, a digital garden and a town centre link – alongside a central plaza, bringing together digital innovation, culture and nature. The project also includes the refurbished Lower Seam car park with 286 spaces, EV charging points, improved lighting, upgraded CCTV and well-lit pedestrian walkways.

Chris Yates, Yorkshire director at Willmott Dixon:

“The completion of The Seam is a proud moment for everyone involved. Seeing the Yorkshire Roses now standing at the heart of the development is a real celebration of the vision behind this project and the town of Barnsley. It’s been a privilege to help bring this landmark scheme to life and to play a part in shaping a new chapter for the town.”

Councillor Sir Stephen Houghton CBE, Leader of Barnsley Council added:

“It’s fantastic to open phase one of The Seam Digital Campus, a project which has been years in the making in the UK’s first Investment Zone. The Yorkshire Rose sculptures are an incredible addition to our town centre and will be a proud symbol of our new status as the UK’s first government-backed Tech Town as well as driving forward the ambition from our Inclusive Economic Growth Strategy of being the UK’s leading digital town. My thanks go to Tim Ward, who designed the sculptures, and every person who has helped to make our vision a reality, particularly those at Willmott Dixon, Stage One, DZA and The Seam Project Board at the council.”

Town Centre Regeneration Expertise

The Seam adds to Willmott Dixon’s growing portfolio of town centre and public realm regeneration projects that are helping to reshape communities across the country. In Yorkshire, the company is currently delivering Event Central in Sheffield, a £14.4 million transformation of a former retail building on Fargate into a cutting-edge music venue and collaborative workspace.

Across the wider business, recent and current town centre regeneration successes include The Stage in Luton, a £136 million flagship mixed-use scheme featuring 292 apartments and new public realm; Station Gardens in Rochdale, delivering 81 net zero homes on a key brownfield gateway site; and the Catterick town centre redevelopment in North Yorkshire, creating new facilities for Britain’s largest garrison and the surrounding community.

The company also delivered the Spindles Town Square transformation in Oldham, a 450,000 square foot mixed-use development, and has been selected as construction partner in a transformational regeneration consortium in Darlington.

Looking Ahead

Phase one is the first stage of Barnsley Council’s wider ambitions for The Seam Digital Campus. Plans for phase two include a high-quality hotel, a National Centre for Digital Technologies and a third Digital Media Centre, which would add to the existing infrastructure and create a hub for technology and digital businesses.