Chartered Surveyers & Valuers

Penistone Market, Barnsley.

Strafford Associates acted for Barnsley Metropolitan Council in this landmark redevelopment of the former livestock and retail market area of Penistone, South Yorkshire.

The redevelopment of the livestock and retail markets area was undertaken as part of an adjacent supermarket development. David Strafford has been involved in the site on behalf of Barnsley Council for many years, throughout the majority of the pre-development negotiations and through the build process to the present time. David has been thrilled to see the site transformed from a semi redundant range of dilapidated and underused buildings.

The new market building is a spectacular traditional oak framed structure of almost cathedral proportions. Standing 13 metres high, 24 metres wide and 35 metres long, the structure is the largest oak framed public building built in the country for several hundred years. The scheme presented many challenges and David was heard to say on many occasions “there is a reason why we don’t build them like this any more”.

In addition to the new market building, the existing market office has been sympathetically refurbished with exterior elevations renovated to meet English Heritage conservation accredited standards. Two new car parks have been provided for the Council, as well as a public car park management agreement to provide continued public use of the shared supermarket car park. The waste recycling facility situated in the former market car park has also been retained.

The new market building and surrounding area represents a significant revitalisation of the former livestock market area and should improve the social, environmental and economic well being of this traditional market town situated in the lower pennines.

The retail market takes place every Thursday, with a farmers’ market taking place the second Saturday in the month.