Willmott Dixon completes first phase of The Seam Digital Campus in Barnsley
Yorkshire Rose sculptures in the heart of Barnsley
Willmott Dixon has finalised the initial phase of The Seam Digital Campus, a transformative urban park and public space in Barnsley, marking a significant milestone in the town’s development as a centre for digital innovation and creative industries.
Supported by funding from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s Future High Streets Fund alongside investment from Barnsley Council, the project has revitalised the town centre with a 4,700 square metre urban park. This includes three prominent Yorkshire Rose sculptures and meticulously designed landscaped gardens.
Barnsley, recognised as the UK’s first government-backed Tech Town and located within the nation’s inaugural Investment Zone, celebrated the launch with an evening event. The occasion featured performances by the Barnsley Youth Choir and local collective LIMIT ZERO, complemented by a light and sound show highlighting the Yorkshire Rose sculptures, created by Artin Light.
The focal point of the development is the trio of Yorkshire Rose sculptures, conceived by Tim Ward of Circling The Square and constructed by Stage One. The central sculpture, named ‘Mater’ (Mother), rises 15 metres, flanked by two 12-metre pieces titled ‘Pruna’ (Glowing Coal) and ‘Vitrum’ (Glass), which pay tribute to Barnsley’s industrial past. These sculptures are equipped with digital lighting and sound systems intended for future events and creative programming.
The public realm surrounding the sculptures features three distinct landscaped gardens: a biodiversity garden, a digital garden, and a town centre link, all converging on a central plaza that integrates digital technology, culture, and nature. Additionally, the project refurbished the Lower Seam car park, enhancing it with 286 parking spaces, electric vehicle charging points, improved lighting, upgraded CCTV, and well-lit pedestrian pathways.
Chris Yates, Yorkshire director at Willmott Dixon, stated: “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.”
Sir Stephen Houghton CBE, Leader of Barnsley Council, commented: “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 single 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.”
The Seam project adds to Willmott Dixon’s expanding portfolio of town centre and public realm regeneration initiatives across the UK. In Yorkshire, the company is also delivering Event Central in Sheffield, a £14.4 million redevelopment converting a former retail space on Fargate into a state-of-the-art music venue and collaborative workspace.
Elsewhere, Willmott Dixon has been involved in several significant regeneration projects, including The Stage in Luton, a £136 million mixed-use development featuring 292 apartments and new public spaces; Station Gardens in Rochdale, which delivers 81 net zero homes on a brownfield site; and the redevelopment of Catterick town centre in North Yorkshire, providing new facilities for Britain’s largest garrison and the local community.
The company has also completed the Spindles Town Square transformation in Oldham, a 450,000 square foot mixed-use scheme, and has been appointed as construction partner for a major regeneration consortium in Darlington.
Looking ahead, phase one represents the first step in Barnsley Council’s broader vision for The Seam Digital Campus. Future plans include the development of a high-quality hotel, a National Centre for Digital Technologies, and a third Digital Media Centre, which will further enhance the town’s infrastructure and support its growing technology and digital business sector.
